85 300D

Sorry for all the questions but I'm having a heck of a time getting this car to start. I'm excited to hear it run after 3 months of work. I've bled the fuel system, and fuel is weeping from each of the hard lines but the thing refuses to start. I've run down the battery and now have the car jumpered.

Could you tell me everything you've done to the fuel system so far?

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

as far as bleeding, as soon as fuel starts coming out you're done. I haven't had to bleed a diesel in years but I remember it only took a very brief loosening of one line to get the air out and started right up.

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Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

If it's squirting fuel when you have the lines cracked loose, it's bled. If it still isn't starting, check your glow plugs and timing. It's possible to install the IP timed incorrectly so it's injecting fuel during the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Hold the pedal all the way down and crank it forever and don't stop until it starts. Bleed it for 30 secs to a min with the hard lines cracked prior to this

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But it kinda sounds like u have a separate problem...

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Quick crack until fuel leaks. Actually, the OM617 is self-bleeding if you have the battery and the patience.

Well.... as soon as I typed this it decided it wanted to try and start....

I'm very close to getting it started... just having to charge up the battery

Snug up the injector lines and it should fire right up, assuming the GP system is working.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

I'm lazy. I hit the primer until it oinks real good and most of the air is out of the clear sight tube I installed in the return line. Climb in, throttle wide open, crank until it starts. 30 seconds at most. Runs rough for five seconds or so as the last cylinder or two purges, then smooths right out.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

No and double no. Holding the pedal down won't do much plus may over rev then engine before oil pressure has a chance to build. Cranking forever leads to failed starters.

For most injector pumps in general, the fuel is at max when the engine is stopped, ready to start and speed below idle.

Some pumps ( in general ) have an over fuel / timing advance mechanism for starting. The could be a cold start solenoid or lever.

That's really bad. You're going to burn up the starter and possibly damage the motor revving the he'll out of it before it can build oil pressure. Also, you bleed the injector lines in sequence not all at once.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

To answer what might be your question, I'm not sure fuel will come out at the injector nut by using the hand primer pump. Did you read that in a manual? In my 1985, I crack the banjo fitting at the fuel filter outlet while operating the hand primer, until fuel comes out, then tighten the banjo nut while still pumping (per manual). That gets all air out of the (single) inlet side of the injection pump (IP). The injector nuts are on the IP outlet (for each cylinder). Normally, there is no open connection between the IP inlet and outlet, so I don't see how the hand pump could influence the IP outlet. Perhaps at a certain crank angle, one IP circuit will have a brief connection, but you would still have to overcome the outlet check valve, and I doubt 12 psig from the lift pump/hand pump could do that.

You should be cracking the injector nuts while cranking over the engine. Crack them just slightly and tighten them as soon as you see fuel dribbling out (while still cranking). Without it tight, fuel will not spray from the injector into the engine cylinder, since it must build 1950 psig before the spring-loaded poppet opens. If no helper, you can crank the engine from under-hood by jumpering at the little screw terminals that connect the starter cables (in front of battery), but insure transmission is in neutral, parking brake on, and wheels chucked.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

X2 on Post # 4.

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78 W116 300SD 'Desert Rose' new as of 01/26/2014
79 W116 300SD 'Stormcloud' RIP 04/11/2022