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deepbludude · #1 03-01-2018, 09:44 AM

So I just found a 83 240D very little rust, near perfect interior and paint. 107K miles on it with a 4spd. I owned a similar yet older 240D think it was a 79. I also have a 89 f250 IDI as well as 79 Gasser 4x4 F250.

So on this merc I just changed the oil and filter, started a fuel filter change and now she wont run. used this forum to troubleshoot, I did crack the injector lines and not getting any fuel. My hand primer is the old style with the white pump handle that screws down tight but is leaking whilst I prime it. I just ordered the replacement bosch part. I'm hoping it will allow me to fire her up again. I did notice a good deal of brown grainy substance in the pre filter ( I cut it in half after removing it) I put another filter right off the hard line from fuel tank. I believe my strainer may be clogged but it is flowing fuel by gravity. Have the strainer removal tool inbound as well.
Thanks for all the insight on these old girls. I sure hop my IP is good though I have a good deal of concern that I'm not getting any fuel at all at the injectors. Once running I'm going to purge her.

Dan Stokes · #2 03-01-2018, 09:55 AM

Welcome! I'm kind of "on the outside looking in" on here as I haven't drunk any on the M-B Kool-Aide but they let me hang out anyhow (I have an '85 S-10 with a modified OM617 that I use exclusively for Land Speed Racing).

We can expect several members on here to howl in protest but the only way I've been able to get mine to run after losing prime on the fuel system is to carefully start it with starting fluid and then it pretty quickly gets its prime back and it runs fine until the next time I drain the fuel system. I can't say that I like doing it this way but it works. So there's one possible method, not recommended.

Dan

pj67coll · #3 03-01-2018, 10:08 AM

Did you drive it prior to doing this work?

- Peter.

junqueyardjim · #4 03-01-2018, 10:12 AM

It is quite easy when doing an oil filter change on the W123's, to break the connection to the vacuum shut off valve. I know, because that happened to me first time I changed the oil filter. With that line open, you can not start your car. It should be a dark brown vacuum line (quite small) coming off the main vacuum line which is a big line and runs from the vacuum pump to the power brake unit. It "tee's" off this big vacuum line, goes to the engine shutoff mounted on the rear of the injection pump, then comes back from the shut off and goes thru the fire wall and to the ignition switch, and most of this is right on top of the oil filter. Check it out!

engatwork · #5 03-01-2018, 02:54 PM

You should be fine once you change out the manual pump. It takes a while to prime them. With injector lines loose at injector end pump, crank engine over, pause, pump and repeat till fuel comes out. Once you have fuel coming out of about 3 of them you should be able to snug em down, glow and crank/start.

tangofox007 · #6 03-01-2018, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

With that line open, you can not start your car.

Why not?

Mxfrank · #7 03-01-2018, 06:50 PM

Try filling the spin on with fuel. That's how I get my 602 to start after a filter change. It also helps if you have a full tank.

Maxbumpo · #8 03-02-2018, 09:02 AM

Injection pumps, if not abused or "fixed" by an incompetent mechanic, generally last the life of the engine or longer, so don't worry about that. You've got to prime the system, which can take a bit.

Get the new primer pump installed, and after about 50 strokes on that you will hear a change in the sound and feel increased pressure when pushing it down. That means that the injection pump is primed, but now you need to get fuel from the pump out to the injectors, which can only happen by cranking the engine over.

If you've got a battery charger with a boost or emergency start setting use that, or hook up another battery with jumper cables.

Loosen all injector hard lines at the injectors, hold the accel. pedal to the floor, and crank the engine over with the starter for 20-30 seconds. Don't wait for the glow, just crank, you don't need to waste battery power on glowing the plugs when there is no fuel getting to the pre-chambers. Take a pause and check all the fuel lines. Tighten down any that have fuel leaking out. Repeat crank / check until all lines are tight, then glow normally and hold the accel. pedal down, and it should start up.

You can also plug in the block heater about 30 minutes before attempting to start, the increased heat will help both fuel ignition and warm the oil so the engine spins over faster.

junqueyardjim · #9 03-02-2018, 02:04 PM

Well TANGOFOX007, if that line is open, (by that I mean that it is no longer getting vacuum because the line is disconnected) it does the same thing as turning the ignition off to cause a shut down. In this case you would get in the car, turn the ignition key and attempt to start, but your fuel shut off will remain shut off and the engine will not start.

tangofox007 · #10 03-02-2018, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

Well TANGOFOX007, if that line is open, (by that I mean that it is no longer getting vacuum because the line is disconnected) it does the same thing as turning the ignition off to cause a shut down. In this case you would get in the car, turn the ignition key and attempt to start, but your fuel shut off will remain shut off and the engine will not start.

Turning the key OFF routes vacuum to the shut-off valve. Turning the key ON vents vacuum, which is the same concept as having the line disconnected.

Diseasel300 · #11 03-02-2018, 02:59 PM

^^^ This.

If you don't believe it, go start your engine and pull off the vacuum nipple to the shutdown vacuum actuator. I'll bet you $100 the engine stays running.

BillGrissom · #12 03-02-2018, 05:44 PM

blue dude,

If you go in deeper, remove the #1 injector line, unscrew the delivery valve on the IP and reinstall the shell with the guts removed (take photos). You should be able to get fuel to flow from the #1 port by continuously pumping the hand pump, at least at certain crank positions. I turn the crank by a wrench on the pwr steering pump pulley (26 mm, recall). Hopefully, w/ the new pump you will.

If you get a stream, slowly turn the crank to determine the exact angle where the flow first halts. This is the "drip test", which is good to do and you are "already there". Of course M-B had to give a spec as "1 drop/sec" to be definitive, but it is a sharp point where the IP cylinder #1 inlet port closes. Even more anal, is to fab a curved tube to better see the drips, per the FSM. At that point, the crank should be 24 deg BTDC on my 300D turbo engines (I set 27 deg for more power). Lookup the spec for your 4 cyl non-turbo. Loosen the 3 bolts that mount IP to engine and rotate IP towards engine for more advance (as I did). Good luck.

junqueyardjim · #13 03-02-2018, 06:21 PM

Hey sorry fellow readers, I had a brain freeze on that one - and I can't even blame that central Indiana weather, as we had a 74 degree day here this week. But my suggestion is wrong, breaking that vacuum line will prevent stopping the engine, not starting and running. Would be nice if I could blame a -14 degree temp for that brain freeze, but the weather is to good!

Junkman · #14 03-02-2018, 07:01 PM

The car should prime if it was running before. The primer pump makes it easier but my SD started when I did a filter change on the side of the road before I'd heard about the primer.

Fill the spin on filter before installing. Crack a couple of hard lines at the injector. Glow then crank the engine until fuel comes out and tighten the hard lines. It should run.

mbolton1990 · #15 03-02-2018, 07:52 PM

It can take a bit to bleed out the air in the system.. some engines take longer than others.. keep at it it should fire up..