When you guys say that a cylinder is not firing until it gets warm....What test do you make to determine that? I have white smoke on start up that quits when car gets warmed up. Also have a shake when idling which goes away if I give it just a little rpm.

I'm wondering what I need to do next in a series of many small fixes that need attention. I have changed the fuel filters and run additive through. I have the purge additive but have not gotten to that process yet. Have AT filter ordered and am going to go with Mobile 1 on the chage.

While I have your attention....Can someone tell me where the vacuum line is connected down on the transmission on my 300D Turbo? I was under there tonight while replacing my brake pads and looked quickly but did not see it.

Thanks very much

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David Dodge
1982 300D Turbo Mercedes
1948 Willys Jeepster

I have not really heard anyone say it that way... and mean it that way... If you have reasonable compression... meaning rings are good and the valves are closing at the right time... and the engine is turned over fast enough... and fuel is being injected... then it should be firing due to the heat of the air from the quick compression... but generally you go by the fact that it starts or not... if you suspect some cylinders are not firing,,,, then it would usually be that you would do a compression test on all of them to see what the situation was inside each cylinder....
Most diesels have more smoke right at/after startup...not unusual or bad.. just indication that incomplete ignition happened temporarily when the engine started turning over... and perhaps that some oil had drained down from leaking valve seals....if it stops within minutes it is not something to worry about generally.

You can loosen off each injector nut in turn , just a 1/8 turn , while the engine is idling , if the engine does not drop in revs , then that is the faulty cylinder.

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'72 240D
'76 300D
'88 300sel
'40 Chev pickup , the shop hack.
'73 Monte Carlo Landau, for "Super Chevy Sunday"

i can normally tell when she first starts by the sound and feel of it. It's like most things IMO, it just comes with experiance of it happening. I learned how it felt mainly with my buick century gasser. I drove it to and from school for almost a week with it only hitting on four cylinders. How do i know it was? i had a bad coil but was too broke to buy a new one I learned based on my experiance with another car..
Ryan

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

The vacuum line should terminate at the modulator on the drivers side - about in the middle of the tranny.

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Jim

Thanks for the information. I am a better Do-it-yourselfer than some people I know, but am a blundering idiot untill someone will show me or tell me how to do some of the more technical auto repair stuff.

Thanks again

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David Dodge
1982 300D Turbo Mercedes
1948 Willys Jeepster

A miss cold that vanishes warm is either a bad injector or a bad glowplug. If the glowplug light flashes after you start the car, it is definitely a bad glowplug. If the light never comes on, it is several bad glowplugs. Cheaper and easier than injectors!.

If the glowplugs are all OK, then I suspect you have a worn injector nozzle.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!