Surfblau, I'm pacing like a father-to-be... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sixto · #1 06-14-2003, 07:12 PM

... waiting to hear what's up with the SDL. I guess this is the weekend for it

If I can be of any help, let me know.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

surfblau · #2 06-14-2003, 11:48 PM

So, I pulled the valve cover and everything looks ok. The cams are super clean with no flat spots, the cam shaft is in one piece, towers ok, everything looks fine (and really clean, I guess cause the head is pretty new and the Delvac 1).

The chain was in place and seemed pretty tight, the tensioners and rails (plastic pieces, what I could see) looked intact and ok. So I figured that I would put it back together and try to start it.

I got one or two anemic rotations before dead silence. The glow plug light works, seat belt buzzer, it just won't even crank. After the first try, no cranking at all.

So I thought it might be the battery- and I rotated batteries with my TD. No change it isn't the battery.

So that is where I am.

I wasn't able to rotate it manually (by the bolt on the flywheel or front of the engine) because I couldn't get my ratchet with long 27 mm socket in there. I will get myself a 27mm short socket fathers day present tomorrow, then try rotating the engine by hand, then attempt starting it.

Then I will explore the vac pump and maybe verify that the starter works, though it is only 12 months old and it is a real bosch.

So, if anyone has other ideas let me know...

Meanwhile, I am going to do some research here....

alec

engatwork · #3 06-15-2003, 08:24 AM

Try to rotate it by hand with the cover off and see what you get. You may want to pull the injectors/glow plugs before you try to rotate it by hand. Does it have the "small" oil pan section like the 300D? Maybe you should consider dropping it to be able to look around in that area when you try to rotate it.

sixto · #4 06-15-2003, 11:27 PM

How about removing the tensioner then trying to turn the crank just a little? You might even try rocking the the crank nut back an forth just for feel. Not so much that the cam or IP sprockets start to turn backwards!

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

surfblau · #5 06-16-2003, 12:34 PM

So I got my 27mm short socket and tried turning it by hand. No dice. Turning clockwise with a socket and then a breaker bar, the crankshaft will not rotate a single mm. I was able to rotate it ccw slightly (like 3-5 degrees, really almost nothing, I really didn't want to push it, but it was able to move in that direction) with a normal amount of force.

Before I did all of this, I pulled the injectors, though the valve cover is still on.

Tonight, I will remove the vacuum pump and check to see if it looks intact. If time and daylight permit, the radiator and the serpentince belt tensioner will be coming out tonight too.

Thanks for all your guys support, I will let you know what I find.

Let me know if you have any other ideas.

alec

The Warden · #6 06-16-2003, 09:05 PM

If you've got the injectors off, have somoene watch the injector holes while you try to crank. Since it won't turn by hand even without the compression (theoretically), it sounds like it's hydrolocked, unless there's reason to suspect physical internal damage (in which case I would imagine that it wouldn't be able to move at all, in either direction).

I tried to bar over a GM 6.2l diesel by hand once, and it took a lot of force (I guess the water trying to get into the precombustion chamber), then a whole bunch of water spewed out of the glow plug hole for one cylinder. It still didn't bar over great after that, but I was able to bar it enough to get to the last bolt on the injector pump...got it apart, and...well, the engine had sat like that for a year and had the rust to prove it.

gsxr · #7 06-16-2003, 09:20 PM

My money is still on a frozen accessory. Gotta loosen the serpentine belt & try the crank socket again... and do that BEFORE pulling the vac pump, or other big items!

surfblau · #8 06-17-2003, 12:20 PM

With a 2 year old and a "8" hour a day job, I couldn't get to it last night, but the more I think about it, the more it seems like a frozen accessory is the most likely candidate.

later