Greetings, I'm looking for some ideas.... I checked out a '67 200d, 4 on the floor, yesterday. Very original and solid. Engine clean, but won't start. Odometer seems to indicate approx. 124k mi....engine turns over about as fast as my old 76 240d i.e. Not very quickly, I primed the i.p. With the hand pump, then loosened the nut on top of the injector while cranking...saw some air bubbles on a couple of them and they didn't flow very forcefully when loosened. The glow plugs apparently work and I cycled them for about a min. The outside air temp about 78degree f.
I noticed some quite old looking braided fuel line to the in- line filter.(leaking air?). Made several attempts ... But no start, there were a couple of hopeful pulses. Checked out the exhaust pipe and there was no scent of fuel or fumes. So.... I'm thinking there's either poor fuel pressure to the injectors (air in the system), very tight valves, low compression, or very old and stale fuel. The owner states that the car hasn't started for a year, was always difficult to start. He had put some fuel additive in the tank but i'm not so sure that would help out some stale fuel. I won't consider buying without hearing it run, so we may tow it to get it going. Any comments on what to look for that would indicate a low compression situation when the engine is running? Or is there any diagnosis I haven't thought of ..... Any ideas out there? Thanks , mark

To solve the old fuel problem, put some fuel in a container and run a hose directly to the in-line filter just like you would if running purge.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

mk240d

Low compression caused by the valves being too tight for sure would cause heard starting. I would pop the valve cover off and have a look. Seems like in allot of hard starting cases, its glow plugs. I changed to the new style parallel plugs and I haven,t had any starting problems. When you get her going you might consider the new GPs. Sounds like a nice car, 124 K Good Score. All that old braided hose needed replacing on my cars but I didn't notice any better starting, maybe better mileage and no more mess on the deck.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Mk240D

Does the GP indicator in the dash get a bright orange if you hold out the starter knob in the preglow position long enough? If it doesn't, you have a GP problem. NOTE: the indicator will go out when the starter is engaged but the GP are still energized.

If the GP seem OK, check the valve clearances. You might also do a compression test on the engine.

P E H

Find out when the car was last registered, and speak with mechanic who serviced it..... just to make sure previous owner isnt lying about it being driveable a year ago.

12 months with the same fuel in tank?? You gotta drain it and use fresh fuel, change the fuel filters too.

Assuming you've already bought the car for peanuts as "not running" ......you can then tow the jalopy with a rope to the nearest and highest hill.... glow the plugs 2 or 3 times..... and jump start it using 3rd gear at approx 20-30 mph...... if that dont wake it up, nothing will.

mk240d,

Don't worry about old Diesel fuel. Its not like gasoline. I've had 10 year fuel oil and it ran and started in my 190D just as good as new fuel.

Also glowing the GP multiple times will do no good. These are manually controlled GP and one good long preglow will be sufficient if the GP are functioning properly.

Taking it to the top of a long hill and doing a roll start should work if fuel gets into the engine.

P E H

While picking up new hubcap clips 6 weeks ago for my 240D that threw a hubcap, i saw a dude at nearby MB parts shop in Stamford who drove into the parking lot with an incredibly fine 300TD wagon that he had bought for practically nothing.... so he was braggin and telling the story of his new car.

Previous owner had just gotten back with his family from 18 month job assignment in Europe and found the car running like hell, smokin and wouldnt go over 50mph. PO's regular garage mechanic told him the engine was shot.... so he advertised it for $1200 OBO in local newspaper. New owner said he got the car for $950 cash.

The problem? New owner was now picking up another primary fuel filter and some diesel purge after flushing the fuel tank 5 days earlier.

If it was me, I'd open the bottom drain and the top vent on the big fuel filter housing and drain that fuel into a glass jar (I'll bet the first few ounces are pretty black). Then close the drain and pump up the filter housing via the hand pump. Then drain again and kill some weeds with it. Pump it up, close the vent, then pump until it hurts. Then do a pull start or find that big hill. And tell the seller that black stuff means you've got some money to spend if you buy the car.

If you buy the car, then I'd drain the big filter, open the top, change the filter, refill with ATF (I know, I know, but old school did and does work on old engines), put the top back on, remove the injector return line to the filter housing, pump until ATF comes out, then let it sit for a week. In the meantime I'd blow back the fuel lines to the tank after removing the tank fill cap and completely clean the air cleaner (soak the screen in fuel oil, then set out on old newspapers to drain out). Then I'd change the little filter and enjoy my new ride, knowing that I put a few spare big filters and one spare little filter in the trunk.

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daBenz - 1970 220D