There are not many things that I can't do without on my car, but an oil pressure and coolant temperature gage are two of the more important things that I would have difficulty doing without. If you had oil pressure, I would say try to get it warmed up and see if it still idles slow. That would allow you to begin to eliminate a few things....but with no oil pressure gauge you risk blowing up you engine, if the lack of oil pressure is your problem.....

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1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

After one hour of block heater it idles somewhat better. The oil hits the lobe, but nowhere near where it usually hits.

franklyspeaking, how did you get your post before mine?

Well then, does anyone have a spare oil gauge line (From the fitting that connects to the sender to the fitting that connects to the gauge) they would like to sell? There are no MB diesels in any yards here.

EDIT: How did I get MY post before my post?

Just now, I went to start my TD. It took about 3 times longer than normal and idled at 450-500rpm. I removed the oil cap to look at the lobes for oil pressure as my oil gauge is not connected. There was a slight trickle falling just short of the lobe so I hit the stop lever to kill it. Second try, I let the glowplugs run for 3 cycles and started it, getting the same results.

Last march, even in 27*f outside it started fine with the block heater after 3 hours. I did not use the block heater last night as it was 60*f at 10pm. It is 40*f now.

Is this just a case of neglect for not using the block heater or something else?

BTW, this is the second day after switching to Mobil1 15W-50.

Time Warp?

Or else he is psycic and KNEW your question before you posted it.
His post time indicates he answered it 28 minutes before you asked!

But then your latest post seems to be 24 minutes earlier than your first!

Spooky!

Try warming up yor oil with a dipstick heater or magnetic heater. If the oil then acts "normally" looking at the cam through the oil cap I would suspect the wrong viscosity engine oil....or a plugged oil filter element/oil pickup.

__________________
Dana Linscott
Vegoil converted truck...vegoil converted 1987 190DT, 300 series next.

http://vegoilconversions.netfirms.com/

I switched over to Mobil1 15w-50 from rotella 15w-40 two days ago. There can't be THAT much difference, can there? BTW, i thought synthetic would HELP cold starting! Can't be clogged oil filter, I just changed it with my oil and everything ran perfect yesterday.

82-300td,

I think there is more likely something wrong with your glow plugs that is causing the low cold idle rpm and cold hard starting. The oil pump is basically a positive displacement pump, which means every time the shaft rotates it basically pushes out the same amount of oil. At lower rpm you will get lower volumes.

What does it normally idle at? Have someone give it throttle until it runs at that speed and check to see what the oil flow looks like. I have never personally made such an observation, and have nothing to offer in the way of guidance as to what a visual check of oil flow should look like. I have listened to these cars start and run with low oil pressure though, and they sound a lot more metallic and clanky.

The fact that you see oil running indicates you have oil flow, and therefore you will probably not do the machine harm running it until it is warmed up. You will kill the battery if you keep starting it for short operating periods and don't let the battery charge up, especially if you are cranking a lot due to bad glow plugs.

Good luck and I hope this helps. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I know the GP's are good. I had them all out and replaced the #1 when i replaced the precombustion chamber. All tested good. I run at 750rpm idle.

Update: 1 1/2 hours on the block heater solved everything. Runs fine now.

Could be that you have a tank full of summer fuel. We took a big temp hit Tuesday from what we have been experiencing in this part of the state. Fuel at the pumps has probably not been adjusted for the winter months.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

I saw an electric MB fuel heater on eBay but missed the chance to get it.

When do most stations switch over? I know they can't do it overnight for every cold snap, and just about every station attendant I ask about any diesel subject seems to respond somewhat like "Der, whats diesel?"

82-300td

Not sure where you are getting your diesel fuel but the Texaco at 21st and Sheridan starts "winter blend" diesel on their next fuel delivery after October 15th (according to a rep I encountered two years ago). They also pump a lot of diesel (according to the rep). I have never had a fuel problem using them in the last 6 years.

Also, you might check with the guys at Benzin Motor Works to see if they can fix you up with a replacement oil pressure line. They do tend to have some "used" stuff laying around the shop.

The only local yard I have ever seen that has had any MB parts is the "U-Pull-Em" on Utica and 3rd. Not sure they have any now. The yard on Southwest Blvd referred me to a foreign salvage yard in Enid (I never went) and he says they have a large collection of MB cars. This was 3 years ago so not sure how up to date this info is.

I had a 300TD-T with a block heater and I just turned on the heater about midnight. When I left for work at 5:30 in the morning I always had fast starts and good idle.

Dan

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Dan Taylor/ Tulsa, OK MBCA
'84 300D/'90 Jaguar XJ6/XJ40