I have a slight cold start problem. My 85 300D won't idle on its own when I just start it up in the morning. I have to keep my foot on the pedal until its warmed up a little. Glow plugs are new. I don't want to mess with the idle adjustment as it idles OK when warm. I do get a slight miss at idle before its fully warmed up with a slight variation in idle speed (it goes up and down). It was suggested to me that I adjust my rack damper bolt to fix the problem. I found it turned all the way in and I backed it out a little at a time to the point that it looked like it was almost all the way out but it made no noticable difference. What exactly does this bolt do and is it attached to anything? Do I need to change it and is it difficult to change?
Thanks in advance.
~DJ

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

The bolt pushes on a spring on the fuel control rack (the rack rotates the sleeves on the plungers for each cylinder, controls the abmount of fuel delivered per stroke). The pressure is to keep the rack from vibrating back and forth.

If adjusted too far in, you will have trouble starting from insufficient fuel delivery, although you will have nice smooth idle. Speed won't change until you screw it in so far you force the sleeves "closed".

Have you changed your fuel filters and check the tank screen and fuel lines? There are several things that will cause rough idle cold besides bad GP.

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!

I haven't changed the can type fuel filter since I got the car about 9 mos ago nor have I checked the screen in the tank. The "see through" filter looks clean with no visible debris or discoloring. I'm assuming I have good fuel delivery since I feel a good pulse in the lines. One thing though I have a suspect injector since one of them makes a bit of a noticable tick. I've tried to isolate it by cracking the lines but it seems the tick goes away when I crack any of them but one seems make the tick go away more than the others. If I were to consider replacing it, should I just replace all of them? My thought on the tick is that there is probably a worn spring in one of the injectors. I don't think cleaning them may make any difference since I ran a couple of cans of pure diesel purge through the injectors directly from the cans.
Other than this the car runs great and has plenty of power when at operating temperature.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012