Jim:

Hook the glow plug relay back up. Too, too much current through the ignition switch, you will burn it up. The plugs draw 80 amps!

Do you have series type filament plugs or pencil type parallel plugs? The series plugs have heavy wire between them, the paralell type have one wire each. (I'm guessing series)

Should be a 1 volt or so drop across each resistor (glow plug or resistance wire, the wavy one), should have voltage at all four plugs. If not, one or more is cracked, in which case I would replace all of them.

Also check the glowplug timer -- screws into the block below #1 glowplug. If this is bad, you won't get them hot enough. You can go a quick test of them by watching the resistance wire at night -- it should get dull red before the glowplug light goes out. Not enough glow, no start.

tight valves or leaking rings, and out-of-time injection will all cause starting problems, as will a tired starter -- the engine will need to spin at least 100 rpm to start. Much, much faster than the typical gasoline engine. A new starter may get you going.

And a tank or block heater will keep you going for years -- the 220D (six years and counting) hasn't started unaided below 40 since I got it!

Peter

__________________
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!