Gina,

A couple of questions. When you loosened the lines to the injectors and cranked the engine, did fuel leak out the joint you loosened? If not, you are not getting fuel to the injection pump.

How much fuel did you pour in after you had it run dry? It is possible the quantity of fuel and the way the car is sitting (if the front is higher than the rear, or it is leaning heavily to one side, for example) the amount of fuel you put in is not sufficient to cover the tank openning that has the fuel lines that run to the front of the car. I have actually had my car, low on fuel, not start because I parked on a steep uphill spot in my yard. I had to push it to another location to get the fuel to the engine.

If you are getting fuel to the engine, and it seems locked, it is possible you have managed to get a bunch of liquid fuel in the cylinders and the car will not turn over because the last part of the compression stroke is trying to compress liquid fuel. To check, and alleviate this, you can remove the glow plugs and try turning the engine over by hand, using a 3/4 wratchet wrench with a 27mm, I believe, socket on the crankshaft pulley. I use the power steering pump pulley to turn the engine over when I adjust the valves, because it is more accessible. Others in this forum advise not to do that because I guess it possible to damage the power steering pump if the load you apply is off center. With the glow plugs removed you should not have any trouble turning the engine over. I might even try it before I removed the glow plugs, but be cautious not to over do it. If there is liquid on top of the cylinders you can damage things by forcing the engine to turn over.

Once the glow plugs are out and if the unit turns by hand, try cranking with the starter. You should see a bunch of crap come out the glow plug opennings. Check the glow plugs for continuity and condition. Replace any that have been worn out or damaged. Put them back in, and give the machine a shot at starting.

I would also look at the little rubber lines that go from injector to injector. If they are wet, they may be leaking air into the system when it is depressurized. They are a pain to get off, I use a needle nose pliers and kind of twist and pull to get them off. New ones just push on, but the number 3 and 4 cylinders usually have throttle linkage stuff in the way, and I have used the needle nose pliers to push them on.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful, but don't lose faith, there are a lot of experienced Diesel fanatics reading, so let us know what happens and we will go from there. 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)