Hello everyone,
I found a 1969 220d for sale in the local paper last week. The previous owner stated he wasn’t able to get the car to start. The car belonged to his dad who was driving it until it was impounded for whatever reason. The car sat for two years until he came up with the money to get it out. He thought it had lost its prime and he didn’t have a clue how to do anything to a diesel. When I went to look at it I tried to purge the air out of the lines. I used the hand primer to get fuel to injection pump, and then I cracked the lines at the injectors. He turned the engine over while I tried to bleed the air out. After I did this the engine still wouldn’t start. I ended up buying the car cheep hoping I could get it to start. Today I tried every thing I know to get it to start with no luck. I checked the glow plugs. My volt meter only shows 9.5 volts when I preheat. Do I not need 12 volts? I also tried cranking it with starting fluid. I get white smoke out of the exhaust cranking with the starting fluid, but not any smoke when I don’t use it. I even tried pull starting it. My brother used my truck to pull it about a quarter mile. The car sounded like it was running, but when I would push the clutch in it would die. I think the engine is just worn out because it will not even try to start after all of this.
My questions are:
Is there anything else I might be able to do to get it to run?
Does anyone have or know of a good engine for sale?
Will an engine from a later model such as a 240d fit in this car?
What does it cost to rebuild one of these engines? Is it possible to get away with just putting new rings in if the compression is low?
Where would be a good place to buy parts from?
Very obviously, I know next to nothing about these vehicles, so any help is greatly appreciated. BTW, I am in Birmingham, AL if any anyone has a good engine for sale.
Thanks,
Carter