Absolutely amazing. A modern car would be toast in this situation due to the electronics down in the floor board level.

Remember you need fuel, air, and compression for the engine to run. The diesel cycle relies on the heat of compression to bring the air in the cylinder above the auto ignition temperature of finely atomized diesel fuel. When the engine is cold it needs a little help with building warmth on startup, so that’s why you need the glow plugs.

The reason for cracking the nuts on the injectors to release the trapped air is you are trying to open a spring loaded valve in the injector. If the pressure pulse from the injection pump hits an air pocket in the line it will just bounce off the air pocket and won’t be able to push the valve open in the injector to inject fuel into the cylinder.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech