PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Installing a glowplug in the air cleaner space?

JHZR2 · #16 01-23-2004, 11:55 PM

I really think its the glow plugs... Like I said in another thread, they are original... I was diverted from going out and replacing them due to the replies, but I think thats the issue.

I get lots of white smoke when cranking the car. So its not the fuel lines, plus Ive replaced a bunch of them... And they are never an issue any other time.

I know most of the things to do when having cold start problems, and the thing is, Ive done most of them... Things like compression, having the valves adjusted, and I know a lot about oil. So no real issues there. battery is new, everything seems OK.

My chain has about 3-4 degrees of stretch. The IP has never been touched. The car runs so darn well the rest of the time, and starts on the first cylinder after being started and warmed up once, so I never really thought that it would be off by too much. Its just those overnight sits when it dips to the low teens and single digits...

I really think its just that the glow plugs are old, and probably tired. I am going to replace them all, after I receive my GP reamer. If that and full synth oil in the crankcase doesnt fix it, then I have trouble, and had better re-adjust the valves, take the starter off and have it bench tested, and have the IP checked... But like I said, the car runs so darn well, with lots of power and nearly 30MPG, that Id think something like fuel economy would fall off along with the cold start issue, not just the hard starts below 20F.

Thanks,

JMH

P.S. Ive also gotten some anti-gel additive and am using it. Maybe that will help. I never saw any formations in the clear prefilter, and I do regularly use rotella DFA, which should drop the gel point a bit, but I figure the fuel in those little injector lines must be the ambient temperature, and so maybe in there they gel. I use generic truckstop diesel, I doubt there is much additive or any cetane improvers, its probably 40 cetane units.