A first time for everything...my 300SD let me down today...
 

I was preparing to leave school, knowing that my 1981 300SD has developed some weird inability to start very well when sitting for hours. It had done alright this morning so I didn't throw in anything to help start it.

I went up to the very tip top of parking structure three with the person I carpool home with around 7pm when class got out and it wouldn't start.
Nearly drained the battery as it was just barely catching and I thought it might start...
Checked the usual...fuel tank vac, filters, etc...
Ended up walking about 7 miles around Portland to try and find some Ether or a can of WD-40...
...no luck.

3 hours later...a friend of dad's showed up and jump started me.
My cell phone was dead to boot!...

*sigh* I guess tomorrow I get to check glow plugs, fuel filters (though it has good power) and probably change my air filter...

I added oil yesterday and some new oil leaks presented themselves today...I already did the turbo drain tube seals (all of them) and these oil leaks are getting to me. I have to replace the oil pressure sender and then work from there...its the biggest one so far.

I guess I am still lucky though...277600 reasonably easy miles and I still haven't spent 1k on the car (including purchase price).

I need a ACC temp sensor that goes on the front top of the engine...mine is bad and thus making my glow plug modification act weird.

Today was a sucky day... :confused:



Atleast I was jump started by a VW :)

mine has been letting me down all month

:(

Whats up?

starting let downs for me are,,,
 

either bad glow plugs, or unplugged block heater (when cold).

Usual PITA is bad/rough/slow idle when cold (But the WVO I put in the tank is the cause of that, once again when cold, but this time not as cold as earlier)

www.benzbonz.biz

Marty

''Ended up walking about 7 miles around Portland to try and find some Ether or a can of WD-40...
...no luck''


never ever use ether to try and start a deisel,,will cause serious damage as combustion plays a big part in starting. i bet you have a glow plug issue or battery might not have enough juice,,,,my $.02 :D
n0rt

Leak in fuel line allowing air to enter the lines over a period of time? Test it by carrying a small container of diesel and hooking it directly to the lift pump when it fails to start to see if it makes a difference.

I have good fuel (no air) and I have the upgraded fuel primer pump.

I checked my glow plugs last night (installed them last fall) and 4 of the 5 are already bad....but then again I guess I do a lot...and I mean a LOT...of driving...

its nice to know that if its 70 F outside or I plug in the block heater, my car can start with only one GP...

I guess it isn't so worn out after all :)

Our '83 has three bad plugs (glow light on dash doesn't even come on anymore) and it still started over the weekend when it dropped down to around 30 deg's :D Started within 3 cranks on those days with 10 sec's of glowing on the remaining plugs....doesn't run smoothly at all on startup, but it runs :D friday its getting a valve adjustment and all new plugs put in.

hell if you need a block heater at anywhere near 70 you got major problems.............mine starts in 18 degree weather without a block heater with only a 20 second glow cycle.

first the radiator blew,then it needed a vacuum pump,then a radiator hose blew(looked good still) and now it seems as if i might need a new starter.

Brandon,

With only 1 good GP, you are lucky it starts at all.

REPLACE the BAD GP.

P E H

Well when I had the whole passenger side of the engine taken apart I decided to put one in just incase...never know where I may end up with college/school/jobs.

Also it comes in really handy when the glow plugs are out and you need a little extra umph in the morning to help get it going.

When the glow plugs are working I of course do not need the block heater...but when I only got 1...well.... :D

Driving up to portland here in 10min for exactly that :)

I have a starter off of a 240D I will give you a good deal on if it happens to be the same unit used on your auto.

Sad to hear though...I hope it stops playing with you soon...

If it is 70 out you shouldn't need glow plugs it will just crank a bit longer. It sounds like a fuel problem, maybe their is an air leak somewhere?

A diesel should fire right off unless their is something not right. I remember last winter my car would catch faster on those 30 degree days then my dads newer F150.