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Cleaning very dirty engine in 300D
Engine is having trouble starting cold and the glow plug light is not lighting. I have tested the plugs with a multimeter, some seem ok, some questionable, but I am unconvinced of the accuracy of these results; the internal resistance of the multimeter itself is at least .6 ohms, and that jumps a lot, so I don't trust it. But I'm rambling..
I want to pull the plugs so I can apply voltage to them and test visually, but when I put my hand anywhere near my engine, I'm covered in grease from head to toe. I want to degrease the engine and glow plugs a bit before I try to get the plugs out. I've read to take precautions like cover transmission vent and electronics, make sure engine isn't hot when washing, and check vac lines afterwards, but is it ok to spray degreaser/water directly on the plugs and wires around them?
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1983 Mercedes 300D Turbo / 268k miles Zero-knowledge Mercedes repair project: mercbenzn00b.blogspot.com |
#2
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I recommend putting kerosene in a hand pump spray bottle and soak it. Keep doing it for a few days, then rinse off with a garden hose. All that engine degreasing products are made of is basically kerosene in a can anyway, and anything fuel resistant is kerosene resistant anyway, since kerosene is #1 diesel fuel.
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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue" "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." listen, look, .........and duck. |
#3
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I use the de grease mode at the car wash and have never covered anything and never had a problem. I wouldnt spray cold water on the IP after driving hard on the freeway or spray water directely on the alternator but its not like the problem assocated with hosing down a gasser.
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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car" |
#4
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Pardon my ignorance, but what does IP stand for. Ignition ___ ?
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1983 Mercedes 300D Turbo / 268k miles Zero-knowledge Mercedes repair project: mercbenzn00b.blogspot.com |
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Quote:
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Current: 05 E320 CDI 07 GL320 CDI 08 Sprinter 05 Dodge Cummins 01 Dodge Cummins Previous 2004 E55 AMG 2002 C32 AMG (#2) 1995 E300 1978 300D 1987 300D 2002 C32 AMG(blown motor :[ 1981 300SD 1983 300SD 1987 300SDL 2002 Jetta TDI 1996 S420 1995 S500 1993 190E 2.6 1992 190E 2.3 1985 190E 2.3 5-Speed |
#6
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Just an fyi I tested all the glow plugs on my SD when I first got it, they all tested fine. But when hooking them up to a battery only two actually glowed red.
All five were replaced and it started a lot better. To clean your engine start with Gunk and a couple of brush's. You will need a few large ones and a few about the size of a tooth brush. Keep working it and re spraying the Gunk. After you get 95% of the crud go back with Simple Green over everything. Get some Q tips and start working on the details. Yes I am nuts but you can eat off my engine. Step two is sealing the oil leaks that made the mess.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
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What Hatty said You are going to need some brushes long handle and scrub to do a good job (don't borrow the wifes ) go to the dollar store and buy a bag of them. Caution with power washers - this has only happened once but I must have drenched something causing my parking light to come on. I had to disconnect the bulbs until everything dried out.
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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif 15 VW Passat TDI 00 E420 98 E300 DT 97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME! 97 S500 97 E300D 86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D 86 300SDL (o\|/o) |
#8
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Quote:
From the posts I've read, it seems the safest option is to take the time to scrub manually instead of spraying off with the hose. I can see this taking a really long time/lots of brushes. I may just do the plugs and surrounding area for now.
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1983 Mercedes 300D Turbo / 268k miles Zero-knowledge Mercedes repair project: mercbenzn00b.blogspot.com |
#9
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Quote:
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#10
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If I'm not back sometime next week, you can assume I've electrocuted myself and decided to let someone else handle my car issues from now on.
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1983 Mercedes 300D Turbo / 268k miles Zero-knowledge Mercedes repair project: mercbenzn00b.blogspot.com |
#11
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It's not that bad. The hardest part is taking them out and getting your hands dirty. I do mine without removing the fuel injection lines, but it's a tight fit. Some folks find it easier to remove the fuel lines. Try not to drop the wrench and/or nuts behind the injection pump, its a PITA to get them out.
I would definitely clean the engine first, I hate working on dirty engines. |
#12
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testing glow plugs
I use an old Marquette avr tester to test glowplugs. you can find these things cheap at garage sales and junk stores. I just hook it in series with the glow plug and the positive battery post. set meter to amps and I find the glow plugs spike to about 20 amps and slowly drop off. The good thing about testing this way is you can prove the things work. Heating elements take more current when they are cold and quickly build resisitance when they heat up. The last time I had a starting problem it happened intermittently. turns out the #5 glow plug would only fail sometimes. The ammeter was the tool that isolated the problem. Cheap autolight glow plugs
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#13
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But testing with the meter doesn't always seem to work. I had glow plugs that tested fine yet failed to actually get very hot when hooked to a battery.
WARNING if you do this hold the glow plug with a pair of pliers. If not you will burn yourself pretty bad. So far I am 2/2 I have two MB diesels and both needed a complete set of glow plugs.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#14
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"To clean your engine start with Gunk and a couple of brush's. You will need a few large ones and a few about the size of a tooth brush. Keep working it and re spraying the Gunk."
I started with a puddy knife to get the big stuff off
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2000 VW Jetta TDI with 213,000 miles and climbing 84 300D non turbo getting ready for wvo conversion |
#15
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Well I guess it depends on how dirty your engine is! I just had lots of dirt on mine no oil leaks really...
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
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