This is my first time here. I have a 99 e300 turbodiesel. Yesterday it died on me and i cranked till it started again. It ran rough. I looked under the hood and saw lots of air in the clear fuel lines going into and out of the fuel filter. After a while it cleared up and i drove it fine for 30 miles. This morning it stared fine but died in the driveway. No amount of cranking will bring fuel to the clear fuel lines. Do I have a pre filter filter? Is there a filter or screen in the fuel tank? I checked the fuse for the fuel filter and it is fine. Thanks. Randyjam.

Have not experienced this personally, but if you are showing air in the lines then my first thought is the fuel lines and their O-rings leaking.

There are several threads here that address similiar issues.

How many miles are on yours?

Have you had the glowplugs replaced? (I know sounds odd but if it turns out to be fuel lines are leaking, if you change those you will certainly want to address the glowplugs as that is the other "issue" with the 606 and stuck glowplugs)

Let me check some old links I have saved and report back.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Yes you have a pre-filter and a main filter, if in doubt then change. They are pretty cheap really.

Did you just get the car?

Do you know it's history/maintenance?

Here are some links as promised to check out.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=145565

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=86485

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=105291

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=141329

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

You do have a pre-filter and an o-ring which is a separate part number. Get both. It is located beneath the clear line that connects to the top left corner of the fuel filter housing.

If you have not replaced all (5 or 6) of your clear fuel lines yet it sounds like it is time to do so.

Air entering through those lines into the fuel stream is a common problem on the 606 and sounds like the cause of the hard starts you are expiriencing. Car sits, air enters and you have to pump it through before it will start.

The parts are ~$100. Is fairly simple. You can gain access by removing the nut from the windsheild washer bottle and flipping it up and out of the way (disconnect electrical connection first) or by removing the manifold. The white clips on the fuel lines are pushed closed for removal, this spreads the shoulders of the clip that hold the line in place.

There is some merit to removing the manifold as access IS easier and is possible to clean any gunk in the manifold AND replace the glow plugs at same time which are known to seize in the 606.

Lots of info here on lines and plow plugs under search.

Is possible you could have a leak elsewhere (fuel cutoff solenoid). Clear lines ought to be the first step.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Also presuming that you are running proper fuel. Occassionally a batch of home brew could also have issues. But Fuel Lines is #1. Parts are covered in one of the links above.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Got your email: Randyjam with 99 E300 diesel

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I pulled the pre filter out of the main fuel filter housing. If I have an operating electric fuel pump would fuel not come pouring out from the line attached to the pre filter, esspecially if I cranked the engine? I did this and no fuel. If it is the pump where is it? I looked under the car and it was not apperent. Thanks. Randjam

Here are some other thoughts, (no expert here).

You do have a screen in the tank. I've never replaced mine.

Guess - I thought the fuel systems worked in a loop, pumping fuel in and all excess back at all times. So, if it had air in it somewhere that could obviously end the pumping process.

Another Guess - I was thinking that the fuel pump was actually on the side of the IP?

Sorry not much help. My diesels have been trouble free for the most part or I happened to be out of town at the time and had the dealer fix for The Bride, now it's my personal car, so I will deal with most items and learn too from here on out.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

OOOpps you gotta couple threads going now, gonna hurt my brain, you other thread says

"still having problems. if i remove the black fuel line leading into the fuel filter housing and i turn the engine over should i not see a stream of fuel coming out if the electric fuel pump is working? i can get the engine to run for a few min if i blow compressed air into this line till fuel comes out of the filter housing where the black line attaches. i think my fuel filter is out. if so where is it located? i checked the fuse and it is good. thanks"

Your fuel filters just to the right of the block up top, and to the left of the power steering pump. The main filter is a spin on type, looks like an oil filter really my PN there is A0001 092 8401, the pre-filter is the little incoming one on the left, and that one as noted before needs a new o-ring if you change that.

You may have a couple problems, change all the fuel filters and would also say the fuel lines etc. as noted in one of the original threads supplied. Have you noticed or observed any leaking fuel or smell? Mine has 94,000 and they are original.

Just not the best day for this with the holidays, fewer viewers.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

In your first post you described bubbles in the clear fuel lines and having to crank and crank to get it started .....this is a CLASSIC problem for the 606's that is usually resolved by installing new fuel lines. Occasionally the o-ring at the fuel cutoff solenoid is bad.

Mine went at 5 years and 109K miles.

The little lines are delicate....I would stop blowing compressed air in there.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Here are the sizes of the o-rings. I recommend Viton O-rings which can be purchased at McMaster-Carr

Hose seals
O-ring
13mm OD
8mm ID
2.5mm thick

Shut-off Valve seal
O-ring
17mm OD
12mm ID
2.5mm thick