I have a 1982 300 td that runs fine for a little while then loses power and then shuts off. have changed filters checked the alda line, swaped fuel pumps and primer pump. i don't think its getting air in the fuel line, i had lear lines on it and could see if there was air.
Could someone please help?????? my wife it getting tired of towing the car home

Remove the tank screen and clean it.

__________________
Jim

Second that....

Is your primary filter black after it has been run awhile? If so, you could have algae in your tank.

__________________
My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

Fungus, not algae.
Fungus is brown, black. Algae is green.
Use biocide or Valvtect to kill bacteria or fungus, available at boating/marine stores. Especially if you are using veggie oil in the fuel tank.
Cleaning the screen tank, my weekend project, oh boy, can't wait!
Frankie

1984 300 SD
2004 Subaru Forester XT

Fill up with b100 to clean the tank strainer

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

After you check or change your filters, check all your throttle linkage and make sure the engine kill mechanism under the hood is not being pushed closed by bent or misrouted linkage.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

After you have got any fuel supply issues dealt with and if symptom remains . Could be the pressure return valve on the injection pump is sticking open when warm.. Not to check now but only if the other suggestions do not work out. Kind of a long shot but could possibly do it. I would read the fuel pressure from a tee after the lift pump. Even if I had to route a gauge hose back into the cabin for a driving test.

My friends car had a similar problem. I cured it with Startron (about 4 oz) left in the tank about 3-4 days (after sloshing it around). he had fungus and startron seems to have eaten it all. pull off the rubber fuel line that attaches to the steel line on the drivers side. if the flow of diesel is feeble you likely have screen/algae prob. personally i would try Startron before I yanked the tank. way easier.

I need to do this too. I have an 85 300D sedan. How do you remove the fitting? The fuel line attaches to a metal fitting that either attaches to a hexangonal bracket or "plate" on the underside of the tank or is part of that bracket. It looks like I would need a pipe wrench to remove the bracket or does the fuel line fitting just unscrew from the bracket? Does anyone have a "write-up" on this?

BTW, my symptom is the car runs for a mile or so on veg oil (in the stock tank) and then looses power so I have to switch back to diesel (in alt. tank), then I can switch back to VO for a mile and repeat over and over. All new filters, so I figure it's a clogged tank screen, or air coming in a clamp (but I retightened them all).

__________________
85 300D, PlantDrive VO kit, Stage 2 performance intake
Tampa, FL

when you have the strainer out, be sure to blow out the line from the pre filter back to the strainer. I had one with a clean strainer but would run and shut off after a few minutes and eventually not start at all. There was a clog in the line itself (about 7 inches long, diameter of the line), no idea how it got there.

__________________


1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I'm 54 and for 26 years working on diesels, I have heard about crap growing in diesel fuel, It was called ALGAE.

Algae, fungus, who cares..... when it grows in your tank, it plugs up strainers and filters.

__________________
My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

i believe the hex bracket or plate you are referring to is the fuel tank screen or strainer. you'll need a 12 pt. 46mm hex socket to turn it. or you can purchase a special MB fuel tank filter wrench.

__________________
'85 300D Turbo - CA Version

Get an outboard motor fuel tank, fill it full of diesel, run a line to your lift pump and drive it that way for a while. If it runs ok, that will confirm a delivery problem from the lift pump back. You could put the outboard tank on your roofrack.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Make sure you take a picture. Then start a new thread with a photo caption contest.

-Jim

__________________
1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

Growth in WVO (or diesel) is from water in your fuel. Try making a pick up for your bulk tank that removes oil from the upper 6" or so of oil. This way your bulk tank oil will constantly be settling out the remaining water. I use a converted free chest freezer, 12V bilge pumps and a $10 waterbed heater. This allows me to heat the oil to 110*F (higher with modifications to the heater controls), pump from the bottom of the freezer for water removal and another pump on the compressor shelf pumps out settled oil. Cheap & it works. Add a biocide to your bulk fuel.