Bought a new 123, now I need help....

[coadman]

I found a 1980 240D down in Oklahoma a couple of hours away from me. I corresponded with the owner for several weeks, and just never have had the chance to go down and take a look until today. A little history on the car,, He bought it 2 years ago to use as a daily driver, and drove it 80 miles a day, 5 days a week to and from work. Last fall it developed a fuel leak, and he not being much of a mechanic(he didnt tell me this, but I figured it out after visiting with him for awhile), couldnt tell where the leak was. He thought it was coming out of part of the injector pump. He kept driving the car, and it go progressivly worse until he just parked it sometime in October/November. I placed an ad in Craigs list looking for a older Mercedes 240 D, manual transmission, preferably running. Anyway, he contacted me and we visited about his car. He sent me several pictures and I was confident enough that if the thing ran at all, it would be worth $500. I offered him $200, but he said he had to have $500. This went on for several weeks, and I finally told him I would give him $500 if I could come down and we could get it running, so I could hear it run. I went down today, and immediately found a fuel line leaking. It was one of the lines coming from the main fuel filter and going down towards the motor. I had some more fuel line hose, so I replaced it. Not knowing how his fuel was, I used the same setup I used when I diesel purged my other motor. I disconnected and plugged off the hose going into the inline filter and run my hose from the inline filter to my jug full of diesel. I then disconnected his cigar hose, plugged it off, and hooked my other fuel line into the fuel filter end. I could pump the primer pump and fuel would go through the injectors and back into the return line in the jug. We tried to start it, but it would not start. Put a booster on the battery, and it still would not start. A few times it would "shudder" like it wanted to start, but would not. When I would pump the lines full of fuel(they were clear lines), the return line would stay full for about 30 sec, then bubbles would appear, then more larger bubbles. The suction line going into the inline filter, always remained full of fuel. The primer pump is leaking a bit when I use it. Also, when I am using the primer, I can see bubbles of fuel on a couple of injector return lines. He said he replaced them once in the past(of course who knows how many?) but I could still see bubbles on two of them at the front. We continued trying to start this thing for over an hour, but no success. I removed the air cleaner to make sure it was getting plenty of air, but that didnt help either. I'm thinking it is still sucking air somewhere, thus the bubbles in the return line coming from the main fuel filter. Even if this is true, shouldnt the motor start, but just run rough as all get out? Anyway, I told him I couldnt give him the $500 since I couldnt get it to run. I offered him $300, and he reluctantly took it!. I figured I could part this out and get my $300 back. The interior is what I would say is a 8.5-9 on a 1-10 scale, and no rust to speak of except a small quarter size spot in the front corner of the hood. It does need cv boots, I saw when I squirmed underneath it, as one had a big split. Anybody have any ideas how I can get this thing started, I am most definetly open to suggestions?
thanks,
Jim

[pawoSD]

could be the glowplugs, I would check that those are working. You could also try hooking up the fuel correctly, priming it as best you can, and tow start it, pull it along at 15-20mph and put it into "L" if its an automatic, or 1st gear if a manual, with the key in the #2 "run position, this will allow the engine to turn over quickly, if it starts via that method, its probably bad glow plugs. Others will chime in I am sure....

[tobybul]

you didn't say anything about the glow plugs..... do you think they are working?

[coadman]

I dont know if the glow plugs are working or not? It was 65 today, and I thought it should have started, even without the glowplugs working?

Originally Posted by coadman

It was 65 today, and I thought it should have started, even without the glowplugs working?

Not on a cold engine.

[TheDon]

low compression and cold engine its def a no go...

[JimmyL]

Very true about the glow plugs. My '80 simply would not start until I put new glow plugs in it. I also was surprised, 'cause it wouldn't really come close....
All 4 were bad!

[coadman]

Ok, if I pulled the car to try and start it, would it be able to start, even if it had bad glow plugs? I will go read the diesel giant glowplug thread, and see how to check them with my volt meter. If I had them out, I would hook them up to a battery charger to see if they worked, but that still wouldnt say they were getting currant while in the motor.
Jim

[TheDon]

if the glow plugs pass then spend some change on a HF compression tester..

[coadman]

UPDATE!
My son and I went out, 9:00PM here in Kansas, rather dark, but we wanted to see if we could pull it and get it started. I was in the Benz and he pulled me about 15-20 mph for about 50 yards and VROOOM! it started up and away I went! :-) Unhooked the tow strap and ran it up and down the road a mile and back. Ran pretty good, maybe a little sluggish in 4th, but just listening to the motor at idle, it sounds better than my other 240D I just bought(I think it has an injector fouling). Anyway, let my son run it up and down the road, and then back home. The glow plug light never did go off on the dash, so I will have to check the glow plugs the next few days and see if the relay, wires, or plugs are the culprit. Also, when he tried to shut it off, it wouldnt die, so popped the clutch to kill it has the manual shutoff linkage is not working(I do have a new piece he gave me, but never put on). I have a vaccum pump so if I start it next time, I will hook it up to see if I can get it to shut off. All in all, I'm happy that I could hear it run!
Jim

[coadman]

Originally Posted by TheDon

if the glow plugs pass then spend some change on a HF compression tester..

I've got one, and will test the compression when I remove the glowplugs. Supposed to be sunny and warmer this week for a change, and I have a lot of spring planting items to get ready, so I may have to quit playing with these "Benz" until I get some farmwork caught up.
Jim

[Mustang_man298]

Good rust free body...$300 was not a bad deal, got it to fire off and run well, even better, you did well on it. My $.02 worth of it.

[pawoSD]

Originally Posted by coadman

UPDATE!
My son and I went out, 9:00PM here in Kansas, rather dark, but we wanted to see if we could pull it and get it started. I was in the Benz and he pulled me about 15-20 mph for about 50 yards and VROOOM! it started up and away I went! :-) Unhooked the tow strap and ran it up and down the road a mile and back. Ran pretty good, maybe a little sluggish in 4th, but just listening to the motor at idle, it sounds better than my other 240D I just bought(I think it has an injector fouling). Anyway, let my son run it up and down the road, and then back home. The glow plug light never did go off on the dash, so I will have to check the glow plugs the next few days and see if the relay, wires, or plugs are the culprit. Also, when he tried to shut it off, it wouldnt die, so popped the clutch to kill it has the manual shutoff linkage is not working(I do have a new piece he gave me, but never put on). I have a vaccum pump so if I start it next time, I will hook it up to see if I can get it to shut off. All in all, I'm happy that I could hear it run!
Jim

Awesome, it worked! Glad to hear its running!

[coadman]

Ok, guys, have a few more questions relating to this new purchase of mine. I did most of the glow plug system check following the instructions from Diesel Giant. I said most, I did everything but remove two of the glow plugs and physically test them with a battery charger. All other tests on glow plugs, wiring, relay, fuse strip, etc, came out ok. Surprisingly when I hooked everything back together, with a little battery boost the motor started! :-) The only thing I question, is when I was checking the pins in the relay box for voltage, I read I only had about 20 seconds to do the job. I still had currant after 20 seconds. In fact, when I turn the key on, the glow plug light comes on, but never goes out, until I start the motor. Does that mean the relay could be faulty? Also, another question, when I shut the key off, the motor will not die, it idles down as if it wants to die, but does not. I attach my mity vac to where the brown vac hose is, and I can get the motor to die. So this is telling me my vacuum shut off valve is working, correct? If so, then where do I go from there to chase down the problem?
thanks,
Jim

Additionally, if you have been reading any of my threads the past 3-4 weeks, I had been telling of a rough idle on my 1979 240 D. This 1980 240D sounds so smooth when it is idling and no hesitation or missing out. I wondered what a normal sounding motor was supposed to sound like, and I think I have one. Apparantly, on my 1979 I must have an injector fouling on me, which is the nailing sound I must be hearing. I also notice I DO need motor mounts in my '79, as this '80 doesnt shake like that one does.

[winmutt]

Despite what others say, I love my $500 benzes. Nothing more satisfactory than tooling around in a car that cost less than most monthly payments.