Judge,

If the rings are good enough to start the car, they will have little affect on the power.

Here's why I say the above: I ruined a set of rings in a 220D by overheating the engine. It got a water leak and the engine got too hot. The car would not start unless it was hot or a 1000W tank type engine heater was left on for hours. It would roll start cold so I always had to park on a hill if I was away from an electric outlet.

Once the engine got started, it ran just as good as new. It had lots of power and didn't missfire, even at idle.

So I say your mechanics are FOS. Have U checked the timing? Both cam timing and IP timing? Did U try hooking up a serarate fuel container directly to the IP? U should be able to put some pressure on the fuel container. It will go empty quickly because a lot of the fuel will be returned to the main fuel tank thru the in injector overflow lines. If U do this, U can also see how much fuel is coming out of the main filter when engine is running from the fuel in the extra fuel container.

Have U checked for any blockage in the exhaust system? Take the exhaust pipe off at the manifold and try running with it off. You might also check for blockage in the intake system.

But I'm still thinking its lack of fuel. Maybe the IP isn't functioning properly. U could take off the IP and have it tested by an Injection shop.

P E H

First, Thanks for the response, and saying that the power issue is not the rings. My feeling continues to be that it is some type of air in the fuel issue.

For example, today I worked on it. First off, it started with a two second shot of ether, but only ran about 10 seconds. Couldn't get it to start again.

When I do lots of pumping, it sounds closer to starting.

Today I eliminated issues with the fuel tank. I filled a gatarade bottle with Diessel, and put the two hoses into that bottle. After I primed it, it, and let it sit a few minutes, it would have bubbles again in the clear fuel line.

I have not done the timing. I have no exerience with timing on an diesel.

Judge,

Here's a simple test I just thought of: Take off the input line to the IP and put the end of it into your gator bottle. Then pump the primer pump. After air bubbles are purged, there should be a flow of fuel with out any air bubbles.

If U get the no bubbles fuel flow, wait hour or so and again pump primer pump and observe the fuel flow into the gator bottle. There should be no air bubbles visable. If bubbles are visable, U have a leak someplace in the fuel line from the tank or any of the other fuel lines between the fuel pump and the IP.

If nobody has monkeyed with the IP timing, it won't be off enough that the engine won't run. If the timing chain jumped a tooth, the valves would hit the pistons. If all the cylinders have reasonable compression, jumping a tooth has not occured.

P E H