Hey guys,

my car: 1987 300d with the 603 12 valve

my story:

I've had a radiator leak for about 2 weeks. Since I know the 603 is notorious for having issues when it gets hot, I parked it. Yesterday I drove it to my friends shop. Before I left, i filled the coolant system with about 3/4 gallon of water. I figured that would be enough since the water level was at the 'normal' level and it was a short trip.

I drove it to the shop and was careful to watch the temp guage the entire time. At no point did it get anywhere over 80 degrees (very short drive...approx 3 min). So i parked it and got out to chat with my buddy...jump back in the car 30 min later and it starts but quickly dies....it has never done that before.

I try it a few more times and can only get it to run with almost full throttle for about 5 seconds before dying....it sounded exactly like it was starved for fuel.

Filled the coolant system to the brim with water...only took about 1/2 gallon more (approximately) before it was overflowing. Started again, same thing....

Took off fuel hose and made sure the lifter pump was working...it was...so i cracked a few injector lines and cranked to make sure it wasn't the IP...it didn't seem to be b/c there was fuel dripping out of the unscrewed injector line...

So now i'm stuck...what is the deal? when it does run, there is no smoke that I can see...but it only runs for a few seconds...would doing a compression test tell me whether I have cracked/warped the head? What do you think this is?


Thanks for reading

It sounds to me like a clogged fuel filter or tank screen, except that you seem to indicate that the car is using a lot of coolant. If that's the case, it could be a cracked head or failed head gasket but if the engine runs perfectly with no smoke before it dies, then that's unlikely. How much coolant does it use and are there any external leaks? Do you have any oil/coolant mixing or residual pressure in the cooling system?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

You stated you have a leaking radiator.

You never stated the car overheated or ran hot.

That being the case, it sounds like not continuing to run after being succesfully started is fuel delivery or shutoff related.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

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

For some reason I missed that. I guess I was reading too fast.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Not possible to post 1-2000 times and not have to spit a few toes out on occassion. We've all been there.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

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

Thank you all so much for the response.

Your responses are giving me hope that the thing isn't completly dead...BUT, you didn't know this: there is no fuel fileter on it currently. I needed to do this for a few days before I reinstall my Davco fuel filter. So with that said, it can't be a clogged fuel filter, which would make perfect sense with the symptoms....

Another question: when i unhooked the lines from the injector nozzles and cranked it over, I did see a few drops of fuel, but not a 'jet' or 'burst' of fuel as i was expecting. I know that the IP sends the fuel out at high pressure and I was expecting to see it squirt out, but all i saw was a dribble... is that b/c it just isn't sending all that much fuel?

So assuming the IP has fuel, what other system could have failed to keep it from running? Could the IP have just died?

Thanks

I am going with a fuel (filter) issue. Your D is not exhibiting the tell tale signs of a cracked head or head gasket failure. At most it is coincidental that it happened when it did. .02

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00 E420
98 E300 DT
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97 S500
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86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
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How about the manual shutoff on the side of the IP? If that is having an issue, is sticky, or if you have a vacuum issue that could probably lead to the same symptoms. I was having a random vacuum issue for a while that would cause the shutoff to act like it was being actuated, which of course killed fuel delivery. Just a thought.

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=-=-=-=-=
1987 300TD 231,000
#22, afterglow, plastic fan, euro lights, alternator upgrade, cluster housing update

What is this manuel shut off that you speak of?! Is it acutally vaccume controlled?

HitManX had the same problem that you're describing. I won't say that his cause was yours, but try starting the car with the fuel cap on the tank removed. If it runs, then you have a cloged tank breather.
Yes, a small amound of fuel should squirt out an high pressure. If id doesn't, something in the fuel system is clogged or not working.
When the lift pump is working, there is a massive volume of fuel coming out of it. IIRC, the volume the lift pump sends is about 3 times greater than the fuel that car needs. It's just cycled through the filter, and sent back to the tank.
If the car isn't smoking the blueish/white smoke that smells like antifreeze, the head is fine. There are a lot of #14 heads that last the life of the car. The problem is probably not nearly as bad as many people make it out to be. Just like there will be a lot of 3.5 L rod benders that will never bend rods. The rest of the car will die around the engine.
If you want to be safe and sleep better, just ask your mechanic to do a compression test while it's in the shop. (The price he'll ask is probably a lot cheaper than the loss of sleep due to worrying about the engine failing) IIRC, the cylinders should be in the 27-32 bar range, with a maximum of 3 bar difference. I'll look it up later as the WIS is on another computer that I have to drag out.
I hope this helps.

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All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

It may be the tank vent.

It sounds like the car is starving for fuel, or has an air leak. Maybe the lift pump is failing?

I'd start by removing a fuel line and replacing it with a clear hose, in order to see if you have an air leak.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I will test the clogged tank breather idea when I get off this aftenroon. That would sure be amazingly simple if that is all it is...

I did try disconnecting the line to the IP and cranking the engine. This caused a foutain of diesel fuel, meaning that the lift pump appears to be functioning normally. Yet when i reconnect the line and try it, bam, same problem...starts for about 3 seconds and then dies.

One thing that is weird...despite having fuel, I don't see the 'squirt' of diesel when i take the lines off the injectors... This leads me to believe there is some sort of a fueling issue still....even though it seems to be getting a lot of fuel, initially at least, from the lifter pump. I will bypass the small white filter this afternoon as well and see if that is the culprit.

Anyone know for sure if i should see a jet of diesel when i crack the lines to the injectors? I'm finding mixed answers on other posts...

Great news....the car runs fine... I turns out the return fuel hose that runs from the final injector back to the return was loose on the nipple. I pulled it off, cranked a few times, and bam, started right up.

Thank god it wasn't a cracked head...

Thank you all for the input.

Thanks for posting the resolution.

Frustrating when folks come in here for solutions and then disappear.

You should hang around a while and take your licks from the oil burner Sturm Abtelung about your greaser.

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1998 E300 +310,000K
1996 E300 +460,000K