I RECENTLY PICKUP A 1975 240D, IT WAS RUNNING, BUT HARD TO START ACCORDING TO THE OLD OWNER (IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS). I HAVE CHECKED THE BRAKES, HOSES, ETC. IT USE TO HAVE GLOW PLUGS WIRED IN SERIES, BUT I OBTAINED SOME NEW GLOW PLUGS THAT THE LOCAL MB DEALER TOLD ME WERE BETTER. IF ONE GOES, THE OTHERS STAY ON VICE THE OLD SERIES PLUGS. I HAVE VOLTAGE GOING TO THE GLOW PLUGS WHEN I PULL THE STARTER SWITCH. I HAVE BLED THE FUEL LINES AND CHECKED THE INJECTORS. WHEN I HAD THEM OUT, I WATCHED AND A FINE MIST OF FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF ALL OF THEM. THIS IS MY FIRST DIESEL AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT GOING, PLEASE ADVISE ANYTHING ELSE I MIGHT TRY. ALSO, WHEN I HAD THE INJECTORS OUT, I PUT A LITTLE OIL IN EACH CYLINDER TO HELP WITH THE COMPRESSION. I TRIED TO GET A COMPRESSION READING, BUT ASSUME YOU NEED A SPECIAL TOOL FOR THIS. I TRIED PUTTING IN MY GASOLINE COMPRESSOR TESTER, BUT IT REGISTERED 100 PSI BEFORE BLOWING IT OUT OF MY HAND. I HAVE TRIED PUTTING IN FRESH FUEL VIA THE FILTER LINE. AS OF RIGHT NOT, THE ENGINE CRANKS, I GET GLOW ON THE DASH, BUT IT STILL WILL NOT START. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS, ETC. APPRECIATE ANY ADVISE AHEAD OF TIME, PLEASE HELP ME GET THE 'BEAST' TO LIVE!!!! MANY TKS, DON

[Edited by don haw on 07-21-2001 at 12:31 PM]

Since you have changed to the fast glow system you might want to verify that they are all glowing. If you remove the injectors and have someone glow the car, you shoud be able to see the tips of the glow plugs glow fairly bright red (at the bottom of the hole the injector came from - prechamber). They should all be a bright as the others and the time it takes should be a few seconds. You should be glowing that strong when trying to start.

You can check the compression through the glow plug holes with a Ford (18mm plug) adapter on a regular compression gauge. Most gauges go to 250psi which you will break if the compression is right and you crank it long enough. If you only crank it 2-4 revolutions (pulses), the gauge should hit 250. The important thing is that they be even (3 pulses to 225, etc.) and have the ability to peg the gauge.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician