Weird thing happened to me today. I went to go start my car, it glowed and then I go to crank and it cranks but doesn't fire off. I had to do this for 10 minutes with resting for the starter.

After the first go I went under the hood and checked that the fuel was primed which it was, I was curious since the car is now parked on an incline with the nose pointing down(decline?). Oil was fine, coolant fine, intake clear, exhaust clear. Glow plugs were getting power, no vac lines unconnected, battery connected.

I called my mechanic, Pierre and he said the shut off valve could be sticking but why would it start sticking suddenly?

I just got back from hanging out with some friends and the starting issue was present... again.

In the morning I'll pull a vacuum on the valve and see whats up.

any thoughts?

Sudden no start issues are usually glow plugs. I would check your glow plugs.

You can check to see if your shut-off valve is sticking by simple unplugging the vac line. This will allow any vac that hasn't bled off out. But I put my money on a glow plug or two.

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Could be an air leak in the fuel lines

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Glow plugs are a good #1 option.
Air leaking at the primer pump could also be an issue.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Joe, LMK how this goes as I've still got 4 of the new glow plugs we got for the 190D in the garage...but I should find out what my issue is too (other than the broken rotors!)...

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-James

'85 280GE...sold
'96 Impala SS ~ 6-speed 396
'14 Cadillac Vagon. . . . . . . . . . "Life without knowledge is death in disguise." - Hans-Peter Geerdes

I'll double check with my volt meter but they were installed in January and were Bosch brand.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECKS THE OHMS! not just the volts to the plugs. with the nose pointed down, it's very unlikely an air in the fuel problem, #1 guess is glow plugs, #2 guess is valve clearances.
keep us posted!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I went back and did it again, all but one plug(#4) are testing open circuit. I thought I was doing it wrong yesterday (plug test). That pissed me off since I just put new plugs in the thing in January and I'm in FL!

But the engine starts after the cranking in FL's cold weather. Last year with the dead glow relay I was getting the car to start just fine in 30's when stone cold.

if today wasn't so windy I'd adjust the valves.. again