Go to the first page of the diesel discussion...there is a sticky for the vacuum lines. Usually the door locks and or the vacuum for the trunk or gas flap have leaks, if you can plug the line that "v's" off and goes to the door locks, this might help with the shut down, mine is plugged off and the shut down works now. A golf tee works well to plug the lines.
The door lock vacuum lines usually go into a plastic round piece that has 2 vacuum lines running off of it. Usually up near the brake booster close to the fire wall, mine is yellow. Plug that see if it helps, post back let us know what works

Kerry,

i realize there is no connection between the temp switch and the shut down system.

i'm wondering if my electric fan is wired properly. the previous owner had replaced the radiator due to an accident. the positive goes from the battery, to the connector on the firewall, then to the fan, then it appears the negative goes to the air conditioner where the switch for aircon is also connected. is this so? does the fan only come on when the compressor is on? i would think it would go to a temp sender. So, in noticing that nothing seems to be connected at that "thing" that comes out of the thermostat housing, i was wondering if that is involved somehow. the dash temp guage works fine.

thanks, i sure appreciate the help.

Yes the temp sensor should be wired to the electric fan IIRC.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13