I have always been able to start my 300D without even touching the gas pedal. Sometimes on cold starts I give it a little gas to smooth out the idle once it starts. A couple of weeks ago one morning it would crank but wouldn't start. I started to pump the pedal and it finally started. I thought it might be some clogged filters so I changed both last week and it didn't seem to help. This morning after sitting for a few days it took some pumping on the pedal to get it started but after work it started up without touching the gas.

I am planning on checking and adjusting the valves soon but it seems like valves wouldn't have all the sudden got so bad to cause this problem.

What should I look at next? I am running out of ideas. I am going to clean the battery connections but don't think that is it.

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85 300D Turbo

adjust the valves. You might have 1 or 2 bad glowplugs..

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

Could be an air leak into the fuel system. Lots of places that can happen but the old style primer pump often leaks. I do second the suggestion of checking the glow plugs.

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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

Sounds like an air leak or glowplugs. Check both. The air leak should be evident after the car sits for awhile look at the prefilter and see if it's full of more air than usual.

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I had similar symptoms. Problem was a sticking check valve in the fuel pump.