Well I guess my first mistake was buying a car that wouldn't start...second mistake thinking I could fix it...

The car ran WVO and clogged everything from the tank to the injectors...The pervious owner had a shop pull the ip...I replaced everything from the tank to the injectors...new oil and all...been trying to crank it for 2 days...no go....tried wd40...no go....jumped glow plugs...no go...tried starting fluid no go...nothing seems to wake sleeping beauty...

Shame too as it supposedly only has 146k on it, new rebuilt transmission, perfect interior, rebuilt drive line, replaced brakes and some what good tires...

I imagine the rings are bad...causing low compression...

I'm getting frustrated with it so I called a guy to come look at it and give me his opinion. Course this will cost money...

I get serious blow by out the oil cap while cranking too..

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Have you performed a valve adjustment?

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Does or did the car actually have a functioning WVO system installed of some kind? Heat and/or a second tank and switchover valves? Or did someone just drive it with WVO in the tank?

Are you getting fuel to the injectors?

Are you able to get a compression tester?

I cannot imagine someone driving a car until the rings became so clogged that it won't start in the California climate. But that isn't to say it's not possible.

Or is this another "it's been sitting for years" situation?

Just leave the starting fluid out of the equation, pretty please....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Nope taking a break for a sec and will go pull the VC and check clearance...don't have the wrenches but I've been able to work with 2 14mm wrenches before.

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All the above lol

It was a single tank...straight into the gas tank.

Yep cracked the injection lines many times...getting fuel squirting...injectors were replaced with used but working ones.

Haven't done a compression check...kind of tired of spending cash on tools.

It was sitting since 2004...

Oh I know staring fluid...BAD...the owner of my last benz used it for every start up...and there is problems...

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Are you sure the glow plugs are good? Enough cranking power from the battery? When I left the 240 sitting for a long time the battery drained a little I guess; cranking difference was not very perceivable but I had the battery charged and it started right up.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Might try adding some Marvel Mystery Oil or brake fluid to each cylinder, and let it sit for a couple days. This will brake loose any stuck piston rings. If everything else was gummed up then likely the piston rings are too. This will brake them loose and increase compression.

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X2
ATF is an alternate if you dont have MMO.
The OP describes the symptoms of stuck rings to a tee.
Probably the motor will need replacing in the end. Best start looking for a replacement.
Just another Death in a Jug situation.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Okay, the mercedes gods were looking out for me ...I pulled the valve cover, and all but one valve was tight. I loosened them all and made sure I had clearance..per spec...maybe a little to lose...and cranked...felt her wanting to crank. I then pulled the other car in front, switched batteries...did jumper cables...had my friend standing over with a can of wd40...cranked...he sprayed and POOF....to life she came...smoke every which way including the garage..yuck...Shes running on her own...but when the other owner pulled the oil filter housing he lost 2 bolts...so I have a drip...running to the pnp to get the missing bolts and a new air filter...but all is good and smelly....thanks for the advance

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I know you have it running. You still may want to soak the rings well. Any residual wvo in the ring lands turns from a sticky mess to a very hard substance over a long storage time.

You might want to attempt to disolve it if present. Costs little to attempt and some time. Marvel mystery oil seems to help and is pretty inexpensive. Pick your poison though as there are other chemicals that act as solvents used as well.

Sounds like the prior owner gave up on the car because he knew little of the adjustable mechanical valves. They should be checked every fifteen K in normal service.

You may be right but as I was trying to start it and the first run I ran diesel purge through everything to help clean up anything that may be left. I am going to hold off on introducing anything else to the engine, as it seems to run just fine...a little rough at idle, this is probably due the ip needing to be timed...I just stuck it in.

I think the previous owner found out the cost of the repairs after he destroyed the engine and the sold it to the last owner, who hoped to restore it but never got around to it...then I got it. The tank had 20lds of gooo in it, to the point that it couldn't be cleaned, the fuel sender and screen was the same. The old lift pump was also froze, so were the injectors and I am sure the pump...I just pulled one from the pnp.

Its running fine now and popping off at the first turn of the key but I found another bug....the brakes...The brakes felt strange and then I lost them...the passenger front caliper was extremely hot and smoking. Any idea the cause? The brakes came back and seem fine now...but not really positive for how long..

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Caliper froze, boiled the brake fluid. Flush and replace, and service calipers/brakes... rebuild probably in your future. after all... been sitting neglected for years. lots of catch-up maint to do.

good luck!

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RM Smith
1988 560SL

"Where is it again that we are going, and why are we in this handbasket"?

Ah that makes since, I guess I should replace the master and flush/bleed everything...with the calipers can they be rebuilt or do I have to replace them all...they are pretty expensive. And yes...lots of maintenance to do and lots of 9.99 and under parts to replace

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GROAN....


Wow, since 2004. Any idea how many miles the car did on the WVO prior to being parked? If it was only a year, for example, then in Cali I'm guardedly optimistic as the 'cold' startups weren't done in unreasonable weather (by east coast standards anyway).

Congrats on getting it running. I got one going that had sat for four years in Boston and if fumigated a couple of acres before the smoke cleared.

You can get cheap diesel compression testers on eBay and I would imagine from Harbour Freight.... It's a worthwhile thing to have.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Well I got the mercedes print out from the dealer from when the lady owned it her name was Bee. In 1999 it had 140k....today it has 147k...so I imagine it was driven around 7k on WVO/bio splash...before the old lady got it in 95 it sat for 18 years in a garage.

I glad you brought up the smoke thing...When I was working on it...I had the garage door open...when it start up finally it shoot carbon and rust into the garage...even worst it filled the whole entire house with carbon smelling smoke....if that wasn't bad enough the neighbor was going to call 911 because he thought the house was on fire

And your groaning over hearing about the wvo residue...try having it all over your clothes, in your car....and every were...it smelled so horrible....heres a few pics of the fuel strainer/sender and old tank.




Heres the car too

The "Silver Bullet" now has all her chrome and hood star

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