first start up help, om636 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

opossum · #1 08-27-2014, 02:56 AM

Hey guys,
I'm getting about ready to fire up my old 1959 O319 for the first time in maybe 12-15 years or so. I've drained the fuel, going to drain the oil and refill, Will do the same on the coolant. Trying to figure out if I should try and squirt some wd40 or something like that into the cylinders via the glow plug holes? I've also heard I should prime the injector pump with ATF... Ideas on that? From what I remember, there is an oil sump in the water pump and the fuel pump as well.. verify that for me if you can? Part of me wants to fill the crank case up entirely til the valve covers are overflowing and slowly manually rotate the engine around a few cycles with the glow plugs out but I am sure thats overkill. Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks guys! Opossum.

Stretch · #2 08-27-2014, 03:30 AM

ATF or Marvel Misery Oil is often recommended as a soaking fluid. If you are worried about breaking piston rings on the first turn then this would be a good thing to do.

I however would probably just remove the glow plugs from all cylinders and just try to turn the crank by hand. If it feels like it really isn't happy moving then I'd start off with a cylinder soaking.

Don't forget that what ever you chuck down the bores ends up in the sump so you have to do an oil change quite quickly after you get the engine running again.

leathermang · #3 08-27-2014, 08:43 AM

I agree with Stretch...
except I would add some warnings about WAITING between some of those things you do...

Be sure the soaking fluid has had time to get out of the bore... like a day or so.... or past the precombustion chamber holes... like a day...

and THEN turn by socket on the crank nut... slowly...and if any resistance repeat soaking and look for glitches...

One thing to check for soon after you get it running...
is one or more broken valve springs..... if it sat without being turned over... then the ones in compression all those years will be weaker than the others.

I would fill the fuel canister with Diesel Purge... and put a can into the fuel in the tank... and not put much fuel in tank... 3 or 5 gallons......

KEEP in mind that spraying into the glow plug holes ONLY sprays INTO the precombustion chambers... and THEY ARE ONLY CONNECTED to the combustion chamber by SMALL RADIAL HOLES...... very small....
THUS you can NOT get a spray around the tops of the pistons..... except by pulling the PCC's...
I do not think your general attitude is over kill....
Patience at this point could save the engine....

I once got a Mercury 312 going after 20 years of sitting... but since it was a gas engine... pulling the spark plugs allowed me days of spraying directly onto the cylinder walls.... and Patience.... then turned it over by hand..... and gave it to a guy next door who needed it for his 1950's truck... it was running great when he moved his stuff in that truck... which frankly surprised me....

Diesel911 · #4 08-27-2014, 08:01 PM

When you are actually ready have something like a Board ready to block off the Air Intake incase the Engine runs away due to the Rack Sticking inside of the Fuel Injection Pump.

If the Glow Plugs are out you and you have cranked the Engine by hand and know that there is nothing hanging the Engine up you can crank the Engine with the Starter to pump the new Enigne Oil into the Bearings as a pre-lube (Keep the Fuel Injection Pump in the shutoff position so raw Fuel does not get into the cylinders).

I have not seen the Fuel Injection Pump on this Engine but on the ones from the 1970s you needed to pour Oil into the Fuel Injection Pump and there was a Plug above the bottom of the Pump or a Tube with a Banjo Bolt that allowd the excess Oil to drain out.
In the manner you would add lube to a Manual Transmission or Differential.

leathermang · #5 08-27-2014, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

When you are actually ready have something like a Board ready to block off the Air Intake incase the Engine runs away due to the Rack Sticking inside of the Fuel Injection Pump. ......

Wasn't it Larry Bible who had that happen to him... and told about trying to get to the cut off switch while staying low behind the fender worried about it blowing up and shrapnel hitting him... the image of him crouching low with his arm up over the fender feeling around... in a panic.... causes me to chuckle every time...
The situation was serious... but a person's conflict between 'RUN for SAFETY'.... and 'I want to save this engine'... played out alone in a garage where you were the cause of the emergency....many can relate to.

opossum · #6 08-28-2014, 01:55 PM

good scoop!
Thanks guys.. Leathermang, what do you mean by fuel canister? Pardon my ignorance.

leathermang · #7 08-28-2014, 04:22 PM

The fuel filter at the engine... downstream from the hand pump.

opossum · #8 08-30-2014, 12:37 PM

Ok, I will report back a bit later. Not only was I not aware of the fuel canister, I was not aware of the hand pump. I have a lot to learn about this motor I suppose! So if it starts to do the runaway thing, just smothering the intake should kill it?

Stretch · #9 08-30-2014, 02:30 PM

Yep smother the intake - a block of wood or a rag that won't get sucked in is fine.

I know you haven't mentioned it but just in case don't go spraying CO2 fire extinguishers down intakes