Non Starting 240D. Thoughts? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pj67coll · #1 12-15-2014, 08:41 PM

There's a car for sale locally that according to the owner ran ok for about a year until he let it sit for six months. Thereafter it had an increasingly difficult time staring and now will not start at all.

On the face of it I'm assuming it's compression is shot and it' needs a new motor. But just wondering if it could be a question of contamination in the fuel etc. Any ideas?

- Peter.

leathermang · #2 12-15-2014, 09:56 PM

Could just need a valve adjustment......
and a new filter filled with Diesel Purge...

and 3 seconds of starter fluid sprayed into the intake tube WHILE cranking....
that will point to fuel problems if that gets it to start...

and we are assuming a good battery....and glow plugs working...

gastropodus · #3 12-15-2014, 11:26 PM

I seem to recall reading on the forum that standard starter fluid spray (of the type typically used in gasoline engines) is not very gentle when used on our diesel engines. I think that WD-40 is recommended as an alternative? Others will chime in, I'm sure.

Kurt

leathermang · #4 12-15-2014, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gastropodus

I seem to recall reading on the forum that standard starter fluid spray (of the type typically used in gasoline engines) is not very gentle when used on our diesel engines. I think that WD-40 is recommended as an alternative? Others will chime in, I'm sure.

Kurt

Will this myth never go away ?
Check out what WHunter says about it....

gastropodus · #5 12-16-2014, 01:01 AM

I think that this thread:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/85676-ether-use-abuse-*flame-suit-*.html

is the one where the issue of starting fluid is fully aired. I'm sorry I brought it up, as there are evidently strong opinions on this topic.

Kurt

Stretch · #6 12-16-2014, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

There's a car for sale locally that according to the owner ran ok for about a year until he let it sit for six months. Thereafter it had an increasingly difficult time staring and now will not start at all.

On the face of it I'm assuming it's compression is shot and it' needs a new motor. But just wondering if it could be a question of contamination in the fuel etc. Any ideas?

- Peter.

It could be many things but like you say I'd consider fuel contamination.

Is this another possible purchase?

sloride · #7 12-16-2014, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

It could be many things but like you say I'd consider fuel contamination.

Is this another possible purchase?

Or maybe no fuel in the tank. Cleaned my non working sender three years ago and has been working fine. two weeks ago I put in >18/gal showing that I had over a quarter tank. Search temporary tank for diesel to help rule out fuel issue.

Phillytwotank · #8 12-16-2014, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloride

Or maybe no fuel in the tank.

One should start by pumping the primer with the outlet disconnected to verify fuel flow and cracking the injector hard lines before the initial cranking attempts. Kill multiple diagnostic birds with one stone.

If there is high pressure fuel reaching the injectors, any kind of supplementary fuel in the intake will most likely not be needed.

leathermang · #9 12-16-2014, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phillytwotank

...... Kill multiple diagnostic birds with one stone. ......

I highly suggest NOT doing that.... you have mixed sterile birds in with your breeding stock and have no way to know which is performing their jobs after that....

Phillytwotank · #10 12-16-2014, 10:34 AM

I'm trying to reason why NOT...

we are assuming a good battery....and glow plugs working... and strong enough starter
Right?

No birds nest in the intake... Check
Fuel making it from the tank to the lift pump and lift pump flowing...Check
Filters not completely clogged and IP not gummed up with chicken skin...pumping fuel into the hard lines...Check

That Diesel is gonna start!

unless all five injectors are completely F'ed... also assuming that the fuel has been deemed fresh enough or temp tank has been installed.

leathermang · #11 12-16-2014, 10:42 AM

I am not sure if you are kidding..
so I will say it differently... if you do several things at once...and it starts... you have no way of knowing what it was that fixed the situation...

Phillytwotank · #12 12-16-2014, 11:37 AM

I understand what you are saying.

What i am describing is a process of elimination on the fuel supply side.

If each segment of the flow path can be checked from the tank to the injector, then there's no uncertainty in the fuel delivery... The engine doesn't have to be running only cranking fast enogh to check for "normal" operation of the fuel delivery system.

If there is no fuel to the inlet of the lift pump then something is wrong with the tank,tank screen or hard fuel lines... if there is no low pressure fuel reaching the inlet of the IP then there is something wrong with the lift pump or filters... if there is no high pressure fuel reaching the injectors then there is something wrong with the IP. Pretty easy to eliminate in that order.

If the diesel won't start and the GPs and Starter are doing what they are s'posed to be doing then there's either no fuel or the compression is gone.

If it were me i would treat it as if it had been run dry of fuel and work through priming the fuel up to the injectors before i did any repeated cranking or spraying anything in the intake.

Diesel911 · #13 12-16-2014, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gastropodus

I seem to recall reading on the forum that standard starter fluid spray (of the type typically used in gasoline engines) is not very gentle when used on our diesel engines. I think that WD-40 is recommended as an alternative? Others will chime in, I'm sure.

Kurt

If someone simply must use Starter Fluid the recommendation is to disconnect the the Glow Plugs by pulling the Electrical Connector/Plug at the Relay to prevent pre-ignition.

Where Worked when My Boss used Starter Fluid He would have someone else start Cranking while he did the spraying and that made it easy to use only the minimum amount needed to start.

TheDon · #14 12-16-2014, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phillytwotank

I'm trying to reason why NOT...

we are assuming a good battery....and glow plugs working... and strong enough starter
Right?

No birds nest in the intake... Check
Fuel making it from the tank to the lift pump and lift pump flowing...Check
Filters not completely clogged and IP not gummed up with chicken skin...pumping fuel into the hard lines...Check

That Diesel is gonna start!

unless all five injectors are completely F'ed... also assuming that the fuel has been deemed fresh enough or temp tank has been installed.

I had fuel going to the pump bug the delivery valves had seized. I took the tops of them off and soaked them in MMO and cleaned out the gunk and viola

pj67coll · #15 12-17-2014, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Is this another possible purchase?

An extreme outside possibility. But yes. Maybe. perhaps...

- Peter.