My 1987 300TD with 190,000miles is run regularly. Parked it 2 days ago and all was fine today it just cranks and cranks but won't start. Smoke comes from tail pipes and will sputter every once in a while while cranking for 30-40 seconds but still no start. What should I look for? I plan on changing fuel filters in morning to see if that's the culpret. Any ideas or suggestions? It was probably in mid 50's today so not too cold.

Check the filters but also check the glowplugs. If it sputters you are probably getting at least some fuel. Also if it sputters don't let off the starter, keep cranking another 5-10 seconds until it begins to run on more than just one or two cylinders and feather the accelerator a bit as it begins to fire. Just don't crank the starter more than a minute without letting it cool 30-60 seconds before you try again. If it's the glowplugs you should be able to get it started in that kind of weather just by cranking it enough. I had the same thing happen on my '87 sedan and traced it to a bad 80A glowplug fuse. It's located on the left front fender right next to the glow plug relay and has a black plastic cover that flips off. My fuse looked good but when I removed it to clean it up a bit I found it was actually broken under one of the screws. Like yours it just stopped working suddenly. My guess is that all your glowplugs are out due to a relay or fuse problem. Let us know what happens.

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

thanks for the promp answer. I did look at that fuse for the glow plugs and it "looked' good. I'll need to pull it off and check. Thanks again.

80a glow plug fuse was intact. Still just cranking.

Replace fuel filters,
Prime the hand pump (does it even have one?)
Maybe put more diesel fuel? (maybe the fuel gauge is broken?)
Check your air filter?
What happens if you open up the throttle a little while cranking it to start?
Does the starter crank the engine fast enough? (Batttery maybe?)

Good luck....

Sorry don't really know the OM603 engine.

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

Jcox,

Before you replace the fuel filters, crack an injection line and see if fuel runs out while cranking the engine. I'll bet its not the filters. If it was colder, I would think frozen fuel line.

I think it is GP problems.

To check glow plugs (GP), connect a voltmeter on the connectors of the GP and see if they are all getting 12 volts. This has to be done quickly just after the key is turned to the GP position. The GP relay should turn the GP on for about 45 seconds. If there isn't 12 volts at each GP, remove and reinsert the cable connnector from the GP relay to the GP cable a few times. Then measure for GP voltage again.

You might also try a resistance test across the 80 amp fuse. It should be almost zero ohms.

P E H

The 80A fuse can LOOK fine but be bad. Remove it and inspect. It may come out in two pieces. If it really is good, connect a volt meter at one of the glow plugs and see if you get 11+ volts when you turn the key.

I have had the relay itself fail on my car, and I've heard of them failing on occasion... it's not THAT rare. I highly doubt it's a fuel problem. If there was zero fuel, you would get zero smoke & sputtering!

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

gsxr,

You and I agree again.

P E H

Guess What!
I have been having the exact same problem with my 92 300D 2.5T. I checked the fuse, filters, ect and nothing. Well it is a mild day here in Charlotte, NC., about 55 degrees, so I began cranking for a while. Actually, cranking, charging, cranking....ect. What do you know, it starts to catch a bit and I gradually push the accelerator and it cranks. I am wondering if the GP relay is prone to sticking or something because after I shut it down, it cranks right up. I haven't let it cool off and tried yet but everything seems to be working now. If it happens again, and it only happens when it has been shut down for a while, I am going to try the block heater for a while and start cranking again. I hope that this helps you. Good luck

Tom

Almost certainly a bad relay or bad wiring, but it can also be a leaking fuel line at the o-ring on the lift pump. This leak will draw all the fuel out of the line and lift pump, so that you don't get adequate fuel pressure when you start. Causes slow injection, so you get some smoke, but not enough to start.

Verify current to the glowplugs, and also verify the resistance of the plugs, too -- should be 0.8 ohm. If they aren't getting hot enough, it won't start unless you crank forever.

I assume the dash lamp is working normally.

The least likely possibility is that the starter is shot and not cranking fast enough (the current problem on the 220D).

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Tom, SOMETHING in your glow plug system is NOT working. The glow plugs do nothing when the car is warm, that's why it will start back up easily as long as you don't let it sit more than a couple of hours. Please do what Peter said - verify you are getting voltage to the glow plugs, and it wouldn't hurt to check the plugs as well (but the chance that they all failed is nearly impossible - and the car would still start with only 3 or 4 working plugs.)

Time to get out the voltmeter and do some checking. You did remove the 80A fuse and inspect it, right? A visual is not adequate...


Regards,

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!