Here is part two of the puzzling saga of my 240D starting problems. A couple of days ago we got our first sub-freezing weather. To my astonishment, my '83 240D started without much fanfare that cold morning. I went to work, came out nine hours later and the glowplug indicator light did not work as normal. I kept on turning the car over and it tried to start, but would not stay running at first. Then, the car quit trying to hit at all and the battery started getting weak. I tried to double jump the car with two other cars, verified that I was getting voltage to the glow plugs (I was). The car would turn over but not hit. This saga went on for a few days, I gave up and put the battery on the charger for the weekend (still at work) and picked up a can of non-ether starting fluid from Wal-Mart. I came in this morning, sprayed the starting fluid and the thing fired up. Problem solved I thought, drove it around a little, shut it off , started it back up nor problems. So I let the car sit (inside in the warm) the rest of the day. Went to start it this afternoon and it just turned over the same as it had earlier. ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGG. Sprayed it with starting fluid and instant start (probably not even half a turn!!!!!) Drove it home - car performed flawlessly on the 30 mile drive home. Shut it off, temperature is actually warming up to near 50 degrees right now at 10:00 pm. So I go back outside a few minutes ago - no start just turning over again. A little hit with the starting fluid, instant start. What the heck is wrong with this car? If it were a horse I would have shot it by now just out of aggravation.

Sounds almost like its not getting fuel. Not sure why. Maybe pulling in air somewhere, like the primer pump?

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Have you confirmed that all the glow plugs are good? Sounds to me like a glow problem.

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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

arkie


I am guessing glow plug problem. Do you hear the relay, When you are using the GPs the cabin light should dim indicating lots of amps going to the GPs. Change the 80 amp strip fuse in the relay, could look good but be bad, its cheap.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I have mentioned to Arkie the need to be sure the hand primer pump is tightened down...
But perhaps he should try pumping it before each attempt to start for a while... if that ' cures' the symptoms then he is dealing with an initial lack of fuel availability..

On the glow plugs.... with the car warm, the battery, cables , and starter good....I feel the car should start even with no glowplug activity.... that is why I have been focused on fuel ......

On the glow plugs.... with the car warm, the battery, cables , and starter good....I feel the car should start even with no glowplug activity.... that is why I have been focused on fuel ......

my experience indicates otherwise. last summer, va. 90 degrees. the 83 300dt would not start. did not grind and grind. but did spin the bugger for at least 30 sec. replaced glow plugs. subsequent starts - immediate. by 2 cents.

and the glow plug light works nomally. I need to crank the motor about 10 seconds and it will start on the diesel compression principle. Could a/the glow plugs be bad or going bad an dthe light still work? LOTS of smoke on start up.

Thanks,
thebern

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1982 240D 313,000 (4 speed)
1984 300CD 172,483
1985 German Shepherd Dog -Lacey- R.I.P.11/04/05

Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs

DON'T USE STARTING FLUID IN A GLOW PLUG DIESEL WITHOUT DISABLING THE GLOW PLUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can blow the thing to Kingdom Come.

Secondly, I have been through this beaucoup times on a pin type glow plug engine. Just do yourself a favor and replace ALL the glow plugs. If you have no light, number one is probably open. The current to number one is measured by the GP relay to determine temperature.

Odds are 99 to 1 that if you replace the glow plugs your problems will go away. Checking them with an ohmmeter will probably show continuity, but replace them anyway. Been there, done that, many times.

Good luck,

"Could a/the glow plugs be bad " Lots of smoke on start up would indecate bad GPs/a

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"