Yesterday, I replaced the main and pre-filter on my 300D, now it is having great difficulty starting.

The other things I did were:

1. Replace a piece of hose - pre filter to injector pump hose. A short piece less than a foot long. I used a piece of high pressure hose that I bought for replacing the fuel rail to injector segments on the 4.5. It looked to be identical hose.

2. I replaced the air filter with a K&N unit.

3. I filled the main filter halfway with Redline diesel catalyst and then attached it and bled out all the air using the hand pump.

4. When I was bleeding the air, a drop of fuel came out of the bottom of the hand pump fixture. I thought maybe it was loose, I checked tightness it was tight. I backed off the nut a little and re-tightened, the unit rotated slightly as I tightened it but otherwise seemed fine.

5. I also topped off the battery with distilled water and lubed the throttle linkages and door and hood strikers.

What could it be?!? The first time I tried to start it, the system would seem to take on air because the hand pump would feel soft again. I would bleed the air out and try to start it and the same thing for a few times.

Finally it started after much repeating of bleeding, cranking and waiting.

Could it just totally coincidentally be glow plugs? Once I got it going yesterday, I ran some errands and it starting fine, when warm. . . hmm. .

I just don't know if I did something to it.

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6