New Poster Has A Few Questions

[The Mad Signtist]

Hi I'm a new poster but I've been viewing this forum for a few months since I bought my daughter a 79 auto 240d. Bought it for $550 and drove it home (top speed 45mph) Then I set to work: New master cylinder and front brake pads, glow plugs, valve adjustment, rebuilt injectors with new nozzles, hand primer pump, diesel purge w/ new filters, oil change new filter, trans. filter change new fluid,water pump, front window regulators, alternator etc etc.
So a lot of time and considerable money so far but it's also been a fun new hobby and pretty easy to work on.

So my questions are:
1) The car now won't shut off and I think I've isolated it to the manifold or whatever behind the ignition switch. When I disconnect the one going to the shutoff valve and hook it up to my mityvac and pump it up the car shuts off. So can anyone confirm this part as the culprit or should I continue to look for small leaks that might be starving the vacuum system. I checked the vacuum line at the brake booster and I'm getting about 22Hg.

2) I just did the trans. fluid change with new gasket and filter. I got the correct fluid but not quite enough. Can I top it off with dexron III or similar or should I order more of the expensive stuff

Thanks for you responses

[Hirnbeiss]

Dexron II is fine for your transmission.

[engatwork]

If it shut off when you got it and now won't look for a leaky vacuum line from where it comes off of the main line to the back of the injection pump. I believe the shut off line is brown on them. Yellow is door locks. You may need to disconnect some of the alternative circuits to narrow it down.

Welcome aboard.

[Yak]

If the '79 240 uses the same vacuum colors and approximate configuration, you should have a brown (or brown + stripe) going from a distributor (rubber T-thing) into the firewall where it connects to the ignition switch, then a brown (or stripe) line coming back out and going to the shutoff.

You could plug everything on the distributor except the source of vacuum (from near the brake line) and the brown line. If it shuts off, add a circuit like the yellow line and then see what happens. It's trial and error from there to isolate the specific component that's leaking.

[The Mad Signtist]

Thanks for all your responses, I'll try your suggestions. I wonder if the culprit at the ignition switch is the tumbler (it's a little sketchy) or the valve part behind it. Any experience with that? I'd hate to replace a $100 part for nothing.
Thanks

[TnBob]

Ive that 2 port ignition vacuum valve recently for ~ $ 30. Always good to ask the folks at the top of each page who sponsor the forum too.

Welcome and ask away.