Hard first start of the day
 

Hi guys, im new here. i just got my first mercedes 300sd 1984, i really had a urge for a diesel, and a friend gave me his when i asked if he would sell it,
this mercedes is soo beat to hell, i think it would win the contest of most screwed up 300sd. anyways

The first start is impossible without cheating with a very small squirt of ether... i know its bad... but after it starts it will start super easy everytime after.
im in san diego CA , soo its not cold...

just wondering why the first start is impossible. is it ether addiction? i think the glow plugs arent working.

Beat to hell you say?

- BOTH fuel filters
- glow plugs

See how it goes from there. The glow plug light (squiggly line on the bottom right corner of the cluster) should come on and stay on for a few seconds before you turn the key to start - this gives the glow plugs time to heat up.

Do yourself the favor - the subforum "Diesel Discussion" right under tech help is a better area to post diesel related questions. There's a search feature to use as well which will answer just about any question you could ever think of when it comes to an old MB diesel.

thanks, yes the glow plugs lights come and for a few seconds when the switch is turned on. ill change the fuel filters.

yes beat to hell and back and then again some. ill upload some pics if i figure out how. this thing looks like it was sitting with the titanic, everything is broken or rotted, the only things that work is the motor, transmission is questionable, long ass delay to shift to second and then shifts 3 and 4 soo quick it looses power, the radiator is leakin everywhere, im not sure if he did me a favor or gave me problem hahaha,

Diesels need a solid supply of fuel, any air in the system will lead to difficult starting after sitting overnight. On industrial stuff, I use a electric pump. These are the ones that look like an inline fuel filter with a couple of wires. At $40 they solve lots of ills and are usually much lees $ than the OE mechanical pump..

thanks guys. sorry for posting in the gasoline section... first post LoL