Hi all, I need your help. I have owned 5 of these 87 300td cars, i have quite a bit of wrench-time under my belt and a whole garage full of extra parts.... but I cannot get this one to start.
It has 180k miles on it, I have owned it for 3 or 4 years now, 100% stock (even has the ALDA intact), just proper maintenance and diesel.
The car always started right up (sometimes only on 5 cyl) but ran perfect, quick, lots of power up hills.. etc.
My wife parked the car front first in the driveway, it sat for two days, now it doesnt start.
I checked the glow plug system 4 glow plugs have 80k on them and 2 have 10k on them (the reason being it looked like diesel was leaky out around the 1 +2 glow plugs so i changed them and properly torqued them - no help).

SO, the car ran perfect before, sat for two days, now i cant start it. I can see fuel in the clear lines between the filters, no air bubbles. The glow plug system measures fine, light comes on, power to all the GPs all which have resistance...
There is however a leak... it keeps the 1 +2 cylinder area by the GPs / injectors soaked, i cant find where its coming from, but the top of the IP looks a bit wet.

I'm thinking the oring seals of the IP are leaking + the inclined driveway = no fuel? But with all the cranking, shouldnt it still start....

whats the best way to get the car started?

Help and thank you

Did the wife fill it with gasoline?

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I choose to be happy, even when the Mercedes is being awkward, lol

nope, shes a keeper

just tried cranking the car again 2X 20 seconds, nothing.

yikes.

I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread...

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Matthew McIvor

2016 E350 4Matic Black/Black
2007 GL450 4Matic with Off-Road Pkg Silver/Black
1995 E300 Diesel White/Gray
1994 S600 Euro Black/ Black Velour
1986 560SL Blue/Blue/Gray
1986 190E Blue/Blue 93k

So as it is, car is turning over (cranking) but not starting. When was the last time you checked the fuel filters? How does the inline clear one look? Even a leaky injector SHOULD run, unless the leak was crazy. Any idea what the status on the glow plug relay might be?

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

Once the battery gets back up to charge im going to pressurize the fuel tank and crank again (with starter fluid).... unless anyone has a better idea?

disconnect the glow plug circuit if you are going to use "starting" fluid

the GP relay: works, I left the key in the second position and got voltage at each of the 6 GPs.

The inline filter probably has 50k on it, the spin on about 7k. I doubt its the filters because it ran like a champ before (85mph during daily commute).

Yes, it cranks over strongly, new strong battery which is on the charger after all the cranking.

I have my wife crank the car, then I spray the starting fluid in.... no need to disconnect the GPs.

If you are sure that the fuel filter, glow plugs and injectors are fine then you could disconnect the fuel line coming from the tank before the filter and connect the filter to a 1/2 gallon clear plastic bottle and fill with diesel as you do when you run a diesel purge. You need to suck the diesel from within the bottle and also run the return line back to the bottle.
At least you will hopefully see the fuel being pumped into the IP.

Go easy with the starting fluid. I once once watched a guy empty 1/2 a can into a v6 Pinto, I advised him not to try and start it, but he wished me "sex and travel" so I just stood back waited for the bang. I laughed as I saw the camshaft poking out through the front grill! I went back to work and got the tow truck, he broke the cam in half, it went through the timing cover, radiator and finally the front grill. Nothing $1500 couldn't fix(that was in 83 when I was a first year apprentice)

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I choose to be happy, even when the Mercedes is being awkward, lol

Filters can plug suddenly, I wouldn't be too hasty to disregard them.....

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I choose to be happy, even when the Mercedes is being awkward, lol

Starting fluid: always in moderation, i have seen some horror stories myself, most of which can be avoided by spraying only while cranking. if you just empty a can of starting fluid into the intake you've essentially created a bomb.

Filters. Yes they could clog quickly, but not overnight, if the filter clogged the car would still start with the fuel in the IP.

I think you're right a piggyback tank should help determine if the lift pump is working. Im going to go disconnect one of the injector lines off the IP see if its shooting any diesel, if not, I'll hook up the piggy tank, if that works, I'm pulling the GPs to bench test.

sounds like your pump IP lost prime. Are you getting fuel at the injectors when you crank it? In this weather, glow plugs should not be an issue. You could also plug in block heater and not waste time with glow circuit if you think coldness is the problem.

Leaky orings and parked facing up hill can make these hard to start.

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What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

BioPete, thanks for pointing out the block heater. we have the warmest weather so far this year, today, 88 degrees. im going to plug it in anyway.
(on a separate note, do you have any pics of your 300td with the tints?)


This might be solved:
took off the injector line, every crank cycle a few drops of diesel would shoot out of the terminal. IP works.
At this point I have attached a trigger switch to the starter relay, the battery is on two 6amp chargers, before cranking i put the key to the 2nd position and disconnect the vac hose on the shut off vlave.

Hit the crank button and I see small bubbles foam around one of the injector terminals on the IP. Immediately after cranking I see air bubbles go back into the filter (clear fuel lines).
The car did sputter when I first cranked it, which shocked me as 1 injection line was disconnected, glow plug cycle was off. I attribute this false hope to the 88 degree weather and the diesel in lines expanding into the cylinders.

Looks like new seals are in order for the IP, never had a problem with any of the other 4 in this matter, despite a combined 800,000+ miles.
Where is the best place to order the orings and copper seals? anything else to replace while in there?

Thanks to all!