Will 300d start with2 glow plugs? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

123mike · #1 11-13-2015, 04:24 PM

I have 2 of 5 glow plugs working and the bad three have swollen ends and won't come out. I can back them out past the threads but the tips are to fat to pull thru. My plan is to get started , heat up engine.. And bad plugs, then try getting bad plugs out when they are hot. Good plan?. The trouble is I can't get engine started. It hits and fires a little but just won't run . should I be able to start with 2 glow plugs?, any ideas how to get those other cylinders going? Mike

leathermang · #2 11-13-2015, 04:43 PM

The variables involved... air temperature, speed of the starter cranking, strength of the battery, etc...

MagicBus · #3 11-13-2015, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

The variables involved... air temperature, speed of the starter cranking, strength of the battery, etc...

Compression/overall health of engine, too, I'd suspect...

Jarod · #4 11-13-2015, 04:47 PM

When I got my Grey 82 it had 0 functional glow plugs, and we managed to get it started and onto a trailer.

The key is going to be warming the engine. plug the block heater in, start a fire under it, something along those lines. (WARNING: starting a fire under it may be a bad idea depending on oil leakage and such)

Whats your ambient temperature currently?

also, sometimes a little throttle helps, sometimes a lot helps or hurts, throttle by feel.

my dads 83 had frozen glow plugs, one broken off. started the motor and it blew them out quite quickly.

leathermang · #5 11-13-2015, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicBus

Compression/overall health of engine, too, I'd suspect...

Sure... but I was going with what he could change at the moment to get it started... I am assuming it was running at some time lately.... thus compression might be ' ok '....

leathermang · #6 11-13-2015, 04:50 PM

Mike, go to your account and put your location into the upper right corner of your posts... can make a huge difference in all sorts of things.... only if the law or exes are hunting you do you not need to put that info up to help others help you better....

and check your PM's....

atypicalguy · #7 11-13-2015, 05:02 PM

Nobody suggesting starting fluid with disabled glow plugs? A whiff goes a long way.

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thatguy · #8 11-13-2015, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atypicalguy

Nobody suggesting starting fluid with disabled glow plugs? A whiff goes a long way.

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I would never use starting fluid in a diesel (IIRC a bottle in my garage specifically says not to use it with diesel engines), some say WD40 "may" be ok, but I wouldn't try that either personally.

cooljjay · #9 11-13-2015, 05:12 PM

Don't start a fire under it.....for the love of the gods......

Don't use starting fluid! If you "must" unplug the glow plug relay "BUT" I couldn't get the 78 started even with starting fluid....Advice...Just stay away from it!!!

Tight valves make all the difference in starting, check the valves first and adjust.....

Glow the car, and keep cranking till its up and running.....but at leather said, depends on the heath of the starter.....

A good idea, as was said....Loosen each plug that is froze one at a time and see if the engine compression will pop them out.....

They may not be swollen, but simply carboned into the head.....My euro was like that when I first got it, I had to remove all hard lines and grab the plugs with vise grips and tap them out....hints to why the trunk was full of either....

dude99 · #10 11-13-2015, 05:52 PM

I'm assuming its a 617 engined car based on your user name. When its cranking and firing on two cylinders have someone spray a mist of WD40 into the intake. Its less flammable that ether and should be a little safer. Other option is it tow start it.

Personally I would plug the block heater in for a few hours and get it nice and warm and see what happens. If its fireing on 2 cylinders, keep it cranking. It is permissible according to the manual to keep it running on the starter as long as cylinders are firing.

vstech · #11 11-13-2015, 08:25 PM

A hair dryer shoved into the intake will get it started.

charmalu · #12 11-13-2015, 08:57 PM

My 86 Ford diesel needs GP`s. One has the wire connector rusted off and think a couple others are inop.

I pull the lid and remove the filter, then stick my HF Heat Gun in the filter bucket for a few minutes.

She kicks right over. even when it was 20 deg the other morning.

I bought some GP`s, but can`t find them.

Nothing wrong with using WD-40, but I stay away from Ether.

Be sure to remove the filter, or it will catch fire.

Don`t ask......

Charlie

sent from my pos computer

123mike · #13 11-13-2015, 09:38 PM

Yep, it' was going fine until it did not start. I read that the plugs come out better when hot. The wd 40 idea or heating up the air going in , sounds like a deal. I read that I can split a nut that fits the plug and use a vice grip to sqeeze the halls to the plug and back it out. It's gotten colder around Chattanooga, which is not helping. Thx for the input. I will report back. Mike

t walgamuth · #14 11-13-2015, 09:56 PM

A very small wiff of ether should not hurt. The wd40 use is for when you need the fuel injectors primed after unhooking the lines and getting air into it....I doubt it will help in this case.

mannys9130 · #15 11-14-2015, 01:30 AM

Most people don't know how to utilize ether correctly on a diesel and will cause damage. If you don't know how much to use or why it's dangerous, just skip the ether.

Keep working those glow plugs. They'll come out eventually if it's just Carbon that's built up in the holes. If they're Autolite plugs, they might ACTUALLY be swollen at the tip, and that really sucks.