To clarify....the car has been sitting in impound for over a year. To anyones knowledge here the car has not been started in a long time.

I know that the motor will turn over, the glow plug light comes on and then goes out, fuel guage reads empty, primer pump has fuel in it.

I have not yet tried to start it as my little jumper cables can't handle the totally dead battery and starter. I just got the keys Monday and the car is sitting in the parking lot on base.

I going to put the fresh battery in and see what happens. There is no local souce for the primer pump. Before I start ordering parts (several days wait) and changing a bunch of stuff, I'd just like to actually see if this beast will run. Or at least fire a couple of times.

I'll give it a shot at lunch and give you guys an update.

Good luck, mine still hasn't started. Been about 4 days now of playing.

I don't want to scare you off but...If you are low on budget, these cars might not be exactly right for you. The two diesel filters should not run you more than $10 (these you can pickup at a local autoparts) and will not hurt that you change them BEFORE you attempt to start the car. You can leave changing the primer pump for later. These old cars require that you be on top of them even though they are very reliable. But, God willing, I would never trade my 1983 300D Mercedes because I enjoy working on the car...plus its a diesel so it's pretty cool to drive around. I hope you can enjoy the car and the forum as much as everyone else on here.

Adiel

Odie you're in Copperas Cove correct? Temple isn't that far away, Garlyn Shelton Mercedes on HK Dodgen Loop can get you the primer pump if they don't have one in stock. Or you can always call the 1-800-for Mercedes number and have their roadside tech come out there with his own big battery and help you start the car. It's free. Don't mention to them that it's been sitting, though it probably wouldn't matter. Starting a diesel benz that has been sitting over a year SHOULD be a piece of cake.

"fuel guage reads empty"
UH.... might want to correct this also.... no telling what kind of difference some fuel would make...

CC... I took that to mean Corpus Christy....

well i put two and two together (army base and CC) and got Copperas Cove. Killeen doesn't have an MB dealer and neither does Copperas Cove, so that explains why he can't get parts locally. Corpus Christi has an MB dealer.

I looked under everything I could think of in the search and couldn't find an answer. I want to know what to expect when the hand pump is pumped? I recently removed the injector lines to gain easy access to the glow plugs. After reinstalling the lines, with the nuts at the injectors still loose, I pumped the hand pump till I was blue in the face, expecting to see weeping at the nuts. I didn't see fuel so I thought the hand pump was bad so I tightened the nuts and cranked a long time till it started.

I just changed a couple of glow plugs on my other car and also replaced the hand pump on it just for kicks. While the injector lines were still sitting on the air cleaner, I pumped until I heard the squishing sound. I thought I would see the fuel coming out of one or some of the ports of the injector pump and didn't. After a little pondering, I believe that the pumping action only pulls fuel from the tank and charges the filters and fills the injector pump.

To get the fuel lines full, I think that I will need to use the LarryBible trick of leaving the injector lines one turn loose at the injectors and have Wifeypoo crank and I'll tighten them one at a time as they weep.

Am I on the right track or what?

Yes,
The only way to prime the rigid injector lines is to crank the engine. It is best to ensure that the injector pump is primed by loosening the banjo on the IP return line and pumping the primer until the air bubbles cease, then tightening the banjo bolt.

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

Youi can get three possible reactions from the primer pump with two of them being wrong. If you pull up on the pump and feel some resistance, and push down and feel more resistance, but the pump goes to the bottom smoothly, you are drawing and expelling fuel. This is good. If you can push and pull the pump with no resistence, you are out of fuel. If you pull the pump up and it sucks itself part way back down without your help, a vacuum is being created in the line, because the screen in the tank is clogged with fungus.

Peter

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

thanks fellas, and a reply all the way from the other side of the planet, can you believe it? And Peter, I haven't forgot that invitation, I'll call you one day soon and stop by for a visit....Ernie