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1985 Mercedes 300SD Turbo Diesel cranks but won't start
dyllan
Member Posts: 1
I have a 1985 Mercedes 300SD Turbo Diesel with about 140,000 miles on it. Recently it's become increasingly difficult to start, until eventually it wouldn't start at all. It still turns over fine - I can hear the starter turning the engine (at least until I wear the battery down by trying to start it). For a while I could get it to start if I was persistent enough, but now it simply will not start.
I think the problem is my own fault. Here's the history.
This car had been modified slightly. The stock air filter had been replaced with a cone filter. I neglected to check the air filter for some time, and discovered that the top plastic part had cracked open. Since the filter was obviously useless, I tried to replace it, only to find no local store carried the right size cone filter. I found them on eBay, but while I was waiting for the auction to end and the filter to be shipped to me, I drove the car without a filter. I'm certain this led to the problem.
The filter connects to a very short rubber tube that connects to the air intake on the turbo. When I was having trouble starting the car, I tried spraying some starter fluid into that tube. The result was that the car actually had more trouble starting directly after I sprayed starter fluid. And it seemed the more I used, the worse it started.
Any suggestions?
-Dyllan
I think the problem is my own fault. Here's the history.
This car had been modified slightly. The stock air filter had been replaced with a cone filter. I neglected to check the air filter for some time, and discovered that the top plastic part had cracked open. Since the filter was obviously useless, I tried to replace it, only to find no local store carried the right size cone filter. I found them on eBay, but while I was waiting for the auction to end and the filter to be shipped to me, I drove the car without a filter. I'm certain this led to the problem.
The filter connects to a very short rubber tube that connects to the air intake on the turbo. When I was having trouble starting the car, I tried spraying some starter fluid into that tube. The result was that the car actually had more trouble starting directly after I sprayed starter fluid. And it seemed the more I used, the worse it started.
Any suggestions?
-Dyllan
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Comments
Glow plugs.....always check your glow plugs before winter. Pull them out, conect them back as they were inside the engine, make sure they have good ground. Than turn ignition and look at the plugs.be very carefull...they get red hot!!!! they have to start turn red at the end, and then warming up whole body. If they turn hot at midle or somewhere else..they are faulty...replace the faulty ones.
fuel filter drain or replace before winter.
check your battery and starter....those 2 things very important for winter.
ones your engine turns, and white smoke comes off your mufler, you have a lot of vater into a fuel....drain the filter, fill tank with fresh fuel
blue smoke means worn engine....have to be rebuilt= expensive
black smoke....your injectors or injector pump need set up
ones your battery is dead, you still can start a diesel drivin down a hill, put it into a 3or 4 gear ang slightly release the clutch...it will start. Engines with rubber timing belts might damage, if the belt is worn.
Diesel engines have very strong vibrations and the fuel plunger pump (a plastic piece close to the fuel filter) are bound to come loose over time. Good to check it for tightness from time to time.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. It seams to fire off a little but not enough to start.
Thanks,
Tech6
when i start the car in the morning doesn't give me problems. but when i stop the car
after driving it .. it gets really hard to start again. do you guys know what could be the problem..
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
So the problem is peculiar because it happens sometimes, but then after not using it for some time it will work fine. The problem has been that the car's brakes will get stiff and then I have to manually shut off the car by sucking on the tube leading to the fuel shutoff valve. I have to suck on that because the emergency stop button located above the engine will not shut it off. These problems all lead me to believe there would be a leak in the vacuum system, which still seems to be the problem, but it is still happening after the system has been checked, the idle is correct, the brake booster and fuel shut off valve have been recently replaced and the pump is producing correctly, . As I said before, the car will work fine for some time and then after about a week of normal to and from work/school, the car will start, then on the way home the brakes harden and the car will not shut off with the key. My father and I have been at a loss as to where to look or how to even go about looking. He has rebuilt the engine for the same car a year younger than mine, thus giving me the interest in these cars and knowing that they should be an easier fix knowing someone with a great knowledge of the car, but every time it "seems" ok, it only a matter of time that the same problem occurs over and over again. This has been for months and with me and my wife working, its hard to only have one car due to schedule differences.
Has anyone had similar problems and know where to start looking. The major problem is diagnosis, the repair can be done, just dont know where to turn to.
thanks