So im still working on my 77' 300D trying to get it to run, I just upgraded the glow plugs to the new pencil style plugs, changed the fuel and air filters and made sure all fuses are in good working condition. I bought it in not working condition, got it to start and run for a bit, but wouldnt run at idle, then it died and blew a glow plug.

When I go to start the car it cranks hard and spuders like it wants to start but just cant quite do it. When I do these it spews out a bunch of smoke that smells more like kerosene then diesel, but I digress. The engine shakes really hard when started and makes a loud squeeking nosie every once and a while. I also noticed that the idle ajustment cable is broken, and will try to hold down and not hold down the pedel to see the difference, of which there isnt much.

Now the only two things I can think of are that the engine is blown or the battery needs replacing. Some where I read that the battery needs 13.5 Volts to start the car, anything less and it wont. When testing the battery seems low, but when I charge it with a jump or my batery charger it gets up and over 13.5 volts and the car really seems like it wants to start more then ever but the battery cant hold it above that voltage for more then one start attempt. Plus the car sat for about a month or two before I got my hands on it.

The reason I think it may be blown is because the previous owner said she overheated it and just shut it off and never started it again. The oil looks very dark, like the oil commin out the ground in "There Will Be Blood" (Just saw the movie and had to make the refference). And its making a loud sqweeking noise which sounds external, like that fan or a pully, but could be internal.

Please let me know your take on this
thanks ahead of time
James

 

Well if I remember correctly there is no smoke comming out of the oil filler hole, I took it off to see on my own accord and nothing, I'll try itw again and see what happens. The reason I dont think its blown is that it started and ran for a few minutes but died at idle, prob due to the broken idle adjustment cable.

One more thing, I read some where about people bleeding their fuel lines, I asume I would have to do that after I change my filters. Could this be the problem, if so how do you bleed the fuel lines?

Thanks ahed of time
James

 

Concerning the battery - it really plays no role in the proper running of the engine other than (1) supplying enoughpower to operate the glowplugs and (2) supplying enough power to crank the engine to the point of ignition. Once fuel is burning the engine does 90% of the work and the afterglow sequence does 10% of the work, mostly to reduce excess smoking. Once afterglow is completed the engine runs independently of the battery.

 

Thanks for the helo thus far, hopefuly I'll have some time tonight or tomorrow morning to check all these things. The battery is concerning me because after 30 sec of it cranking the battery is about dead. Which makes me think its not cranking hard enough and long enough to get the engine to start, along with air in the fuel lines or a possible bad primer plunger equals this bad boy wont start. All of that doesnt concern me, I just dont want the engine to be toast.

Off to the races!

 

Try Adjusting The Rack Damper Screw . Clockwise to advance idle . If it is backed out to far the car wont start . At least with mine . Good Luck .
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Okay, so I bled the fuel lines and replaced the battery, a ray of hope is that I actually got it to start for a second before it died and didnt want to start again. I also noticed that the main fuel filter bolt was loose and leaking fuel, so I tightend that.

Now, I dont know where the primer plunger is, I assume its part of the throtal linkage, could you please elaborate on where it is and how to tell if its leaking. I also do not know where the rack damper screw is. If its part of the throtle adjustment cable, its broken. the cable has snaped and is disconected from the throtle linkage. I have just been steping on the gas pettle a lil bit to get the throtle where I imagine it should be.

Thanks ahead of time for the help guys
James

 

Get another battery. On a diesel the engine cranking RPM is critical to starting, especialy cold. Short of doing a compression test to verify the soundness of the engine,remove the air cleaner lid and while someone cranks the engine spray WD 40 into the air horn, continue spraying till the engine runs on its own. Do not crank longer than 10 to 20 seconds each time. You can damage the starter. Let the starter cool down between attempts.

 

Rack Damper Screw ( basicly the idle scew ) located on the on the rear of the injection pump . It is a funny screw that sticks up and is spring loaded , you need a 14mm deep socket or 9/16 deep and a flat blade screw driver . Loosen carefully and turn clockwise to raise rpms counter clockwise to lower rpm. If you go to far in the car will idle to high and may free rev so don't set it to high . If it is backed out too far the car wont start. It will try like heck , but not start .

 

Sorry about saying to replace the battery, I see thats been done. Regarding the rack dampner adjustment, I would do that if necc after you verify it runs at all. Holding the throttle pedal part way down will do for now.

 

I replaced the battery today, still with no luck. The starter may be damaged because I cranked it till it started cranking slower and slower, before I replaced the battery I thought it was just the battery dieing, now I think the starter was over heating. I'll try the wd-40 trick and see if it works at all. If that doesnt work then its a compresion test for me!