Hey guys,I bought some new glowplugs a few days agoand need to know where the old one's are at and if any precaution is needed.

Also I have a fuel leak in one of my lines.The diesel smell is very strong when at traffic lights, etc.How easy is this to fix and should I send it to my mechanic? Thinking air is getting into the fuel system and that's why it won't start when the engine is facing up hill or when it sits for about 8 hours.

Thanks

 

if it is like the w115's and the w123's the glowplugs are on the driver side of the block. make sure you have the right size wrench and that the area around the glowplugs is free of dirt and grease so that when you remove the old plugs the surrounding particles do not enter the engine. when you install the newplugs add a very small amount(pea or less) to the threads of the plug.

now as for the leaking fuel line(s). finding the leak is going to be the hardest part. after running the car for a little while see if you can trace the fresh diesel back to its source. once you have found the leak replacement of the offending hose should be easy. if it is leaking at a connection attempt to tighten it. if a metal fuel line is leaking you have a slightly larger problem on your hands yet still very doable. you could apply jb weld if you wanted a very cheap and very diry fix but replacing the line is really the only way to go. once you have removed it you can custom bend or order the proper line. once installed you must remove the air from the system. this will require lots of primer bulb and cranking. she should start up right after.

while you are in the mood for fuel lines you could replace the rubber with b100 rated lines easily and at little expense.



enjoy the "free" mileage

 

That helps very much, thank you

Also one more question that scared me last night. I needed gas and was on my way from work to the gas station. When I was in the car I noticed that it jerked a lot more in gears then a few hours ago. As I was about to get some fuel, I turned the ignition off (0), but the engine was still running! Had to bust out the manual and attempt to locate the off switch, but the engine cut off when I was searching through the book. Works fine now. Weird! [&:]

 

well what you had a was a malfunction of the shut off valve. the valve is actuated by vacuum. if you look on the driver side of the motor you will see there is a button with a red square labeled "stop" this is the manual stop for the engine. you instead of the vacuum system are stopping flow to the injection pump. you must have developed a momentary vacuum leak.

now did you replace your glow plugs? there are vacuum lines run very close to where your hands would be during the process. i have seen it more than once where individuals have accidentally loosened or totally disconnected vacuum connections while performing similar jobs. i am not certain but on older models the transmission was also vacuum controlled so this my be another symptom of the vacuum leak. now that you seen the leaks effects appear in multiple systems i would look very close from the vacuum pump back to where the lines diverge on their separate paths. you will track down your problem there. "now how do i find the leak?" well one of the best ways is to grab a snippet of old garden hose,fuel hose works too, and listen for the leak at all the connections and along the lines. try not to bend the lines to much, i know the lines on my 76' are very brittle(another job for the summer). good luck and be patient.

 

I haven't replaced the glow plugs yet, it's been below zero here for the past few days with freezing rain. They'll definately be replaced by Monday though. With the leak, I had the car parked in the snow overnight and was able to locate the leak with obvious green marks. It's coming from a main line near the engine below the car. (also noticed my antifreeze container is leaking orange too...hmm)

Of diesel?