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Diesel starting problems - cont.
My daughter has her 1985 300D at school in upstate NY, I'm in Missouri. She can't get her car started. I changed the pre-glow relay just befor she drove to NY, for the first time, in March. The initial problem was that the glow light never went off, the relay fixed that. A couple of weeks after she got to school she mentioned that the glow light stayed on after she started the car. Ignition on, light on, light off, start car, light back on always. This is different than the original problem when the light never went off during the pre-glow phase. NOW, the car just won't start, she say's she has fuel. It turns over, but she just gets a lot of smoke while attempting to get it started again and again. She has checked all the fuses. Being over 800 miles away and not being that knowledgeable about the 300d, any help?
Greetings from Norway!
I have had this 1985 turbo wagon for six years now and it is the best car I ever had. For more than 30 years I have had Falcon, Mustang, Firebird, Pont... Read More
Sounds like glow plugs
I see you have ordered my manual so you are on the right track. Proper diagnosis is needed. It sounds like you have two or more bad glow plugs. Smoke may indicate some plugs are working. My testing procedures will show you how to test for which ones. If or when you replace the glow plugs you will want to ream out the holes with my reamer. Excess carbon buildup is the number one cause of the symptoms you are describing. Let me know what ends up being the problem. Kent
where in upstate ny?
i grew up in the syracuse area and i know a few good wrenches up that way.
RE: Sounds like glow plugs
Geoff Norton
Kent,
Thanks for your response. I took your troubleshooting manuals and a set of glow plugs with me to NY. I did change 4, the back one was giving me problems. the nut holding the wire seems to be rusted on. I did get it started, finally. Drove the 850 back to Missouri, no problems. My daughter has driven it maybe 50 miles since we returned and now the original problem of "key on, light on, light off, start car, light back on again".
Any suggestions? I had replaced the preglow relay not more than 2K Miles ago.
Geoff
Have you tested?
Hi Geoff, glad you got it home ok. Have you tested the glow plug circuit (step by step) as outlined in the manual? What is your ohm meter reading on # 5 glow plug? I suspect that could be the problem. When you do not replace all the glow plugs as a set, I have found the weaker ones usually burn out not long after. Also refer to the manual about servicing the small plug that connects to your relay.