BenM Pittsburgh

I'm trying to fix my mother's 1997 E 300 D. It's stalling out on her again This started a couple of weeks ago. (During our first cold spell.)

Now it happens at idle. The check engine light comes on, but she can restart it. We replaced the glow plugs because it was happening just after starting when she put it in gear, late in the day. I was suspicious the probably original glow plugs were weak and the short glow wasn't giving the weak ones time to produce enough heat.

Once the whole cluster lit up for her and she got a message similar to "Cluster Error" while she was on a steep hill, but that hasn't repeated. Since the glow plugs she had it stall just as she was turning into a place.

The idle is about 500-550 RPM, what should it be? It seems like it wants to die when you stop, then it comes back. I haven't been able to get it to stall, however. I don't drive it and she lives over an hour away.

I replaced the K40 last year when it was cutting out on the highway. Could that be bad again?

There are no bubbles in the fuel and I replaced all the visible vacuum lines because the ones running to the solenoids and motors on the intake tube seemed brittle. Are there other bad ones I could be missing as well?

Plutoe

The glow plug system does not provide additional resistance to the good plugs when one is failing. Additionally the glow system goes through pre post and during combustion cycle to assist in cold start and emissions control.

The more important point is that the ONLY way to stop a diesel is to either cut off the air and or fuel supply.

Your fuel delivery system is electro mechanical therefore test(pull of leak lines and measure amounts per cylinder) for amount of fuel is going to the cylinders while checking the air intake filter for restrictions. Based on that test you go to the next step!!Good Luck

BenM Pittsburgh

Where would there be a tutorial for going though that? I know where the lines are on a TDI, but the MB has a lot of aluminum manifold covering things, I can't see anything. Can that be removed without replacing gaskets?

Where do these commonly have intake restrictions?

Is the idle correct? Or too low? It seems way too low to me.

Plutoe

The idle is correct!!

The air in restrictions I am talking about is from the following path--air-air filter--intake manifold-----When was the last time u changed the air filter(for this exercise I would remove the air filter)----is there any difference??

Re a tutorial, you need a member to place copies of the appropriate MB WIS documents(I will not because they are legal issues) or search the web or pay the 14 bucks per day and subscribe to WIS yourself to get the documents(15 page diesel test procedure plus the 20 odd pages of how to dismantle the system. Good Luck

TMAllison

Pull the code and post it. Its there to help you.

Check the vacuum lines to the resonance flaps under the crossover on top on the engine. Also check vacuum to teh egr valve.

BenM Pittsburgh

It was cold this morning when I started it, and after starting, it almost died then came back and revved up high.

I noticed some small air bubbles in the clear lines this time.

I checked all the fuses back by the battery.

If someone could message me the instructions for taking the intake off, I'd appreciate it. Also, what can I expect as a cost for lines?

Plutoe

The OEM lines are about eighty bucks delivered-----Check Skyland Auto Ashville NC internet sales.

Look to MB EPC for the items that need to be removed(no special tools required) however with the plenum off(get a gasket) that would be a good time to change engine coolant temp sensor and or all the glow plugs------you only want to do this job once. Good Luck!!

BenM Pittsburgh

I'm sorry. I can't seem to figure out what the clear fuel lines are called. I can locate the metal injector lines, but not the clear hard plastic ones.

I'm either seeing the metal ones or the cloth-covered rubber return lines.

Plutoe

Make sure you are in the engine then go to group 7 and sub group 120-----there are all your bananas. Good Luck