My buddy is on his way home from reno to chicago with a 240D MB that he just bought. He stoped in Salt lake for a few hours overnight. Now the car will not start. We have been trouble shooting it over the phone. The current temps in SLC are about 60-70. We suspect the Glow plugs are the problem. The cars block heater is currentally plugged in. He tested the voltage to the Glow plugs. The first one in line was 10 volts next was 8 Volts, next was 4 volts and then zero on the last GP. That sounded odd too me. He changed out 2 Glow plugs and still no start. He is going to try going direct from the battery to the GP's with a jumper next. Also could the Altitude of SLC be a factor in the starting of this car? It ran flawless for the leg from Reno to SLC. There is plenty of white smoke so we believe its getting fuel. Any other Ideas?? I'm running out.

 

I dont see the altitude being a problem, nor the temp. Ive had my diesel and my dads duramax at over 14000feet with no problems, other than low idle.

 

Ya I have had a couple of those "THINGS". My last one was a 300 D. I let it sit in the shop for a couple of months and it never started again. It might be that the rings are gone in your friends,that is what happened to mine.I had a 140,000 miles on it. Nice cars to drive, but I will never have another one.

 

you Think it's getting fuel? Has he loosened all four of the lines from the fuel pump (at the injectors) yet? Try that and then call the previous owner. There could be something else that they may know.

Similarly a close family to us growing up had an '85 Volvo 740 Turbo diesel that would occasionally do exactly the same thing. No-one in thier three years of owning this "low mileage" "prestine" car could figure out why. It was in the shop more than two months in three years. The wife was stranded at home one day and got an idea - she had the car towed inconspiciously to the Toyota dealer and left overnight. The next morning she "traded in" that car (which amazingly started for her to pull around to the showroom) on a brand-new 5-speed Camary. They never looked back

 

My guess.....

Fuel Pump Relay.....

Don't guess about fuel... check it... Pull the fuel filter or the lines and see if it really is getting fuel....
Next check the vacuum system... the fuel is shut off by vacuum on that model and I have seen where they will either not start of will not shut down.... I had the not shut down version of that problem...

OIlguy

 

Try to give it some voltage direct to the starter, there were a lot of those cars here in Norway before and the starter was always turning a litle to slow

 

Well he got it lit off and is on his way. He said it was like an old dog shaking itself awake when it finally started. The car is very mechanically sound but one of the 3 things that he was told needed work when he bought it was the starter. The new updated style Glow pLugs and relay is on the way. The orginal GP relays are pricey so I'm taking a bet its bad or going and was never changed due to the cost. I'll get a good look at it when it comes back here tomorrow night. Thanks everyone for all the help.

 

I had a 82 240 diesel 10-12 years aga, and glow relay was shot, just used another relay and a buton beside the steering colum.

 

here is something to keep in mind, my mother had a 240d and when it got over 200k on it, it did not like to start when it was cold. but you can pull start these cars, we did it on a few cold mornings.

 

There was a really good article in May's Diesel Power on those cars, had a list of "things to watch out for". Better have your buddy pick up a copy. Generally speaking though, you won't find a more reliable 20 year old car.