I can't remember if I posted about any of this before, but my 300SD's been in a coma ever since early last September. She had been getting increasingly difficult to start, so I finally took a look at the glow plug system, only to discover that, when the previous owner did an engine swap, he Frankenstein'ed the glow plug system badly enough that there was really nothing to do but pull it all out and install an intact system out of a junked car. I ended up upgrading, and using a Fast-Start system out of an '83 or '84 car. Work was so busy that I didn't have a chance to do anything until November (all the while, using the IDI as my daily driver), but, after getting it set up and working, I found that air had somehow leaked into the fuel system, to the point where the injector pump was practically dry.
So, on the rare time when I would have a chance to work on the car since, I've been trying to purge the air out of the system...ended up replacing a bad hand primer pump, and doing a lot of pumping and cranking. And, today, she finally lit off! The cloud of black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe was rather impressive
and, once she cleared her throat, the engine seems to be running beautifully now.
Now, for the bad news...I went driving around and ran some errands with the car. I went to back out of a space in a grocery store parking lot, and the car wouldn't move. Tried revving the engine for a minute or so, and still, nothing. I was on a slight incline, so I released the brakes and the car rolled slowly back (in Neutral), and I shifted into Drive and she went along on her merry way.
So, no Reverse. She's been slow to go into Reverse ever since I got the car...I'd shift into gear and it would take between 2 and 5 seconds to engage. towcat once told me that it's a sticky valve in the valve body, and I guess that maybe it's stuck now to the point where it won't move at all? Fluid's fine (if anything, it's overfilled...I think the torque converter may have partially drained and hasn't fully refilled yet), and she drives perfectly in Drive...
This is just frustrating...
I'm trying not to pour too much $$ into this car (I'm planning to buy a new car later this year, to replace the 116), so if the tranny needs to be rebuilt, she's getting parted out...
So, on the rare time when I would have a chance to work on the car since, I've been trying to purge the air out of the system...ended up replacing a bad hand primer pump, and doing a lot of pumping and cranking. And, today, she finally lit off! The cloud of black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe was rather impressive
and, once she cleared her throat, the engine seems to be running beautifully now.Now, for the bad news...I went driving around and ran some errands with the car. I went to back out of a space in a grocery store parking lot, and the car wouldn't move. Tried revving the engine for a minute or so, and still, nothing. I was on a slight incline, so I released the brakes and the car rolled slowly back (in Neutral), and I shifted into Drive and she went along on her merry way.
So, no Reverse. She's been slow to go into Reverse ever since I got the car...I'd shift into gear and it would take between 2 and 5 seconds to engage. towcat once told me that it's a sticky valve in the valve body, and I guess that maybe it's stuck now to the point where it won't move at all? Fluid's fine (if anything, it's overfilled...I think the torque converter may have partially drained and hasn't fully refilled yet), and she drives perfectly in Drive...
This is just frustrating...
I'm trying not to pour too much $$ into this car (I'm planning to buy a new car later this year, to replace the 116), so if the tranny needs to be rebuilt, she's getting parted out...
I'm kinda thinking that the band may have worn to the point where it won't engage at all...I'm hoping that it can still be adjusted. Need to talk to towcat about taking care of it when both he and I have time (HAH! when's that going to happen?).
