`02, C270 CDI won`t start !

Dannyboy201062

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2002 C270
Fully serviced......past the NCT ( Irish MOT ) ......happy trouble free motoring here we come ..........and .......the fecking thing won`t start. SWMBO , who drives it daily, is left up the creek without a paddle !......aaaaagh.

Told her over the phone to keep cranking......battery ran flat and no start.
I was convinced she had put petrol in it .....she couldn`t say.....gave the guy 20 euros and asked for diesel..Checked it out when i got home .....no smell of pertol. Tried a jump start from a pug 106.......didn`t really have the oomph. ...no go.

As SWMBO advised the battery was good and it cranked it over for 6 or 7 attempts it has to be a fuel snag. Normally starts instantly. I put the battery on charge and attended to other commitments that evening.
During the recent fuel filter change ( tank low ) I had terrible trouble bleeding the system............had to crank an awful long time before it started. Ran o.k then. ....air in fuel issue ?

Reading the forum, ( tank 1/4 full ) my best bet seems to be to jack up the car ( wheel ramps at the rear ) , check the fuel filter is full ( with diesel ) make sure there is no smell of petrol and check for loose connections at the fuel pipes and crank like hell on the freshly charged battery. . If I get it started......bring it straight down to the petrol station and fill up with diesel to the brim. Then buy a set of fuel pipes for the engine and replace them.
I`m hoping my fuel pump is not kaput but it seems from the forum that you can replace the seals within. .....next step perhaps.

Any better ideas from the experts ?...........tks in advance.....Dannyboy
 

Xtractorfan

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Check injectors, do a leak off test on each one.
 
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Dannyboy201062

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Simpler than that I`m happy to say , although not finished yet....
Battery was fully charged from the overnight ....decided not to run it down cranking necessarily....SWMBO did that yesterday. Disconnected the fuel filter , no smell of petrol. Emptied it into a clean dish.......looked like diesel, smelled like diesel.........must be diesel.
Filled up the filter with fresh diesel. Had a good look at all the fuel pipes, all tight and no signs of leaks. Got my daughter to crank it over while I sprayed easi start into the intake pipe ( had it undone ) taking care not to spray it on the " hot wire " of the MAF.....started easily and ran fine. shut it down and it started o.k.....cranked a little more than usual. Left it running for a while and lo and behold.....one of the pipes into the fuel pump at the front started to leak. Drove it into my garage, shut it off the engine and removed the pipes.....the o-rings were rock hard.....tried to fit some small o-rings I had...no joy , they were the wrong size. The old ones actually snapped on removal ...they were so hard. Will buy a set of pipes from the dealer tomorrow......o-rings will do for now if they are nil stock on pipes. The pipes are rock hard too. . Much relief.......had visions of draining a tank full of petrol or a new fuel pump.
The breakdown was disappointing but it looks like it will be a cheap fix.
My buddy has acquired an E270 CDI and was contemplating changing the fuel filter......I`ll tell him to get a set of o-rings and or pipes.
.......Dannyboy
 

mercedes13156

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Get a set of O rings and a 2 metre length of 5.6mm nitrile rubber pipe from any parts supplier, even Halfords, and replace the old fuel lines. Use the plastic ends from the original pipes and put them all back together. I did this two years ago with no problems. Much cheaper and easier to fit than the Merc supplied pipes. Say £4 for the pipes, £3 for the O rings (Merc will sell them to you but only if you insist) and £4 for the metal clips on the pipe ends.
 
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Dannyboy201062

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o-rings and pipe replacement.

Got the o-rings today.....8 for 11 euro. P/n: A6019970645. Priced the pipes , one is 55 Euro and the other 35 euro.....a bit stiff for a few lengths of plastic tube and fittings.
I think I will consider your fabrication idea. I`m going to just use the o-rings for now. The smaller ( cheaper ) pipe goes from the filter to the LP pump inlet. The second one goes from the LP pump outlet the the HP pump inlet but has a tee off to a fitting which is mounted up on the common rail but not connected to it. . It looks like a bleed port or plastic lift pump. I pushed and pulled and turned it , gently I might add, and it would not budge. I was afraid to get too strenuous and snap it off....it doesn`t look too strong. Does anybody know what it is ?
Rgds..........Dannyboy
 
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Dannyboy201062

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Fitted the o-rings.....4 off. One at the fuel filter and two at the low press pump inlet / outlet and one where the high pressure outlet goes into the common rail at the back / top of the engine. I didn`t go near the HP pump outlet/ inlet. It loowed like a much more solid connection and was bone dry. I know the air leak was at the low press pump inlet. They are a tight fit and need a little persuasion to get in.
Used easi start to get it started and it ran fine after that......would take full throttle accel with out hesitation.......the real test was it started easily after being left overnight.....6 euro fix.
 

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