84 300SD power loss issues

[am1955]

Hello all,

The car I am asking for expert assistance on is a 84 300SD diesel automatic.
This Christmas eve I stopped to get some diesel (approx 7 US gal) as I was climing the NC piedmont mountains to visit my daugther in boone NC.
During a very steep climb I started experiencing power loss and some push/pull while in wide open throttle to get past said hill, but not having taken big climbs like this before made a mental note and went on.
Tuesday around noon had a hard time starting the girl and on the way out of town it would barely get out of it's own way. As we progressed it slowly began to improve and by the time we traveled 70 or so miles 80% of the power was returning.

Now the question: Boone is approx 4,300 feet of sea level, could the altitude cause this condition? Would water in the fuel have caused this? Is this a precursor to other issues?

Anyone with knowledge with this and their reply would be greatly apreciated.

Adriano.

 

[Hibbo]

Hello mate,

Sounds like fuel starvation due to blocked fuel filter(s).

The engine can't get enough fuel through when it's heavily loaded like going up a steep hill.

Make sure you change the small inline prefilter too, and why not fill the new spin-on filter with injector cleaner before fitting it.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

This can happen if you've started using Biodiesel, as it cleans the crud from your tank and lines very well.

Also, if you're in the US then you'll have recently started using ULSD, and many US motorists have reported problems with leaks exaccerbated by the use of this fuel - so check your fuel system for leaks around the injector pump and fuel filter. Pay particular attention to the O-rings that seal the filters.

 

[am1955]

Thanks to all that replied.

Checked for leaks and could not see any.
Are there any filters under the car I should look for other then the little one and the spin on inside the engine compartment?

thanks

Adriano

 

[Hibbo]

Thanks to all that replied.

Checked for leaks and could not see any.
Are there any filters under the car I should look for other then the little one and the spin on inside the engine compartment?

thanks

Adriano

There is a strainer on the fuel pickup inside the tank, quite a ballache to change I believe. What you can do though is blow some compressed air back through the fuel supply pipe from the engine bay, this will blow any crap of the strainer and will at least see if it is the problem. Make sure the filler cap is off before doing this! (And there's not much fuel in the tank)

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[pcman_jh]

Lack of power - exact symptoms of my 99 E300 TD, and the cure for it is...

...the exact symptoms I have on my 99 E300 diesel when the fuel filter is chocked, especially noticeable since I run SVO. When the engine's first started in the day it's still on diesel (2 tank system) but the residue SVO in the filter from the last day's use (even although it's switched to diesel for the last 5 mins of the day) is gelled in the filter when cold - hence the OK after a few miles as it's heated up and started ungelling.

I only get these symptoms when loading the engine - accelerating uphill, even the slightest hill.

PS - If this continues with alternative fuels, you can buy a filter heater jacket from Diesel Veg, and this improves the cold gelling issues.

Change the fuel filter and see what happens!

Hope this helps.

 

[BenzFan1961]

Did you put the anti-gel addmixture into the fuel tank? I found out about this the hard way on a winter trip skiing in upstate NY. diesel turns into jello without this CETANE boosting anti-gel additive and then it's like trying to suck jello through a straw the engine starves for fuel.
Hope this helps...
D