C250D Odd Starting Problem

[steve kane]

Our older model (P Reg) 250D has over the past few days developed a starting problem, my initial thought was Glo Plugs esp as the weather has got colder, but it did seem rather intermitant and this morning, with a good frost covering the car it started straight away without any problem at all, so I think its likly that the GloPlugs are working okay, we have not had any warning lights saying there is a plug problem, could it be some sensor acting up, any ideas where I could look?
Steve.

 

[steve kane]

Well this morning my wife said, "we only started haveing this problem since filling up last week" which is quite true, yesterday we had great difficulty starting at midday when it was not cold at all, and whilst out and about we filled up again at a different garage, this morning, despite a heavy coating of frost on the car she fired up instantly, now it could be an intermitant GloPlug/Relay fault but we live in hope and Im keeping my fingers crossed and will report back,
Steve.

 

[bitonw]

Hmm, may be Summer Diesel?

May be you bought Summer Diesel since filling up last week? When cold in the Winter the fuel companies add some additive to the Diesel you buy at the pump.

 

[steve kane]

Summer Diesel, Well I wonder, this morning, again with a good frost covering the car she fired up straight away again, so Im really hopeing that somthing like that could be the problem, I think the additive is anti waxing, and I suppose its possible that the fuel lines were getting clogged, I think its time to change the Fuel Filter!!
Steve.

 

[steve kane]

Well this will be my last post on the subject (I hope) at midnight I had to collect someone and the car was nicely iced up, she started straight away, this morning, not quite so cold, temp gauge reading -0.5c and again fired up instantly, the car which last week would only start after a lot of effort is once again behaving normally, its either some kind of intermittent fault or it was the tank of Fuel we bought at the Garage in Poole (Darby's Corner) last week as it was after this that our problems started, and which finished when we filled up again somewhere else. I will also change the fuel filter over the next few days.
Steve.

 

[television]

Make sure that there are no leaks in the fuel pipes inc the retuen system, we have had cars being hard to start when parked on an incline, you can see the bubbles in the pipes at the top. All pipes were not clamped from new, it is now recommended that all pipes are clamped.

Malcolm

 

[steve kane]

Well everything was fine since refilling with fuel last week, car stating first touch of the key as usual, then yesterday afternoon we thought it was not going to start again, eventually go it going by just hanging onto the key, but it seemed to take ages to fire up, and then a peep under the bonnet revealed lots of air bubbles in the clear plastic fuel lines, in fact the pipes on the filter were a continual stream of large bubbles coursing through once the engine was running, I could not see any sign of leaking diesel so I'm assuming that an air leak will be on the lift side of the fuel system, anyone have any ideas on a likely culprit? And just as a matter of interest, at 07.30 this morning she fired up without any problem at all !!
Steve.

 

[markyce]

Hi,
not sure this will help but 3 years ago had a starting problem with C220D on 94 plate. Replaced glow plugs, didn't make much difference, filled up 3 times with high price diesel and fuel system cleaner, didn't make much difference.
The about 5 weeks into the problem engine management light came on, it ended up being the fuel pump which was knackered and we replaced....v.pricey (apparently the Lucas pump can be a bit weak)

8 weeks ago started having problems again, this time replaced all the plastic fuel lines from the pump and what a difference ! My indie mechanic said they were sucking air and had gotten very brittle. He charged me 80 quid for changing them.

 

[steve kane]

Many thanks for the info, yesterday, after have replaced nearly all the rubber fuel line seals we still had the air bubbles in the fuel lines, I have just two to re-new I took them out to check the sizes before having to stick them back in(the dealer in Bournemouth is now having to order more in) so I'm hoping that my trouble now lies with them,,yesterday the car started just fine but on a trip to Salisbury the EDC(I think it said) light came on the dash, it seems that this is a Fuel Injection Fault Warning light, the car ran fine but the gear changing is very fierce, what's that about I wonder, anyway on the return journey the light did not come on but the gear changing is terrible. Tomorrow the two remaining seals arrive and I will fit these and keep my fingers crossed. Our Injection Pump is the 5 cly one which I think is Bosch, however looking at the various threads it seems to me that they can all be expensive trouble, strangely this was something I did not expect, I thought that Merc Diesels were rock solid low tech run forever vehicles, reading the threads on the forum gives an altogether different impression!!
Steve.