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diesel won't start

Gnomestur

Gnomestur

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Location
santa clarita
83 240 d24. It cranks but won't turn over. I don't hear any pump when accessories are on. Any suggestions on starting point for this problem would be great.
 
The D24 only has the mechanical direct injection pump. There's no electric in-tank or lift pump on diesel 240s, unless someone has added one. All an old mechanical diesel needs to start is compression, air, and fuel - so check to make sure it is getting air (nothing clogging the air filter or intake). Maybe check compression, fuel pump timing, and I'd try to verify that the pump is drawing fuel from the tank. Could be something clogging the pickup tube in the fuel tank, like algae for example. After you check the basic stuff you'd want to start looking at functionality of each individual injector, but you need special tools for that.
 
At 180k miles my '82 D24 just quit starting one day. I am sure it was an compression issue between gunked up valves and worn rings/cylinder walls. These engines were a real disappointment to many that expected far greater miles.

As far as trouble shooting:

Any indication that the cam drive belt may have jumped time?

Verify that you have B+ at the injector pump shut off solenoid while in 'start'.
Verify that the injector heaters all work. Even one or two not heating can make for difficult starting.

Beyond that you need to do a compression test but Diesel compression testing requires uncommon equipment.

Next would be injector testing/rebuild and then injector pump rebuild.

How many miles on the engine?
 
Congratulations! Beat me by 14k miles.

My car got new Diesel oil every 3k miles like a religion as I planned on keeping it forever.

It lives again in the 5.0L engine swap link below. Now I will keep it forever, or at least my personal forever.
 
I'd try some starting fluid, then if it starts you know your just missing fuel. Many cold days I had to use starting fluid to get my VW diesel up and running. Probably just weak power to the glow plugs or just needed new ones.
 
I got the car so I could swap my built b230ft into it. but have recently decided that a ls swap would be better long term. Hoping that there is a group buy for the ls kit soon. Just need the diesel movable lol. Out of tows with aaa
 
OP if you want your diesel to run... You may wish to start with a very common failure for them....

No power to the glow plugs when cranking or dead glow plugs.
 
As mentioned in post #2 above, do you have power at the shutoff solenoid on the injection pump?
 
Makes no Sensei said:
I'd try some starting fluid
Click to expand...
IF the glow plugs are good, and getting +12VDC DO NOT use starting fluid!

If you have an extra electric low-PSI (5-7PSI) fuel pump laying around, you can install it before the fuel filter inlet, to easily purge the air from the system, and prime the IP. Some use a marine outboard motor type hand pump bulb primer, same location, works. Otherwise, you can disconnect the fuel return-to-tank hose and pull fuel thru the IP with a Mityvac. Keep going until you get 100% liquid, no more air bubbles.
 
You can disconnect your glow plugs and safely use starting fluid, otherwise a small shot shouldn't any issues. I did forget about bleeding the injectors, you might well need to do that.
 
Verify 12V+ to shutoff solenoid, Verify picking up fuel without air (reseal pump and examine pickup).

Other steps down the road:
Verify timing, verify cold start device works, verify compression.

These old rats will still start even when worn out, though with increasing difficulty in the cold. When they just up and "no start" all at once it's usually one of the above.
 
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