headache solved!!!!! found the source of problems

[bargecapt]

if you have read my other post (conflicting service information) you will see where i have done a major service on my 1995 county lwb, 4.2. plugs, wires, cap, rotor all filters, temp sensors, stepper motor, ect. and after all that, the truck ran fine for about 200 miles and then went to crap.

now, i am a former mercedes benz tech, both diesel and gas, and am very familar with the bosch injection systems, so i figgered that i must have something loose, like a vacuum line. after replacing just about every piece of tubing on this thing, it still ran like crap.

i then cleaned the mass air flow meter and throttle body, tried to locate fault codes without sucess, and had no service engine lights of any kind.

i was getting a little pissed, as i have spent days on this thing, trying to find out what is going on, i mean all new ignition stuff, good fuel and pressure,
it was driving me crazy, and i was not about to have it towed 50 miles to pay a dealer 90.00 and hour for god knows how long to replace parts it don't need.

i started to thinking, the truck ran fine before all of this, so maybe i should replace the new items back with the old.

the frist thing i did was remove the platinum plugs, as i had a car that did'nt like them so maybe this is one of those that don't like'em also. no change.

i started to replace the distributor cap, and i took the new beck arnley rotor out and compaired it to my old lucas rotor, and i noticed that the beck arnley was about 1/64th of an inch longer on the contact.

i repaced the old rotor, and low and behold, my sweetheart was back to normal.

i can't not belive that a rotor that cost 7.00 and is to be an exact replacement could cause so many problems.

lesson learned: replace with exact same item if truck ran good before.

[8895rrc]

another good idea is to repair or replace one thing and make sure it works perfectly before moving to the next. When doing many things at once chances are one of those things don't work right for one reason or another...

Aarne

[nfrey2]

I had a rotor that had a high voltage short, was about impossible to figure it out.

[Funrover]

Gotta love it......... I have that problem with my Benz...the rover still likes me..LMAO!!

[bargecapt]

yeah, i was getting to the point of thinking about selling this thing for parts (seems that they are worth a lot more in parts than as a complete running vehicle) when i had an enlightenment to undo every thing i did.

what year, model benz and problem are you having?

[Funrover]

Originally Posted by bargecapt

what year, model benz and problem are you having?

1971 220 Diesel...... Randomly burns out glow plugs..Only one at a time....different one everytime........ Tried for years now to figure out.... Been to all sorts shops.... no clues....... 18 plugs and counting!!

[bargecapt]

i had a 1970 220d, good car, great engine.

i am assuming that you are using the bosch glow plugs that have a wire loop for the heater, and you have a knob that you hold out to heat the glow plugs, so here's my 2 cents worth.

1. if you have not replaced the nozzles to the injectors in a good while, the pentil nozzle is spraying a stream of cold fuel on the hot element, rather than a mist in the prechamber, stressing the glow element. you can have the injectors bench tested for spray pattern, pressure leaks ect, and can have them rebuilt with new nozzles (nozzles run about 20.00 each) or buy rebuilt for about 43.00 each

2. power is not shutting off to the glow plugs after you release the warmer switch, and they are just burning out. after the engine starts, take a test lamp, and ground the clip end, and probe with the pointer to the glowplug contacts and see if you have current. if you have power, your switch is faulty.

3. there is a timer in a black box on the firewall that also contains the fuse for the glow plugs, and the timer might be faulty. this timer cuts the power to the glowplugs if the glow switch is held out too long, but i have never seen one of these go bad.

i would go with no.1. your spray pattern.

good luck

[Funrover]

THANKS A LOT....... I have not replaced the timer...I did the injectors already...... I did notice that when they burn out it is after a lot of freeway driveing..... And my # of replaced glow plugs was high...But I will give it a shot..

[deadboy1977]

I have a 95RRCLWB too.
Is it a Lucas? Part #?
Thanks!
Mike

[bargecapt]

i went back to the lucas rotor that was in the truck when i bought it, don't know the part number, but the rotor that gave me a lot of grief was made in italy and sold thru advace/parts america.

good luck