andrew strasfogel wrote:
If a diesel starts poorly and dies regardless of the cold - with valve adjustment in the last 10 k miles - that would seem to indicate one or two bad glow plusgs, correct?
If the glow plug dash light comes on when you first turn on the key then at least 4 and usually 5 of the plugs are good in an OM617.95 engine (like yours) and 5 working glow plugs is all that should be needed down to near zero (F). Water or waxed fuel clogging a filter that's just a little occluded can seriously reduce starting ease. One tight valve can do it (and a valve CAN tighten up in just a few thousand miles, but usually it takes longer). A battery that really isn't up to snuff (won't deliver full power under load) will be MUCH worse when cold. Very rarely a starter motor that just won't turn as fast as it should, will inhibit or prevent below freezing starts.
Defective preglow system is the most common cause of poor below freezing starts. Be SURE that the 80A fuse isn't cracked (it really needs to be replaced every 10 years). Valve adjustment comes next (a tight valve drops compression enough to prevent starting - the colder it gets the tighter the valve becomes and the lower compression drops). When temps approach zero (F) fuel or fuel/water problems become very common. Mobil 1 will usually lower the minimum start temp about 10 degrees (everything else being equal) by increasing the cranking speed (may be 25-50% faster).
Marshall -- Marshall Booth Ph.D. Ass't Prof. (ret.) Univ of Pittsburgh School of Medicine [EMAIL PROTECTED]
