I've been experimenting with different electric fuel pumps and fuel line plumbing, running straight WVO. Last night an electric booster pump I'd installed down by the tank burned out (again! argh-can anyone suggest an electric booster pump that can handle WVO without burning out!?), and the car ran dry (I was trying to limp it home).
I've puttered around and can now say that pure diesel fuel is definitely getting to the injector pump [i've rigged another booster pump and a small tank of diesel in the engine compartment-don't ask!], but I can't get the thing to start. It fires sporadically, but won't catch (the behavior is very similar to what it does on a really cold day when I'm running diesel and forgot to plug in the block heater-it fires occasionally but doesn't quite catch). Now I've nearly run down my battery.
I even tried a shot of starter fluid into the air intake, but it still won't catch. I tried cracking the injector lines and confirmed that fuel seems to be getting to the injectors, but the car won't start. Suggestions? There is no one to take it to around here (the local mercedes mechanic won't look at cars with WVO systems, and no one else really knows diesel engines). HELP!
-Loren