Oh, crap...

[Rattlenbang]

So I forgot to switch back to diesel when I parked last night, and when I went to start this morning it wouldn't start. If you have a pump filled with cold veggie, will it make it so it won't start, or is there something else? If it is the veg, how do you flush out the pump?

[Luna-Sea]

Hey,
Get a kettle going and keep pouring hot water on the IP. (not the glow plugs and Bus bar or anything else electical OK?)
If you have a block heater plug that in too.
you want IP and engine (but again not any electrical)
to get nice and warm.
Hook up your battery charger too as you will need some juice
for starting and hot glow plugs. Don't burn your starter out either
a couple 15-20 second tries and then you gotta let the starter cool down too.
(meaning don't run it endlessly without rest ,its not made for that.)
Make sure you are switched back to diesel too eh!
Heating it up will either get you started on Veg or help get the veg out
and some diesel into IP,large smokes clouds will be in your weather foercast fellah!

Good Luck,Let us Know!
Anyone else have some advice?

[Rattlenbang]

So these things won't start cold with straight veggie? I never knew that. How about carefully heating the steel injection lines with a propane torch?

[nxski]

So these things won't start cold with straight veggie? I never knew that. How about carefully heating the steel injection lines with a propane torch?

They will only start on straight veggie if it's quite hot outside.

[FalcoColumbarius]

There are tricks for starting ordinary diesels in super sub-zero temperatures by putting a tarp over the vehicle and a tiger torch on the ground, under the vehicle ~ but one must observe the utmost caution for obvious reasons.

On the other hand ~ what about placing a full electric kettle (the kind that doesn't shut off) under the IP and let it steam the rigor mortis out, as it were? You know ~ do a sudoku puzzle then try starting again.

Falco.

[Rattlenbang]

I walked away in a huff and finished some t-shirt logos instead. I've also got a heat gun that I think could work. I've camperized the inside so using boiling water is good practice in case I ever do this again in an area where I don't have power or a propane torch. I think installing a buzzer to the switch so if I ever turn it off in the Veg position again it'll alert me. Guess I'm getting old.

[konadog]

I think installing a buzzer to the switch so if I ever turn it off in the Veg position again it'll alert me.

Heaps good idea. No different than the door ajar or the lights on chimes.

[thedjjack]

you could wire the fuel shut off on the injector pump so it only turns off when on Diesel (advantage of the electronic over the mercedes vacuum shut off) ....

[Rattlenbang]

Fabulous idea!

[Rattlenbang]

Success! What I found was that if you give the steel injection lines a shot with a small butane torch, she fires up instantly. I didn't heat them very much; too hot to touch but not all that hot. Maybe 20 seconds on each one. Saves a lot of cranking. In an emergency you could probably use a lighter, although it would take longer. The key here is you don't have to heat up the injection pump to get her to light, just the fuel in the injection lines.

Something to note I suppose. If you're van isn't set up to be idiot proof, keep a lighter in it.

[Rattlenbang]

I wired my veg switch to the fuel shutoff on the I.P., and it works like a charm. Can't shut off the engine if it's in veg mode. Simple and elegant solution to the nitwit behind the wheel.