Stumbler
New Member
I have just bought a 1965 Parkstone Bay 21 and am now sorting it out. It has a Mercedes OM636 diesel engine - i.e. a taxicab engine.
There are two issues that need sorting immediately:
1. The air filter has been changed for a simple plastic cap which has an open meshed gauze to stop larger foreign bodies entering the intake, but no element to filter out dust. I have been told this is 'normal'. It's certainly not normal in my experience of engines. I vaguely remember being told that these engines had oil bath air filters. Further, there is a pipe, I believe it's called the crankcase breather pipe, that ends right by the filter. I've been told this should be plugged into a hole in the filter (currently there is no hole) so that the gunk from the crankcase goes into the engine and is burnt. Again, this seems odd to me.
Any info on diesel air intakes would be most appreciated.
2. The engine has glow plugs but they are not working and I have been told that if I continue to start the engine via long cranking sessions I will ruin my alternator. There is a strange item on the dashboard with 'Heater' written next to it. It has holes in it and I've been told should warm up when the engine is turned on. But, the key to turn on my engine is a strange one that no one seems to have seen before. It's a thin metal rod grooved at the end to form a small ball which is inserted into a hole. It has several positions:
Engine off:
a. when half pushed in, nothing happens.
b. When pushed in fully, the alternator light comes on, I presume warning that the alternator isn't charging.
c. the key can now be turned to two positions, but neither does anything. However, until the key is in this position the engine won't start. To start the engine a lever on the other side of the dashboard is twisted and the engine starts cranking and eventually starts.
At this point the alternator is charging with the light on. I can take out the thin key, the alternator light goes out, (but it's still charging) and the engine won't stop.
The engine is stopped by opening a hatch and pulling a stop knob.
Any elucidation as to why my glow plugs aren't working and what the positions on this darned key are for, or remedies of any kind (i.e. total replacement?) etc would be most welcome.
There are two issues that need sorting immediately:
1. The air filter has been changed for a simple plastic cap which has an open meshed gauze to stop larger foreign bodies entering the intake, but no element to filter out dust. I have been told this is 'normal'. It's certainly not normal in my experience of engines. I vaguely remember being told that these engines had oil bath air filters. Further, there is a pipe, I believe it's called the crankcase breather pipe, that ends right by the filter. I've been told this should be plugged into a hole in the filter (currently there is no hole) so that the gunk from the crankcase goes into the engine and is burnt. Again, this seems odd to me.
Any info on diesel air intakes would be most appreciated.
2. The engine has glow plugs but they are not working and I have been told that if I continue to start the engine via long cranking sessions I will ruin my alternator. There is a strange item on the dashboard with 'Heater' written next to it. It has holes in it and I've been told should warm up when the engine is turned on. But, the key to turn on my engine is a strange one that no one seems to have seen before. It's a thin metal rod grooved at the end to form a small ball which is inserted into a hole. It has several positions:
Engine off:
a. when half pushed in, nothing happens.
b. When pushed in fully, the alternator light comes on, I presume warning that the alternator isn't charging.
c. the key can now be turned to two positions, but neither does anything. However, until the key is in this position the engine won't start. To start the engine a lever on the other side of the dashboard is twisted and the engine starts cranking and eventually starts.
At this point the alternator is charging with the light on. I can take out the thin key, the alternator light goes out, (but it's still charging) and the engine won't stop.
The engine is stopped by opening a hatch and pulling a stop knob.
Any elucidation as to why my glow plugs aren't working and what the positions on this darned key are for, or remedies of any kind (i.e. total replacement?) etc would be most welcome.
Last edited:
