winter foils startup

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winter foils startup

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winter foils startup - 1/29/2008 1:35:48 PM

OldBlue

Posts: 2
Joined: 1/29/2008
Status: offline

Hi,
This past summer my partner and I just bought an '82 300D that's already been converted to have an additional tank for veggie grease. As the temperture dropped we had issues starting and had to have the car towed to a garage where once the mechanic got it started we filled the tank with diesel and fuel conditioner, anti-gel and an assortment of medicines that should assure of it starting.

We plug the car in every night but about a week ago, on a not too particularly cold day maybe 35 degrees the car refused to start, going from a hopeful chugging sound to dying to a click click after about 10 tries and now it sometimes doesn't click at all.

We have replaced the battery and glow plugs in the past 3 months, and dont know what to do except to try to warm up the car.

Helpless,
Old Blue

Post #: 1

RE: winter foils startup - 1/29/2008 2:33:08 PM

AMGMercedes

Posts: 1550
Joined: 1/31/2006
From: Maryland
Status: offline

When you mean chugging sound the engine was trying to turn over, but now it won't even do that?

_____________________________

1984 Mercedes 190D-SOLD!
1999 Honda Civic DX- Current DD
1986 Mercedes 190E-16v-On the way

(in reply to OldBlue)

Post #: 2

RE: winter foils startup - 1/30/2008 9:41:17 AM

Flatblak

Posts: 9
Joined: 1/3/2008
Status: offline

Are you getting the normal yellow glow plug light that comes on after the key is turned to "on" and stays on for 20-30 seconds?
If the glow plugs are new, then something to check would be the glow plug relay. My car starts at 20 degrees with the new glow plugs (84 300SD)

diesels are harder to start then gas cars, so you have to be easy on the starter/battery, just trickle charge the battery if you know its in good shape

(in reply to AMGMercedes)

Post #: 3

RE: winter foils startup - 1/30/2008 11:57:56 AM

OldBlue

Posts: 2
Joined: 1/29/2008
Status: offline

Yes, the chugging has stopped which means i guess, that the car won't even turn over anymore. We tried again on a 40 degree day like yesterday but I got no sound from the ignition.

The glow plug light only comes on the first time I try to start. If I try to start it a few more times right after that, the light fades and the buzzing sound that comes on when you have the door open and have left your head light on comes on whenever I turn the key to "on."

I think we'll have to take it back to the mechanic again but don't know exactly what's wrong and how much it should cost.

(in reply to Flatblak)

Post #: 4

RE: winter foils startup - 1/31/2008 10:14:53 AM

AMGMercedes

Posts: 1550
Joined: 1/31/2006
From: Maryland
Status: offline

I think your best bet would be to first replace the glow plugs with Bosch or an equivilant brand. But not autolite! Then move on to checking each glow plug individually with a multimeter reading OHMs for accurate current. I think they should read '1' or something close. On the glow plug relay there are two connectors, a big one and a smaller one.

If you remove the big one and look at the female connector parts, there should be numbers listed next to each hole which represent each cylinder. 1 is the first cylinder glow plug closest to the front bumper, and whatever is the highest number is the cylinder's glowplug that is furthest away from the bumper near the firewall.

When all those are tested and have a voltage of '1' then you don't have a short and you can reconnect the plug back into the relay. After that you want to check your glow plug relay fuse, should be a black box on the driver's side mid way. Visually inspect the strip fuse, if it's blown in half or bent, just change it out with a new one. Don't try to bypass it with copper wire or jimmy rig with some material to it because you could fry the entire wiring harness

.

Then after the glow plugs are in, the fuse has been checked, the battery is charged and good, I would suggest testing the relay itself. Idk what the relay is supposed to read, but you should be able to find it here or online somewhere.

quote:

to check would be the glow plug relay

That's a great place to start too, especially if the engine is not turning at all. There's a chance that the relay isn't sending power to the glow plugs at all.

Your car should be able to start in any weather. My 190D recently had a starting problem and after fixing it I'm able to start it in 18 degree weather outside. It starts the first try, though it's cold as shit inside the cabin. Too bad the heat doesn't kick in as quickly as the car's engine starts. haha

_____________________________

1984 Mercedes 190D-SOLD!
1999 Honda Civic DX- Current DD
1986 Mercedes 190E-16v-On the way

(in reply to OldBlue)

Post #: 5