I got the plug rewired to the point that it shows resistance and reinstalled it. I even somewhat got the air cleaner back on. Now I sit and wait to see if it heats the block... it's not whirring or pinging like it used to, which Roy says was the possible sound of it shorting but I really think was the block heating. We'll see in an hour if any of it worked... thanks for the link to the new power cable; ordered it!

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1980 300SD 220,xxx
somewhere, nc