what to do for winter time starts
 

I diesels have trouble starting in winter what can I do to improve this problem. I rent an apartment so I cant plug in the heat block

Since you have a Honda for driving also, then just use that car for the Winter. It is much more safer since it has front wheel drive.

If your Mercedes is not in great shape then you will have problems starting in the cold.

A healthy diesel engine should have no problem starting at -10F or -20F. Where do you live?

So far I have started mine down to 38 this year with no problem. It cranks over and starts just like it is 90 out. The only difference is the oil pressure needle comes up ever so slightly slower. Maybe my imagination? :confused:

Agree!!!
 

On all points.

No.. the oil is thicker when it's colder out. My SDL started fine at around -5F.

I was planning on sending my injectors to a local diesel injection shop (Diesel injection service, near pill hill, Cincinnati OH) and getting them pop-tested and matched (new nozzles if necess.) Since I'm not sure when this was last done, I figured it'd be good to do for the upcoming winter
(I also have a 240D [1 less cylinder to help it start =)] and no plug in near my apt.)

Bad advice ? any cincinnatian's heard of the place ?

-John

really? Years ago, my sister and a friend were driving my mom's 79 280E in NY. A Ford 3/4 ton van t-boned them in the drivers side, pushing them over 200' through an intersection and into a ditch. My sister was pissed when she got a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. They drove it back home to CT

Unless you are a really bad driver, the worst danger out there is other drivers

When I was going through my injection pump problems, I called up the "diesel injection service co." He said, 150-200$ just to test the injection pump, I didnt go through with it, and finally got it working myself. I didnt ask the price to get the injectors themselves pop tested, but I would fear it to be expensive. I was going to test mine with my grandfathers manual injector tester (he works on Diesel John Deere tractors) but we couldnt find the right fitting to hook everything up. They seemed nice, but expensive.

Just my $.02

You don't have to be a bad driver to make a mistake.
During the winter there is black ice and lots of snow.
I am just explaining that FWD is better for snow and rain.
Of course FWD is not better all around. I consider RWD a better setup for cars.
For the winter months go with something more reliable.
I would not want to be stuck at my jobs parking lot at 9 p.m.
It has happend to me plenty of times with my first SD. Good thing I had nice employes always willing to help jump my car :)

I learned from experince that having a good healthy engine for winter is a must, and if your not sure how yours ranks up just drive the damn HONDA!!!

Re Hard Start.
 

you did not mention your type of car . so here goes in order. change oil to a synthetic like mobile 1. it can make a 20 degree difference in how cold your car will start.
make sure your valves are adjusted correctly,
have a clean air filter.
make sure your battery terminals and cables are clean & in good condition
make sure your battery is full of water and fully charged.
new fuel filters
use the right type of fuel with a good supplement like power service in every tank of fuel, the colder it gets ie closer to zero the more important this becomes.
do a diesel purge tx if you havent in a while
obviousily have your anti freeze checked and good for at least -40.
my car has 250 k it sat out side at -20 not plugged in and started after not being run for 12 hrs. i dont want to say it was easy but it did start and run that day i drove 100 miles to my mechanic for a new timing chain. when i got to his place it was - 40 .
last ideas. double glow for at least 30 seconds beyond when the light goes out.
and if all else fails bring your battery in at the end of the day
a warm battery say 50 degrees will give you twice the cranking power of a battery that is at zero degrees a hassel yes but if you must start the car it will help.
hope this helps.
JOHN MADSEN

You are confusing safety and reliability. They are related but not fungible. Honda makes a lot of great vehicles. We own a 2000 Odyssey, a 1980 Chevy K-10 pickup, and of course the MB. If the roads are so bad that 4WD might be helpful in getting to work, I take that. People tend not to drive recklessly around my truck with a 8' Fisher on the front. Otherwise, I take the SD because it is the safest vehicle we own.

Yes, getting out of a snowy parking lot is probably easier in a Honda in most conditions. But the SD IMHO is safer than any Honda if you are involved in a collision

I had an old Plymouth, years ago, that was a hard starter so I would bring the battery inside at night when it was below zero. My cousin got me these clamp ends for the battery cable so that it could be easily removed. You'd just put the clamps on the battery post and snap it down. I don't know if you can get them now or not, but they really saved a lot of frozen fingers.

DS
87 300D

yes, you can get those clamps. Picked up some of those for my truck at Advance recently. Nice levers and knurled back nuts, about $5 for the pair.

If you haev the money to blow you could put an Eberspacher ( Espar ) diesel fired block heater on the thing http://www.espar.com/
They run about $1200 in the US, or you can get them new on ebay germany for quite a bit less..

-----------Robert