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?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

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

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

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

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

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

On all points.

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ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

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