'78 240D won't start - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rimjob · #1 02-18-2006, 06:19 PM

The car ran like a dream until the cold hit. Put a new battery in yesterday, it's cranking slow and just won't start. I was considering draining all the oil out, heating it back up and putting it back in...
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?
-Kevin

larry perkins · #2 02-18-2006, 06:27 PM

rim use water to heat the engine, run a garden hose for about a hour,or heat some pots of water on the stove and pour it on top of the engine,have to do ssome cylces but it should start if it ran before the cold.its a good time to recharhe the battery while you are heating it with water.
larry perkins lou ky 86 old cars

rimjob · #3 02-18-2006, 06:45 PM

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that for sure...
I suspect something larger is amiss though - the car started (it was tough though... took awhile) on Thursday and ran all day. Yesterday we had a cold snap (portland oregon - it was 20-30 all day, REALLY cold for us here!). I wasn't completely astounded that it didn't start then. Today we're back up into the mid-40's, the sun is shining right on the car, I put the new battery in and still I can't get it to turn over quick enough to start. Glow plugs? A bad battery? Some other problem? Don't know. For now I'm going to take the battery off my wife's '78 240D (yeah - we liked the first one so much we got another

) and see if that doesn't help.
Oh, and thanks all of you for being out there - I don't post much but I read the boards all the time and there's always so much good info for me.
-kevin

Maroon 300D · #4 02-18-2006, 06:59 PM

If it's not a battery problem I'd investigate the GP's.

Stevo · #5 02-18-2006, 07:37 PM

Your engine needs to turn 100 RPM to start. maybe you need a new starter, I only get Bosch rebuilts.

banshee350 · #6 02-19-2006, 02:05 PM

I would check your glow plug connections I had a early engine in the 240D that I fixed and found that the conections at the plugs had gotten rusty and one was loose .After I took them all apart cleaned and put them back on it started great.

rimjob · #7 02-20-2006, 08:48 PM

I replaced the glow plugs. No difference. Still turns over slow. Real slow! I replaced battery and it has a full charge. Same thing. I wonder if the starter can go bad without going belly up.

t walgamuth · #8 02-20-2006, 10:18 PM

they can go bad in many ways. slow turning might be one. but also check your grounds from bat to body and from engine to chassis and if that doesnt help run an auxilariy ground from neg to starter bolt with a jumper. if that helps you can put on a permanent aux ground.

it sometimes helps on an older car.

tom w

rimjob · #9 02-20-2006, 11:08 PM

Just cleaned all conection. - leads and then bipassed with seprate lead to starter. No dice. Im thinking of taking my starter out of my other 240D and seeing if I get any result.

Lycoming-8 · #10 02-21-2006, 02:03 AM

If the second starter does not do any better than the first, you might look for a starter for a 300D turbo from 82 to 85. They will fit and seem to have more moxie.

stcbenz83 · #11 03-05-2006, 04:41 AM

had the same probelm, its the glow plugs and a bad starter. i was suprised at how fast the engine is suppose to turn once i got a new starter. I get duralast, Bosch start the engine slower, and dont have a liftime garuntee and cost a crap load more