Mystery non-starting problem
 

Hello all,

In the morning, I can start my 1985 300SD turbo, drive it 45 minutes to work, kill the engine & then restart it. I can start it at lunch, go grab some food & 45 minutes later drive it back to work. When I get ready to leave the office it won't start at all, not even a little 'click, click, click' of the starter to let me know the battery is dying. So I get the car jumped, drive 45 minutes home, kill the engine & then try to restart it & I get nothing.

The next morning I go out and start the car and it fires right up. I've been carrying around a portable battery jumping unit because I've worn out my 'free jumps' with all my co-workers.

Any ideas?

battery terminal connections bad.
it is possible the battery itself is to blame, sometimes a surface charge will manifest itself. verify battery voltage before you crank the motor. at the battery, and on the terminals themselves. 0 crank or click has got to be connections.
John

When mine had these symptoms....the engine-chassis ground strap was loose.

Not to sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, but I will anyway; Where is the engine-chassis ground strap?

It is near the starter.