Well, I got my stuck B100 benz towed home, where it will sit in a heated garage overnight. Tow truck driver had the exact same thing happen to him in the middle of nowhere Montana. His solution? Fill a hubcap up with charcoal briquets, get it going & put it under the fuel tank!

I noticed that when I began to siphon the B100 out (so I can put in Diesel and lower the biodiesel ratio), there were what looked like ice crystals flowing through the tube...or at least visible solidified biodiesel. I put a space heater under the tank, and now after 30 minutes, the tube is running clear.

Lesson learned.

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marshall

1982 300TD (220,000 mi.)

Yeah, I think you are experiencing what I experienced back in 1973 or so in our 1972 220D while driving across Kansas in near zero temps with fuel that was not winterized. Car started slowing down on the Interstate, until it wouldn't do more than about 30 mph. I pulled into a truck stop where they gave me a can of additive to lower the gelling point temperature. The can was good for something like 200 gallons and had no resealable top. But it worked fine. Within twenty minutes of driving the only thing slowing the car down was the steady climb to Denver and then it really slowed down going up over the pass to Aspen.

You have some stuff that is not designed to work without heat in the tank. You have to mix it with either Diesel as noted, or perhaps there is a specific BioDiesel additive you can add. Good luck, Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

adding an antigel or around 5% kerosene works nicely too.

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'79 300SD
'82 Chevy Chevette diesel

Well, here in the midwest power has been out. I am back online now though.

Here's my update. For anyone not following my cold start issues:
new pencil plugs
new turbodiesel starter
new battery cables
700CCA interstate battery, 1.5yrs old
15w40rotella
valve adjust a week ago

Anyway, still would not start. Battery, alternator and starter checked out when hooked to the auto parts store little computerized thingie.

So, today I took the battery in for a load test. An actual one where they hook up the resistor box. And, whaddaknow, my battery only tests for about 450CCA. (100% charge reading, the guy said though). So, my already undersize battery is not good. I bet a nickel that a new group 49 will solve alot of my headaches.

Will report back after I buy a new battery.

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'79 240D 4 speed manual 105k miles

You can get one at Kragen/Schucks/Murray/Checkers for less than a hundred bucks.

1100 CCA.

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'79 300SD
'82 Chevy Chevette diesel

Well, bought the Autozone Group 49 "duralast" today. Man, that sucker is big! 850CCA. Took it home, threw it in the 240 and cranked it up. About 35 out today, not a bad start, little rough. Don't know the charge level on it.

Anyways, will try an actual cold start tomorrow morning and report back. Car is on no "life support" tonight.

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'79 240D 4 speed manual 105k miles

No start this morning. I put my battery charger on it and tried again later. Charger was on for about 2 hours. Still no go. I got close, it stumbled around and coughed and sputtered and smoked, but just wouldn't quite go.

Please, what else can I try? I know I need a thinner oil, I will do that next, but I don't think 15W40 would stop it starting at 28-32 degrees. I am getting very frustrated, I just need my car to get me where I need to go!

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'79 240D 4 speed manual 105k miles

Have you done a compression test?
Oil viscosity can make a significant difference.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Kerry-
I have not done a compression test. While this might provide insight into my problems, I, a poor college student, cannot justify spending the money for a guage/check. If it is low compression (very believeable) I can't fix it.

I will be changing the oil very soon. Maybe today, if I can get the car to start. It's sitting on the street right now, I can't change it there.

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'79 240D 4 speed manual 105k miles

I can understand the college student economic situation. However a compression test could have told you whether it is worth messing with the starter, battery, glow plugs, and oil changes. It could have saved you the price of the battery. You might be able to borrow someone's compression tester, but if not the $25 for the Harbor Freight diesel compression tester is money well spent since it will be with you for the rest of your life. (maybe not since it's Harbor Freight).
Even when I was dirt poor, I tried to follow the maxim that in the long run, tools will pay off.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I had the same problem last year with my 240 D.
Change your oil to a lighter grade, say 5w30 and it will spin over much faster
I'm here in OZ and my car will start reliably down to 0 without pluging in.
I did the same thing last year, checked the altornator, the battery, glowplugs ect. All ok. Then one of my co-workers set me straight about the oil.
It made a world of difference, now I change out my oil about november.
Jon J.
81 240D
260,000 miles

Been strange sitting here reading through this thread and seeing so many things people are learning about diesels and winter. People forget to winterize their cars, but then I have known many a gasser that have done the same over the years. I will never forget the unusually cold winter back in the mid 80's a neighbor went out to driveway and started his Ford truck, he ran 20w-50 oil year around, and ran back into house for breakfast and to dress or whatever. I was doing the same, except I was sitting in dinning room watching my truck (Mobil 1 5w-20) to defrost the windows and in about 5 minutes my windows were clear and I went outside to leave and the neighbors Ford was smoking blue smoke and knocking bad. Before I got half way across the yard his truck went clank real loud and some parts and oil came out the pan. He was such a PIA and AH that I did enjoy the event.

Anyway back to the diesels, the only thing I didn't see mentioned was Glow Plug relays. Did anyone here replace their GP Relays? Or did I just miss it in the quick read through???

I am getting ready to do injector nozzle replacemnent (Bosio) on the wife's 91 2.5L, along with springs, glow plugs, heat shields and GP relay. I know I should have done it in Sept or Oct, but things happen. I hope to get the job done first or second weekend in January, I hope we don't have any real cold weather before then or I might have to let the wife drive my car.

One thing I have often wondered, does a bad relay cause the plugs to go bad or visa versa? I don't think I have ever read anywhere about that here on the forum. Or did I just miss it? If any one knows for sure please chime in here and let me know.

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'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

Something is wrong.

In post #21, you started at 32°F. with the original starter and the original battery. In fact, it had no issue starting at that temperature with the old hardware.

Now, with a new starter and a new battery, it will not start at the same temperature..........or slightly warmer temperatures.

I can assure you that the compression did not fall off a cliff between the two events.

So, it's time to revisit the glow plugs. Can you please put a voltmeter on the plugs and observe it to see if you have voltage during the glow cycle.

Also, please perform a resistance test on the plugs and ensure that they are all OK.

Like I mentioned..........something is not right............

Yup, my 400K+ engine started immediately this morning at about 10-15F. It's usually the glow plugs.

All glow plugs test a little below 1 ohm (when disconnected from the others). Plugs get voltage when the key is turned. I think they are OK.

Here is my new interesting update though: I left the car out in the cold the other night, no heater or charger, and started it the next morning. Probably low 20s overnight, maybe colder. One glow plug cycle and boom, fire and running. This is probably 7 hours later. OK.........

So, I leave it in a garage that day, overnight, with my new little magnetic heater on it. Come back and it won't start. Probably 24 hours later.

So, I am poking around under the hood and notice my secondary filter has lots of air in it..... I prime my stupid old leaky primer pump and nothing happens. I jiggle the filter and tilt it and fuel dribbles in it from the line. So, with fuel in it, I try again. One glow cycle and boom, it starts.

Fuel delivery: It's where I'm at now. I will try changing out both filters (I got 'em sitting on the shelf already, just in case kinda thing) and inspect all the fuel lines (especially the rubber ones that go into the tank).

Anything else I should look for here? This sounds like a VERY likely cause for the no-start.

And lastly, what relation might the cold have to this? Any?

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'79 240D 4 speed manual 105k miles