Well, I'm stranded. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jkoebel · #1 01-21-2008, 12:20 AM

I took my Florida 240D to North Carolina.

It's currently -16C up here, 3F...the car started okay this morning after some intensive cranking in bursts of 10 seconds, but when the temperature dropped even further, the battery still hadn't recharged from before. So I drained the battery to the point where even the hazard lights couldn't come on...got a jump, and burned out my starter -- large clouds of smoke coming up from the starter region on the engine and it stopped trying to turn over, just whining.

I'm mad as all hell now. I'm going to get the car towed to either Swedish Werke in Boone, B.C. or MB of Hickory and get a new starter tomorrow.

Brian Carlton · #2 01-21-2008, 12:41 AM

That's not good.

Doing any work in this weather is miserable. I can't work more than 15 minutes in this cold.

In the future, if you think the cold will prevent a start...........remove the battery from the vehicle and bring it inside for a few hours (preferably overnight). You'll get nearly double the cold cranking amps when you install it. If you're running synthetic oil, it will almost surely start.

jkoebel · #3 01-21-2008, 01:02 AM

Mobile1 Devalac 5W-40

Did not know that about the battery, will try it again next time :p

Brian Carlton · #4 01-21-2008, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoebel

Mobile1 Devalac 5W-40

Did not know that about the battery, will try it again next time :p

Also.........jumping the battery is a marginal assist.......at best. Only the most expensive jumper cables (the $80.00 kind) will have clamps of sufficient size and cables of sufficient thickness to provide the current necessary for a diesel.

pawoSD · #5 01-21-2008, 02:29 AM

I have found that a good quality charger/starter unit can give that incredible boost needed when its real cold. I got one that can churn out 100-Cranking Amps...and it DOES work....cranks over like crazy with that beast feeding the power. I haven't had to use it since the day I bought it, but for reference, my 617 cranked over and was running in 2-3 seconds with the booster unit at -12F....

WAY better than the battery. (I had killed the battery....it gave out after about 11-12 seconds of cranking, thats why I bought the booster)

Anyways, tonight I started her up fine at 2F with no block heater or anything.....I have a 7 month old MB battery in there, its pretty strong....15ish second glow......8 rotations and it fired off.

I highly recommend a charger/starter unit...but get a GOOD one. Mine was like $85 at autozone.

bustedbenz · #6 01-21-2008, 02:39 AM

I'm in Boone, as a matter of fact. No experience with the place you named.

I know some friends that have had their C220 serviced at the Hickory dealership since new, and they have nothing but praise for them.

turbobenz · #7 01-21-2008, 03:04 AM

Next time park on a hill

Biglex · #8 01-21-2008, 03:14 AM

My 96 seems to start a bit slow, maybe 5-6 seconds of cranking when it is really cold. Like tonight it is only 9 degrees. Now my 92 300d starts in 2-3 cranks every time. I started it tonight after it had been sitting for 4 days and once again, 2 cranks and it was fired up.

BoomInTheTrunk · #9 01-21-2008, 05:12 AM

Two Words:

"Battery Tender"

Ken300D · #10 01-21-2008, 08:19 AM

With the cold weather, the main thing I'm thinking about is the strength of the anti-freeze. I sure hope your Florida car has anti-freeze up to the necessary strength to prevent a freeze at those temperatures. It doesn't have to be all that strong at that temperature, but you do need a certain amount. I think the 50/50 that I try to run is rated somewhere in the neighborhood of -25F protection. But if you don't change it every few years it can go weak on you. I have one car that hasn't been changed in six years, although I have topped it up several times. That's the car I'm worried about.

There is a cranking duty cycle for the starter that you should not exceed. I don't have the owner's manual in front of me right now, but I believe that gives the cranking time allowed, plus the "rest" period to cool off the starter between cranking sessions.

The other thing to mention is the block heater. You won't have any problems starting the car if it has a working block heater plugged in. At least to the point the fuel has not gelled, and the Power Service additive helps in that situation.

Ken300D

Jkid · #11 01-21-2008, 08:31 AM

You've got to let the starter rest some if you're cranking it a lot, but I guess you know that now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbobenz

Next time park on a hill

What for? A real long hill headed back to Florida?

jkoebel · #12 01-21-2008, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkid

You've got to let the starter rest some if you're cranking it a lot, but I guess you know that now.

Well I was doing on for 10, off for 15 seconds but that wasn't enough apparently.

I hope my coolant didn't freeze, that'd be a problem. Didn't even think of that.

vstech · #13 01-21-2008, 08:45 AM

if it's a really long hill, sufficient to get the car up to about 25mph, you can roll start the car in low gear with an MB auto tranny.

probear · #14 01-21-2008, 08:45 AM

First, always try to jump prior to running the battery totally down and secondly, if it needs to be jumped, leave the donor car hooked up for a few minutes before trying to crank. It will give a slight charge to the weak battery. If not, you are trying to charge the battery AND start the car.

jkoebel · #15 01-21-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bustedbenz

I'm in Boone, as a matter of fact. No experience with the place you named.

I know some friends that have had their C220 serviced at the Hickory dealership since new, and they have nothing but praise for them.

I'm probably going to go that route honestly, although it'll cost me an arm and a leg, but it's a holiday and nothing appears to be open anywhere. Their service department just rang through to voicemail, same with the Swedish place.