Help please. Car won't start in cold. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Graplr · #1 02-10-2008, 05:33 PM

Okay, my 84 SD won't start. I parked it in a lot on Friday night with the temps in the 30s. Didn't get home until late Saturday night (much later than expected). By that time the temperature had dropped to -10F. The car obvioulsy wouldn't start. I pushed it up to a building so that I could plug it in. Wouldn't start. (I had some help jumping it so battery wouldn't die)

I left it plugged in overnight. Went back to it this morning. Still wouldn't start. Wondered if the block heater was working.

Had it towed to my girlfriends heated underground parking garage in which the ambient temp is about 60F. It has now been sitting there for around almost three hours. Still won't start.

The starter just turns and turns and it just won't fire up.

I'm at a loss for anything to try.

My next thought is to take of the filters and put some HEET or something in it, but if I'm in a heated garage it shouldn't matter should it?

I'm at a loss. What should I try to get it started?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
-Ryan

Graplr · #2 02-10-2008, 05:39 PM

Oh yeah, a couple more things.

Fresh oil change Thursday night with my usual Mobil 1 synthetic 5w40. I checked the dipstick in the garage (about an hour ago) and it looked fine, was on the bottom side of the range so I added about half a quart.

Valves were adjusted about 5k ago.

It has started in temps this cold before this winter (of course after being plugged in).

Thanks!
-Ryan

kerry · #3 02-10-2008, 05:55 PM

Check your glow plugs.

Graplr · #4 02-10-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Check your glow plugs.

Thanks, I was planning on doing that after it would not start this morning.

But shouldn't it fire up in the 60F garage without glowplugs?? I would think so but maybe not?

Jadavis · #5 02-10-2008, 05:58 PM

3 hours at 60F is probably not enough. That block is chilled to the core right now.

Don't put Heet in the fuel filter! (Red Heet is Iso Alcohol. Yellow Heet is Methanol. Neither are a good way to start an engine.)

Plug it in and listen for the sizzle sound. That will let you know the block heater is working.

Could your fuel simply have turned to gel? -10 is pretty freaken cold! Do you have D2 or D1 in the tank?

It really sounds like a fuel issue.

-Jim

300DFarmer · #6 02-10-2008, 06:04 PM

Get some Powerservice 911 and pour it into the tank. Crack injector lines and prime until you get fuel at each injector.
It is very possible that you got a bad batch of fuel and have gelled.
I regularly start my 83 300d at temp down to -10 without plugging in -BUT I have started diesels for years in these conditions an know that I'll usually only get one chance.
With gelled fuel, you won't get anything but a dead battery.
Good Luck.

Graplr · #7 02-10-2008, 06:15 PM

Thanks guys.

Okay, no HEET!

I'll let it sit in the garage awhile longer and go get some Diesel 911. I rember seeing it last week when I was at the store.

D1 or D2? Well in MN they preblend and all pumps sell the same blends. It is supposedly mixed down to the lowest seasonal expected temps. I always buy from the same place because it is more high volume and they don't look at me funny when I say 'diesel on pump 19' instead of gas.

Wow -10F without plugging in? Man, that is a good engine! I have started mine down to about 10F without being plugged in.

Quick question about the glowplugs.
The light comes on right now. Last night when I was trying to start I was doing 2,3, and 4 cycles before starting. The light stopped coming on. Don't know if it just wasn't cycling or if something burned out but the light comes on now. Does that mean they are still good? I don't have my multimeter on me as I'm parked about 15 miles away from my house to check them.

Seems like the consensus is to just let it warm up. I'll walk across the street to Wal-Mart (I know, I know, but the car won't drive and they are the closest) and get some fuel additives to try and ungel it (if it is gelled).

Thanks. If anyone else has suggestions keep em comin'. I'll update. Going to go downstairs and try again!

Jadavis · #8 02-10-2008, 06:28 PM

The only thing that is really going to help with the ungelling is heat. 60F and give it some time.

The next thing would be to check out the glow plug system. That will keep you busy.

http://www.dieselgiant.com/glowplugrepair.htm

If you don't have one, pick up a cheap multimeter from Wal-Mart.

-Jim

mobetta · #9 02-12-2008, 10:48 AM

autozoo no longer carries gloplugs of any sort up here.

You can get bosch from napa, for similar $$ as here. also checker and oreilly usually have autolites in stock for $10.

I lost all 5 GP's last january, of course when I was away from home overnite. had to change them out outside in -7*F temps plus wind. I used autozoo bosch plugs. I have replaced 4 of them since then.

I test GPs a different way, too- you do not need a meter. I use a test lite, but a length of wire works as well.(the test lite eliminates using a wild hot wire, as the bulb will lite up if inadvertently grounded)
unhook the GP's from the relay. run a hot lead to them. if they throw sparks, they are good. no spark- bad. this test will not show if you have a GP shorted out. but it has always worked for me.

Graplr · #10 02-12-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobetta

autozoo no longer carries gloplugs of any sort up here.

I just called around and the St Paul Arcade street has 9 Bosch plugs in stock. I'm picking some up this afternoon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobetta

You can get bosch from napa, for similar $$ as here. also checker and oreilly usually have autolites in stock for $10.

I'll call NAPA for fun as I generally like them better and perhaps they will be in stock closer to my house. Less driving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobetta

I lost all 5 GP's last january, of course when I was away from home overnite. had to change them out outside in -7*F temps plus wind. I used autozoo bosch plugs. I have replaced 4 of them since then.

I test GPs a different way, too- you do not need a meter. I use a test lite, but a length of wire works as well.(the test lite eliminates using a wild hot wire, as the bulb will lite up if inadvertently grounded)
unhook the GP's from the relay. run a hot lead to them. if they throw sparks, they are good. no spark- bad. this test will not show if you have a GP shorted out. but it has always worked for me.

Did you get the NAPA Bosch plugs the second time around?

Graplr · #11 02-12-2008, 11:15 AM

I am getting 5 Bosch from NAPA. They cost a buck and a half more but the store is 1/2 mile from my place rather than 20 miles out of the way. Picking them up this afternoon.

I don't know if I will be able to get them in until tomorrow as my car is not parked at my place. Luckily it is indoors (heated).

I'll test again as Brian described. I like your method though Mo, but I already have the meter!

vstech · #12 02-12-2008, 11:19 AM

testing at the neg battery terminal is only OK, once you have tested between the ground cable and the block near the Glow plugs... you may have a faulty ground conductor.... you should get a dead short 0 ohms between block and neg term.

Graplr · #13 02-12-2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

testing at the neg battery terminal is only OK, once you have tested between the ground cable and the block near the Glow plugs... you may have a faulty ground conductor.... you should get a dead short 0 ohms between block and neg term.

Not quite sure what you mean. You're saying I may have a bad ground at the relay box or the GPs themselves? How would I check that? I got voltage flow through the box, so I guess I'm assuming you mean the plugs themselves.

I just read another thread on GPs here-
GP Weirdness

This sounds like what has happened to my car. Saturday night the GP light was working then it stopped working. Sunday morning the light came back. It seems the light works when all or none of the plugs are working. Sounds to me like all were working. Burnt some out Saturday night (thus the light didn't work). Burnt the rest out and the light came back Sunday morning.

Graplr · #14 02-13-2008, 02:42 PM

Well shes back running.

I worked on her for about 3 hours this morning. I did pick up 5 Bosch Glow Plugs from NAPA yesterday at 11.69 a plug.

I started by trying to take them out without removing anything. That didn't get me too far. I removed the injector lines. Not too big of a hassle. Then I started loosening the plugs. The nut that held the wires on was overtightened and was a real b*tch to get off. I ended up cutting the #1 and #5 wires because I couldn't get the wire off the back of the plug.

I also ended up accidentally tearing apart the #1GP because the nut would not come off even after removal from the engine. Of course I had no WD40 on hand, only elbow grease. I stripped the wire leads on #1 and #5 and put new wire clips on (I don't know the name off hand). Got all 5 GPs in with wires on. Turned the key to make sure they were getting power and put the multimeter on each and each GP read around 10Vs.

Then I started putting the injector lines back on. Ran into a problem. The #4 line coming off the IP would not go on. I looked closer and saw I must have hit the threads on the IP with a wrench or something. I ended up pulling the threaded part out of the IP and finally got it to thread in the line and the put the whole unit back in and all the rest went back on without too much of a hitch.

Tried to start it and the battery was drained. Looked for my battery charger. Some SOB stole it. It was sitting under the car (in the underground parking). I'm guessing it was the maintainence man. He came by the other day and told me I was parked in 'some guys' spot. I said this is my girlfriend's spot. I gave him her name and unit number. He said 'Well I've gotten multiple complaints from this guy'. And I said that would be hard since this IS MY GIRLFRIENDS SPOT. Notice girl, not guy. He went away. Then when I was finishing up this morning as he was going to the stairs he told me 'No car maintainence in the garage, it is against firecode.' I really wanted to smack him, but I simply said, 'OK, I'll close up'. as I was almost done. I thought this was really funny because I was working on the car the other day when he came by and he said nothing about it that time. I think he is just one of those people that thinks he is the king of everything. Glad I don't have to work on anything down there anymore!

I jumped it with my brother's car (that I was borrowing). Took me 3 of 4 times before she finally fired. I was worried that it wouldn't start.

I drove it around for 15 minutes to warm it up. Then I shut it off and started it again. Fired right up! I parked it back in the spot. My brother is coming with me this afternoon and I'll pick my car up and then he gets his car back.

Thanks everyone for the help!
-Ryan

PS- I didn't have time to check the GP that I took out. I will test them later to see if all of them were actually out, well the 4 that are still together! I did run the same test again when I got there and they all tested infinite again.