if it were me, i would put a battery from a different car in it to solve the "click" issue. If its clicking then the interlock is not the problem, you either have a dead battery, or a bad starter. from your post it sounds like you have been nursing an almost dead battery and all of the cranking put it over the edge. jumping to a dead battery wont work either because the cable that you can buy now are too small to carry enough amps to crank it over. the cables are made to suppliment the battery in your car not carry enough current to replace it.

Once you get the new battery in and it turns over dont crank it. put your injector lines back on, then pump the primer pump until you here a buzzing noise from the injection pump. if you pump for a couple of minutes and dont get the buzzing noise, then your primer pump is most likely bad. replace the primer pump and then pump it until it buzzes. it should start then

the reason it didnt start is that the empty filter got air in the injection pump. no amount of cranking will ever get the air out. the primer will push the air out once you pump it enough for it to make the buzzing noise. once the air is out the injection pump will be able to provide fuel pressure to the injectors.

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

I am going to try finding the Neutral safety switch on the tranny, any good descriptions or pics?

I am also going to try bypassing the switch. I have read about a box on the passenger side that will turn the starter if jumpered? Does this sound like a good idea to try?

Thanks,

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1983 300D Turbo, 150K

I put my truck battery in the car and it didn't help.

Does this mean that the starter is most likely bad? I tried looking for the wires to jumper, to start the starter, but couldn't find them. I saw a metal box with a few coils in it by the passenger wheel well. That had a plug on it with 8 pins?

I am having my car towed to mechanics tomorrow, anything else to try?

Thanks,
Bob

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1983 300D Turbo, 150K

if its clicking it rules out the nuetral safety switch.

if you put in a known battery and it displays the same issue then it sounds like you might have burned up the starter, the cable to the starter, the ground to the engine or the selenoid on the starter that sets the bendix. you should be able to follow the cables from the starter to the battery. there will be a starter selenoid somewhere by the battery if its like a Ford or on the starter if its like a GM. I have never tried to hot jump a MB starter so I dont know where the selenoid is. once you find it jump the small terminal to the battery cable to energize the selenoid to turn the starter. please make sure you know what terminals you are crossing or dont do it as you will have unfused high amp current from the battery

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

I had a broken starter. The gears were all busted up inside, and wouldn't rotate. My mechanic found a rebuilt bosch starter for $110.

Thanks,

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1983 300D Turbo, 150K

Ditto! Just finished my post indicating the very same cause of non-starting on my car after the filter change. I had to replace my starter that I "barbecued" trying to "make it start" ,so a dead battery may actually be a cheap way out for you.