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  #1  
Old 09-19-2008, 11:04 PM
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Prospective 300D Non-Turbo Purchase >> No Start

I checked out a 300D for sale today that was not starting. According to the owners, it had developed some kind of power drain and would randomly not start up again after running and being parked. The did not seem very savy at all with mechanics and were just done with the hassle. They had parked it for the whole summer and cobwebs had developed all over under the hood. The seemed to think that it was the starter that had gone out. I probbed for any hints that it may have overheated and seized, but they seemed honest and not trying to cover anything up.

I brought an extra battery and we hooked that in. I found that the grounding cable/wire was very loose on it's bolt on the sidewall while doing this. The guy had to actually push on the wire in a certain way to keep it connected while I turned the key. When he did this I was seeing good headlights and everything seemed to work. It would glow and everything on the dash. When I would try to turn it over however, it would just "click".... nothing else.

I wanted to try turning the engine by hand, but didn't know I wasn't going to be able to slip a 27mm ratchet socket onto the crankshaft end with any ease. I was told by someone along the way that this was the size of this bolt-head so that one could try turning the engine by . It was too tight between the fan and radiator to get in there though.

So... I'm paranoid about the engine being seized rather than an electrical problem like insufficient grounding. Could these symptoms be related to insufficient grounding do you think? Any help brainstorming this problem and what I could try next would be great. I have a feeling I could chip the deal down to about five-hundred for the whole rig. I'm mainly interested in just the engine as a donor for my downed coupe....

Thanks all.

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  #2  
Old 09-19-2008, 11:29 PM
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It might be the neutral safety switch, try jumping the terminals to see if it will start.
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  #3  
Old 09-19-2008, 11:33 PM
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Search "Solenoid"
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  #4  
Old 09-20-2008, 07:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BoomInTheTrunk View Post
It might be the neutral safety switch, try jumping the terminals to see if it will start.
If its neutral safety there would not be a click.

If the ground is loose I would fix that before doing anything else. Him holding it will not do the trick for running the starter, that takes a lot of juice and good connections.

Siezing is rare in a benz.

If its a bad starter you may be able to pull it and get it started that way.

Tom W
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  #5  
Old 09-20-2008, 07:05 AM
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Could be a poor ground connection. This can happen from the negative cable to the frame as you mention. Also can occur from the frame to engine block( not enough juice to starter). There is a strap from the bellhousing to the frame that some times gets loose or broken. Try using a jumper cable from the battery negative post to somewhere convient on the block. That might help.
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  #6  
Old 09-22-2008, 12:58 AM
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Need to try a hand-turning of engine

HeyAll,

Thanks for your input. I'm thinking I'm pretty close to just taking a chance on it, but I'd still like to try turning the engine by hand to do make sure it's not seized.

IS there a way to do this without taking out the radiator and fan-blade in order to get in there? Perhaps there's a way to fish in a proper socket onto th crank-end from underneath and give it a turn? Or could I try putting a socket on one of the pully driven items and turning via the belts?

Any help with this would be mucho appreciated!, thanks.
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  #7  
Old 09-22-2008, 02:00 AM
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If the owners are being at all honest, I doubt it is seized. For non techy people, they would have to know a lot to come up with that story. I don't blame you for wanting to check though.

Bring a hammer and tap the starter, it could be dead (I think it would still click). Usually an intermittently working starter still has a few starts left in it, but you need to give it a whack with a hammer to get the brushes to make contact inside.
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  #8  
Old 09-22-2008, 02:34 AM
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Thanks

OK. I guess I could try the hammer trick.

Is this best accessed from the top (under hood), or from underneath?
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  #9  
Old 09-22-2008, 02:34 AM
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offer him less for the car and have it towed to your house, if you get it started in his driveway it may piss him off.
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  #10  
Old 09-22-2008, 02:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselPop View Post
OK. I guess I could try the hammer trick.

Is this best accessed from the top (under hood), or from underneath?
From underneath. The starter is sort of a torpedo shaped metal thing, about 12"-14" long (?) that is stuck into the back of the engine. I can't remember off hand which side of the car it is on (it has been a while since I had a w123), but I think it is the driver's side. If you look under the car from behind the front driver's side wheel and look forward towards the engine, you should see it.

Edit: You know, now that I think of it, it might be under the passenger side, because I remember someone saying that you can get it out from above by taking off the air cleaner. I am sure someone knows and can chime in.
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Last edited by chetwesley; 09-22-2008 at 02:57 AM.
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  #11  
Old 09-22-2008, 02:52 AM
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Exactly!

Ha.... exactly! My being able to chip down the price quite a bit is due to it not running. I have a feeling I could probably get it running again in quick order, but I'll bet that would tick them off to see me ride off in it...! I know I would be peeved on the other end...
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  #12  
Old 09-22-2008, 03:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DieselPop View Post
Ha.... exactly! My being able to chip down the price quite a bit is due to it not running. I have a feeling I could probably get it running again in quick order, but I'll bet that would tick them off to see me ride off in it...! I know I would be peeved on the other end...
if you can rotate the engine by hand (like by the powersteering pulley, or the crankshaft bolt) buy it because its not seized, but talk him down as much as possible.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
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1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.
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  #13  
Old 09-22-2008, 09:47 AM
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Large adjustable wrench on the power steering pulley will work. You'll probably have to push on the belt at the same time to get it to turn. Some people don't like using the power steering nut to do this because it might excessively tighten the nut. It doesn't bother me.
You could also jump terminals one and three on the plastic junction box on top of the right fender in front of the battery (if it has one). This sometimes causes the starter to function if the ignition switch connections are bad.
If it starts however, your negotiating position will be compromised.
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  #14  
Old 09-22-2008, 09:10 PM
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I use the power steering pump pulley to turn the engine. I use a 12 inch crescent wrench. I don't think it is tightening the nut. I did this just the other day to examine the ring gear while the starter was out. Turn clockwise only; some say it's bad to turn the engine backwards. Observe which way the fan turns to blow air toward the engine. The starter is on the passenger side.
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  #15  
Old 09-22-2008, 09:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sbean View Post
Turn clockwise only; some say it's bad to turn the engine backwards. Observe which way the fan turns to blow air toward the engine. The starter is on the passenger side.
I'm told the timing chain will bunch & bind or jump if turned backwards.

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