I am having a problem with my starter.

It will engage but disengage before starting the engine and "whirring" to a stop. It always does this now if I try to start it right after the glow plug light goes off. For the last few weeks it would only occasionally do it. Sometimes it would intermittently engage and kick out but the engine would still start.

Here's the kicker:

If I wait about 15-20 seconds after the glow plug light goes off it will fire up perfectly with no kicking out.

What would cause this?

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1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.

I'd check all your grounds. The battery ground and the chassis ground from the transmission to the body. Also check all the connections on the starter. You probably have a dirty or loose connection. And when you are pulling so many amp with the glow plugs on and the starter trying to kick on, you can't get enough to run the starter and glow plugs. The glow plugs stay on 15-20 seconds after the light goes out. So that might explain why you can start up okay when you wait.

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Where exactly are all the grounds?

I see one chassis ground on the passenger front fender that is not connected. It is right next to the battery but a little too short for me to even rig it.

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1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.

well, thats the problem. That needs to be attached. Go to the store and but a negative battery cable terminal wire.

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

That would be the issue. Either hit up a junk yard and pull a ground cable from there or pick one up at the local parts house.

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I just did that but it didn't solve my problem, at least on that start. I still had to try twice.

I have had a significant oil leak too that may have corrupted some connections.

I will get the wire brush and brake cleaner on the job tomorrow.

Where else are there grounds?

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1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.