So while I am waiting for the weather to break a bit more on the warm side so I can get to bleeding the brakes on my new to me 83 300CD turbo, I tried to start her last evening without the block heater plugged in, you know, just to see. Well she would not start at all and I decided to try again today. After replacing the block heater plug end, the PO had left one in the car, I plugged her in. I also put the battery on the charger. I waited 2 hours, went out, allowed 2 glow cycles, and she started immeadiatly. By the way, it's 9 degrees out tonight here.
I'm really going to enjoy having a diesel that starts well in the cold. The Volvo she is replacing won't start worth a lick in this weather. Hoping to be able to get the brakes bled on Saturday so I can take her for a spinin the neighborhood and see how she rides and check the trans.
The prechamber collar nut tool I ordered arrived today as well. Have to put the prechamber pulling tool now so I can get to the 74 240D. I believe it needs the prechambers pulled and cleaned as I can't get the heavy smoke to stop.

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1983 Mercedes 300CD Turbo- 199,370 miles - Lapis Blau
1974 Mercedes 240D - 186,445 miles - Aqua Blau
1982 Volvo 244GL Diesel wagon - 168,956 miles - to be sold
1994 Chevy G30 6.5 Diesel "short bus" converted for camping, painted red white & blue & white stars 78,956 miles
JD F935 diesel front mower

Using a power bleeder really speeds things up when doing the brakes. I can do the front in about 5 minutes by myself w/ out getting under the car. turn wheels to left, do right side, vise-versa.

Infact I just did mine today. new calipers. I think we may have hit -5 for a high. of course the parts would arrive on the coldest day in years.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

Here in Eastern Iowa, it was record lows last night. -20s. The high was -9 I believe. Needless to say, freakin cold. Anyway. My wife's car, a 04 Golf TDI, did not start. Cycled it a few times. Nothing. Battery died. My 86 190D, started right up. No sweat.

She has yet to hear the end of it.

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MKIII88Turbo

"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind."
--Aristotle--

1986 Mercedes 190D
2004 VW Golf TDI

Just finished installing the rear brakes, went good I think. Just took forever cause of the cold. Had to blow the 8 inches of snow we got yesterday first, started at 8 finished around 9:30. Got to work on the rear brakes round about 10 am, finished up at 2. This included bleeding using a one way valve tool from Harbor freight. That worked quite well I have to say.The right rear inner piston was frozen and wouldn't retract.
After doing the rears, I jacked up the front, removed the wheels and took a look at them. The left front looks to be frozen like the right rear. The rotors look to be good, but I will still reppace them so I have all new brakes on all four corners. I didn't buy calipers for the front so I called around and Advance has them for delivery tomorrow so I got them ordered. Ordered a new master cylinder as well, just in case. Got it without the reservoir because I cleaned the one on the car and it cleaned up good. Just had a lot of realy sludgy looking fluid in it, kinda thick looking, and of couse black.
I'm hoping to have the brakes done by sun down tomorrow so I can take her for her maiden spin round the block.

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1983 Mercedes 300CD Turbo- 199,370 miles - Lapis Blau
1974 Mercedes 240D - 186,445 miles - Aqua Blau
1982 Volvo 244GL Diesel wagon - 168,956 miles - to be sold
1994 Chevy G30 6.5 Diesel "short bus" converted for camping, painted red white & blue & white stars 78,956 miles
JD F935 diesel front mower

My wifes car (1992 300D 2.5 turbo) has sat all last week with some record cold temps, thought I had better start her up just to see what she would do. One glow cycle and fired right up, what a great car.

What was the engine temperature at 9 degrees with the block heater?

Its quite warm when you use the block heater, probably up in the 65-90F range depending on outside temps.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Haven even tried to start mine. The past couple days have been cold. So cold, that we canceled school 2 days in a row. -20 F. one morning with a blowning wind which made the wind chill-40F. The next morning it was -22F with a wind chill of -45F. Working for the school district, we never are called off until about 5am or 5:30 am, which is way to late, and im already halfway to work by the time im called So the other day i just drove around dealerships in the AM

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K