Forgot to plug her in last night. . . - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

imagesinthewind · #1 01-27-2009, 10:22 AM

and at -3* this morning, she was glowed twice and vroooooooomed right up!
Bosch GPs ROCK!!

rrgrassi · #2 01-27-2009, 10:25 AM

GP's, proper valve adjustment, good battery, and an overall healthy engine seems to be what you have there Ginny!

Graplr · #3 01-27-2009, 10:28 AM

Nice! Feels good to know it can do it, doesn't it? Indoors or outdoors? Even though my garage is not heated (unless I fire up the torpedo heater) it seems to make a difference in starting in cold weather.

I forgot to plug mine about a month ago in -4F outside all night and it fired up as well. But then a week later I had it plugged in outside at -22F and she wouldn't go. I just did a new valve check this weekend and added a bit to the intakes per FSM so hopefully I should get it going in any weather this winter.

imagesinthewind · #4 01-27-2009, 10:31 AM

SAdly, she is outdoors! All my cars are outside-cars. My two car garage is full of bar crap! Tom promises that we are going to hire a truck and start getting crap to auction here soon (changing bar to family pizza, ice cream, soda fountain, popcorn place) so my car and his can actually live indoors.

So -3* and outdoors, not plugged in and starts easy impresses me much!

imagesinthewind · #5 01-27-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrgrassi

GP's, proper valve adjustment, good battery, and an overall healthy engine seems to be what you have there Ginny!

I am lucky! And thankful!

rrgrassi · #6 01-27-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagesinthewind

I am lucky! And thankful!

That is because you take car of your car. If you show your MB some love, it returns it.

My car is out side too, but under a carport I built.

Jeremy5848 · #7 01-27-2009, 12:40 PM

At those temps (below zero F, I mean) a trickle charger on the battery all night will also help. Cold batteries lose about half of their cranking power.

hangit · #8 01-27-2009, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

At those temps (below zero F, I mean) a trickle charger on the battery all night will also help. Cold batteries lose about half of their cranking power.

Jeremy;

Do you know of anyone who has wired a solar powered trickle charger for use when your car is parked outside at school (my daughter's 240D) in below zero temps? We haven't had a starting problem yet this year here in WI even though we haven't seen temps above 25F for more than 6 weeks! Lately we've been -10F to -20F at night with low teens in the day.

Still chugging along!

John

imagesinthewind · #9 01-27-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrgrassi

That is because you take car of your car. If you show your MB some love, it returns it.

My car is out side too, but under a carport I built.

I DO love my car. My car and I have this CHRISTINE kind of thing going.
She listens to me when I talk, she agrees when people have wronged me and just today she told me that I DO have to fire the guy at work that gave away an entire bottle of jager.

I forgot how much I enjoy driving her until I finally got her running again.
I love they way she hugs the road. I love the way she takes the 's' curve from 285 to C470 at 15 miles over the posted cautioned speed limit. I love they was she keeps me warm and cozy when it's -1* outside. I always feel loved when I drive her.

The Yukon holds no such magic. It never felt like it had my best interests at heart. It FEELS like a machine with no soul that just drives how you tell it. It's bulky and cold and high off the ground. I never feel like it wants to keep me safe.

Tom (DH) has been stranded by MY car twice. BUT he also says things like
'we should just sell all these cars and buy one that runs!' So, she isn't his biggest fan I think.
The only time I came close to being stranded by my car (now named CHRISTINE, it fits) was when I was coming home and had a really nasty fuel filter. She couldn't get enough fuel to pull the hills that I had to go up. So I would pull over and idle until the fuel settled in the filter and go slow up the hills. She took me the 15 miles, up and down hills until we reached a station with diesel. I changed filters at the station. They happened to have one that would do until I got home. I don't travel without HER filters anymore.
But she got me there and I took care of her after she took care of me.

I REALLY love my car. And I think she feels the same.

compress ignite · #10 01-28-2009, 02:43 AM

Harbor Freight
5 Watt
Plug into Cigar Lighter

They also list a 1.5 Watt for about $15.00.

vstech · #11 01-28-2009, 09:08 AM

the MB's cig lighter is not connected to the battery when the key is off... you would have to wire it into a HOT circuit. I have used the solar charger on my truck, and was not happy with it's performance.

SD Blue · #12 01-28-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

Jeremy;

Do you know of anyone who has wired a solar powered trickle charger for use when your car is parked outside at school (my daughter's 240D) in below zero temps? We haven't had a starting problem yet this year here in WI even though we haven't seen temps above 25F for more than 6 weeks! Lately we've been -10F to -20F at night with low teens in the day.

Still chugging along!

John

Here is one that can connect several different ways:http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200263124_200263124

However, to get it to work through the cigar lighter would be an easy modification. Take a meter and find a fuse that is hot with the key off. Then raise the fuse panel and install a jumper between that one and the fuse for the cigar lighter. (Be sure and disconnect the battery before doing any modifications to the fuse panel!)

Colorado220 · #13 01-28-2009, 11:39 AM

Good to hear!! I was surprised my 220 started as well as it did yesterday. It has been sitting for around 5 weeks. Last night it cranked right over.. WOO HOOO I know it was warmer than -3 but it was no warmer than 14.

rrgrassi · #14 01-28-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagesinthewind

I DO love my car. My car and I have this CHRISTINE kind of thing going.
She listens to me when I talk, she agrees when people have wronged me and just today she told me that I DO have to fire the guy at work that gave away an entire bottle of jager.

I forgot how much I enjoy driving her until I finally got her running again.
I love they way she hugs the road. I love the way she takes the 's' curve from 285 to C470 at 15 miles over the posted cautioned speed limit. I love they was she keeps me warm and cozy when it's -1* outside. I always feel loved when I drive her.

The Yukon holds no such magic. It never felt like it had my best interests at heart. It FEELS like a machine with no soul that just drives how you tell it. It's bulky and cold and high off the ground. I never feel like it wants to keep me safe.

Tom (DH) has been stranded by MY car twice. BUT he also says things like
'we should just sell all these cars and buy one that runs!' So, she isn't his biggest fan I think.
The only time I came close to being stranded by my car (now named CHRISTINE, it fits) was when I was coming home and had a really nasty fuel filter. She couldn't get enough fuel to pull the hills that I had to go up. So I would pull over and idle until the fuel settled in the filter and go slow up the hills. She took me the 15 miles, up and down hills until we reached a station with diesel. I changed filters at the station. They happened to have one that would do until I got home. I don't travel without HER filters anymore.
But she got me there and I took care of her after she took care of me.

I REALLY love my car. And I think she feels the same.

See? I really love my car as well. Luckily my wife does not even suggest I sell my car. Her TDI has not let her down either, cause she really loves it as well.

Graplr · #15 01-28-2009, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

Jeremy;

Do you know of anyone who has wired a solar powered trickle charger for use when your car is parked outside at school (my daughter's 240D) in below zero temps? We haven't had a starting problem yet this year here in WI even though we haven't seen temps above 25F for more than 6 weeks! Lately we've been -10F to -20F at night with low teens in the day.

Still chugging along!

John

I have the 1.5W one from Harbor Freight. My outlet is rewired to hot all the time. I have had it for 1.5 years. I usually leave it plugged in because I figure it can't hurt anything but honestly, it does absolutely nothing. I would think the panel would need to be the size of the roof or at least in that same range to make any appreciable difference.

Plus, most cold start issues are in the morning. Solar panels don't work too well through the night.