Car had about two months rest and relaxation this winter. Changed fluids, installed woodruff key last week. Drive around it around for a while last saturday. It didn't blast off on startup like I am used to. But I figured even though I charged the battery it didn't have it all, But start it did.

This week, turn... nothing. Everything lights up (glow plug light only after I turn it back to off and then glow position again though) battery is reading 12.8.

So after reading, what I'm thinking is the starter. The hard start up last week despite the warm weather and key, and then nothing this week despite a 12.8 battery = dead starter?

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1981 300D 205,000 mi.

if you think its the starter make sure the starter is getting voltage by taking a dvom and measuring the voltage at the starter. If its getting voltage then make sure its engaging. If the starter is working then try the NSS.

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

A week rest may have given corrosion time to grow. Clean your connections at your battery AND the starter. That is good maintenance and does not cost you a dime. When that step is out of the way, then you can diagnose. Don't over look the small stuff.

I checked the connection at the starter but not the battery terminals initially. Sanded corrosion= start. Yeah totally overlooked that. Still trying to figure out why it's harder to start now since I installed the key. When I installed the offset in the direction I read to adjust for timing chain stretch, timing went from 5 degrees off to nine. So I installed it the other way and it went down to 1. But now it's harder to start. I'm going to adjust the injector pump timing this week. I'm assuming the injector pump would be too far advanced now, and that I would have to back it off because of the woodruff key and that will make starting easier. correct?

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1981 300D 205,000 mi.