The rebuilt Bosch starter arrived yesterday, I installed it today. No problems other than slight modifications to allow the car's factory wiring to coexist with the slightly different configuration of the rebuilt starter. Took 4 hours including a lunch break and wiring modifications.

That it was a starter problem was confirmed Friday when my wife couldn't get the car to start in the heat after sitting for awhile after driving around town running errands. Per my mechanic's advice, she poured cold water on the starter and it worked.

Watch the following 15 second video and see if you agree there is something wrong with the solenoid on the old starter -- I don't think the pinion is supposed to flop in and out like that, certainly the new one doesn't do that.





The rebuilt starter lacked the mounting tab that the old one had as a brace for the battery cable. It had a tiny Phillips screw for the starter wire rather than the healthy stud of the old starter. I had to work around those challenges -- typical problems of buying "rebuilt" rather than "new" (and no longer available, according to the parts people).

The two 10mm mounting bolts were tedious to remove. I cleaned 'em up good and used a little anti-seize on the threads when I installed the rebuilt starter. In a week I'll retighten the bolts and replace the belly pan. I need to make an extension for my obstruction wrench so I can get a bit more torque on the top bolt.

Total cost was $190 for the starter plus a $75 core charge that I'll get back, $8.50 to ship the core back to the seller, and $12 for a set of five "obstruction wrenches," total $210.50.

See this thread for a DIY with pictures.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970