Last year I had cold weather starting problems with my 99 E300D. It turned out to be nothing more than my fuel filter. Once I changed it, I went the rest of the winter with no problems. So this year, I changed it before the cold. At first, it started fine. Now it is acting up again.
When I turn the key, I need to give it an extended crank. It chugs for a bit and reluctantly starts. Smokes like hell and smoothes out after about 30 sec. to a minute. Then it runs fine. However, the glow plug light comes back on and stays on. Then when I shut it down, the engine rocks a bit. I thought it was the glow plug relay. So I replaced it. That made no difference. A friend that works on JD tractors told me to unplug the glow plugs at the relay and check them with my meter. I went from the possitive terminal to each of the six wires. I had a reading of 13.3 volts on five of them and 10.2 on one. Should I have been checking resistance instead? Am I on the right track? And what else might be the problem?

Thanks,
Mike

You should be checking for resistance at the plug between ground and each of the numbered terminals. It sounds as though you have at least one bad GP and probably more than one. Check resistance and report back the results.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Yeah, what Marty said. Sounds like you had a plug go bad between this year and last. Check out the resistance numbers - if you need a guide, check the dieselgiant DIY: http://www.dieselgiant.com/glowplugrepair.htm

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'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles
'79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold)
'83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer)
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"Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman

Mike,
Check the resistance from the female plug removed from the glow plug relay.
With this Plug horizontal and plug leads coming out the back the mapping of the glow plug connectors inside are as follows:

1 3 5
2 4 6

Looking at the female connectors, #1 is the glow plug starting at the front of the engine and #6 ends with the plug nearest to the fire wall. The plug is the same for 96 to 99 E300s

Hope that helpls!

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K