Okay all I am having some serious problems here. I can't seem to get the car I am trying to sell started. 1985 300D. I keep it plugged in but everytime I try to start it the starter just doesn't seem to want to turn (maybe block warmer not working). I have put a new battery in it and it tries a little harder but still nothing. I realize it has been super cold here over the last 2 weeks, and I haven't started it in about a month. But I need to sell this car. So any advice on what to do? Is the starter going bad or is it just too cold?

Sounds like the battery to me.
If you can remove it and bring it to a parts store and have them test it.

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

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I bought a battery for it 2 months ago and I put it on my battery charger for a few minutes and it read good (i.e. fully charged). Is it possible for it to be so cold the starter freezes up? Or is are the brushes and such in the starter going? It started fine a month ago......

Did you rule out the solenoid ? If so starter may be dragging / shorting internally.

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Experience : what you receive 3 seconds after you really needed it !!



86 300SDL 387,000? Motor committed suicide
81 300SD 214,000 "new" 132,000 motor
83 300SD 212,000 parts car
83 300SD 147,000

91 F700 5.9 cummins 5spd eaton 298,000
66 AMC rambler American 2dr auto 108,000
95 Chevy 3/4 ton auto 160,000
03 Toyota 4runner 180,000 wifes

No how would I do that? I have never really worked on a starter on one of these cars. Next question can I but just a solenoid for the car (if the solenoid is bad) and replace without removing the starter ( I have heard how epicly painful it is to remove a starter)

And thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it.

Think you need to warm it up and it'll likely start (have a garage you can push it into and fire up a space heater?) May want to check the block heater also -- but that doesn't help you right now.

Plenty of cold starting threads on the forum. I try to get out to start my '85 300D frequently, but it's my daily driver. Seems the more I run it the better it likes it. Kinda like getting out of bed in the morning and working loosening up I suspect...seems worse as I get older

No no garage . Okay well lets all hope that it warms up this week, and I can sell it. Water heater needs to be replaced ASAP and this will pay for it....

You will have to pull the starter to work on the solenoid... The easiest way to start it will be to push it.. push up to about 30-35 mph and make sure the key is on and that you have glowed the glow plugs 3-4 times and then shift to 3rd gear which is right below drive.. Even though you have a automatic it will start. A nice feature of the older automatics and will even work on the early 124automatics as I have had to do it with my 124.. 300D Jim

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James A. Harris

I checked fastlane they show a starter only. I didnt see a separate solenoid. Your solenoid will have 2 large lugs on it one comes from your battery the other goes into the starter. The one going in is a bare braided wire. What you need to do is jump those two.

Make sure the car is out of gear . look up your starter on fastlane they have a good picture to familiarize with. good luck.

__________________


Experience : what you receive 3 seconds after you really needed it !!



86 300SDL 387,000? Motor committed suicide
81 300SD 214,000 "new" 132,000 motor
83 300SD 212,000 parts car
83 300SD 147,000

91 F700 5.9 cummins 5spd eaton 298,000
66 AMC rambler American 2dr auto 108,000
95 Chevy 3/4 ton auto 160,000
03 Toyota 4runner 180,000 wifes

I wouldn't be so quick to diagnose a bad starter. Can you be more precise in your description of the symptoms. It's possible that you have dino oil in the car and the thick oil in cold weather is slowing down the speed at which the starter can crank the engine. What weight and type of oil is in the engine? Are the glow plugs functioning?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Okay more precise, I let the glow plugs go twice try to turn it over and the starter just lugs, you know the rer rer rer noise. try it a few more times and the starter is sounding like its losing juice.

As I said before I bought a new battery 2 months ago and I charged it for a second, so next I kept the battery in the house over night to warm it up a bit. Next day same thing starter sounds like it is struggling.

kerry didn't even think about that yes Dino oil and Rotella 15-40. And to my knowledge the glow plugs work fine, but I will recheck tonight.

Have you cleaned your battery terminals lately?

Just make sure the prospective buyer is looking the other way when you do that!!!

Tango yes I did check the battery terminals they are a little chewed up (on the outside) but seem to make a good connection. I am really hoping its just the bitter cold. Its been a rough past few months.

Also check the ground