Thanks, I wasn't sure, I just knew we needed something with more juice.

If you're desperate in cold weather and need to get started, pull the top off the air cleaner and shoot a hair dryer directly down into the intake after glowing a few times. Alternatively, you might try a propane torch to do the same thing but there's usually a lot of oil hanging around the intake and also a lot of plastic so I'd be cautious about an open flame. You could also take a couple of cookie sheets, cover them with hot charcoal bricquets and slide them under the engine and let sit for a half hour or so.
Also be sure to add Powerservice if there's any doubt about the viscosity of your fuel. I started my 85TD at 30 below zero once but it wouldn't stay running because the fuel gelled.

If you're life depends upon it and you absolutely must use ether or die in the wilderness, pull the strip fuse on the glow plugs or unplug the glowplugs from the harness and start it with the ether alone and no glow plugs.

Alternatively, if you know you're going to be outside the range of electricity and need a way to warm up the engine, there are propane fired camping showers available on the market with small battery power circulating pumps. Plumb some fittings into the heater lines and hook the 'shower' up to your engine and run it for a half hour or so to heat up your coolant.

__________________
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

Key starting tip to the old diesel Benzes. Two glow cycles too. See your owners manual.

I had the same problem last week. My car starts just fine on temps over 20 degrees, but refused to start when it was even a single degree below that, so I went to Target and got me a $49 battery pack and that was all the difference. If your battery is just old, the battery pack won't do you any good, but if your car starts fine otherwise, the little thing comes in real handy.

__________________
[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

I remember hearing something about the Germans burning fires under their tanks to get them started during cold World War II winters. However, I'm not sure if those were diesel or gas motors...

Along the same lines, in a pinch, you could do as kerry recommended, and use charcoal underneath. You can also keep a small camp stove in your rig. Those things output some serious BTUs, and would heat up your oil pan in no time. It's not a bad addition to an emergency winter survival kit.

__________________
-1985 300TD - 324k mi on chassis. MB "Tauschaggregat" 617 motor + 4-speed conversion
Alaska Roadtrip 2009
-2002 E320 Wagon - 197k mi
-1998 E320 Wagon - 310k mi - retired

I will crank it till it starts(after 2 glows), that may be the major issue. I was afraid I would toast the starter. I added the the lower rad hose heater today and will see how it works in the AM. It will be alot warmer though (15 F) I also added a gallon of Kero to 3/4 tank Diesel. I will report back, Thanks for the tips!

OOPs already posted, Instead of the time and effort buy a quality jump box and keep it indoors with you. Not only can you use it for this but will find other uses.

__________________
92 500E Silver 66k
82 Porsche 911SC 84K
68 Cadillac ( Gone Now )
03 Suburban Z71 200K
85 300SD 217k From Original Owner ( Dad )

One word........ Thermite

__________________
green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

Winter Cold starting issues are 98%:

#1. Bad glow plugs
#2. Valves not adjusted
#3. Weak battery and/or starter
#4. Bad/Poor ground from body to engine
#5. Engine oil to thick for the ambient temperature/climate.

Winter Cold starting issues that are 2%:

* Plugged filters
* Diesel jelled = summer fuel, contaminated fuel and/or extreme cold ambient temperature.
* Bad o-rings and/or hoses leaking air in the fuel system when cold.


Glow plugs link thread All diesel models
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/137732-glow-plugs-link-thread.html#post1019018

Starter health is important to your diesel!!!
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/107318-starter-health-important-your-diesel.html#post739798

Cold weather starting links
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/137674-cold-weather-starting-links.html#post1018529





.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Really, the above are not so much “Cold Starting Issues” as routine maintenance issues. It is rather futile and pointless to discuss specific cold starting problems before it can be assumed all of the above have been addressed and eliminated.

Conditions for start are at their peak at the first cycle of injection and it is essential that fuel be injected at this time as they deteriorate very rapidly thereafter. If well-atomized fuel is injected into a combustion chamber on the 1st cycle with a white-hot glow plug and hot air it WILL vaporize and ignite - no ifs, buts or maybes. It’s not a compression issue. Churning over the engine serves only to bleed the fuel system and flatten your battery – the golden opportunity has been missed!

Over 90% of genuine cold start issues are injection or start technique related – i.e. Fuel has not been injected from the critical first cycle and this can usually be easily fixed (leaking D-Valves ~ injector pintels ~ fuel lift pump). If your car does not fire on the first pot in summer every time you have a delivery problem that will haunt you in winter.

After browsing through a few of the above linked threads I was unable to find one post that described the correct cold start procedure.

__________________
Beagle

If everything is perfect:

* Turn key on to the glow position.
* Ignore the light.
* LISTEN for the clunk of the glow plug relay disengaging/turning off, (extreme cold -20° F or lower, you may need to glow twice before cranking in).
* Apply 1/10 - 1/8 throttle = just enough to assure the engine speed will be above 1000 RPM.
* Crank the engine up to 30 seconds .

Under those conditions, I don't apply any throttle until the engine is actually starting to catch.

I would change one thing.
crank the engine up to 2 minutes... NO MORE!!! 30 seconds is not enough with a motor suffering from many starting issues, and letting off in short time will seriously prevent the motor from starting.
I agree, no throttle until the motor begins to catch.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

It varies depending upon linkage/idle adjustment.
On the 190d I give it 1/4 inch = just a light touch.
On my 300SD everything is perfect, no throttle needed.
Wifes car needs 1/4 throttle or it won't start below 20° F, tweaking/repairing ASAP.

I agree, you need to develop a feel for each car. My (old) 300D engine would start at any temperature without throttle, and the warm idle was set at about 500-550; I usually need to feather the throttle just a little on the 240D or it will stall (unless I use the idle knob).