Sat for 2 weeks - now won't start - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rhodes2010 · #1 04-30-2011, 05:16 PM

I let the 300SD sit for two weeks (high diesel prices).
Went to start it and it would not.
I have been driving this car 3,000 miles a month for 5 years.
It is used Tuesday through Friday every week.
Always change the oil every 3,000 to 3,500.
Fuel filters are not too old.

My first check was to remove all glow plugs and test each for glow
and removed valve cover and adjust valves. (I have to admit I failed the
every 15,000 valve adjust, been about 40,000).
Glow plugs glow strong connected to battery charger.

I checked the voltage at glow plugs and it seems okay.

The last thing is the battery, wore it down, pretty quickly, trying to fire up.
It sort of started only once, then died.

It will not crank fast enough using jumper cables.
Then I looked at the battery and realized it is 10 years old (from 2001).
So off to purchase a battery.
Although I really should just pull the new battery out of the 300D and
use that as a test.

I checked the glow plug relay to glow plug connector for good contact.
Cleaned it, crimped the connectors for tighter contact.

I also keep a glow plug bypass kit handy to send 12 volts straight to the
glow plugs in an emergency. This did not help or matter so I switched back to relay.

Anyone want to chime in some ideas ?

I probably should have checked compression while I was in there.
But was afraid it would be bad news.

rhodes2010 · #2 04-30-2011, 06:07 PM

I took the battery out of the 300D an used it.
Remember to take advantage pull battery tray out and vacuum out debris.
Also got the debris under brake master cylinder where the larger resistor is.

So - got it to fire up. Not quite idling, but I think it just needs to warm a bit.

Acting like clogged fuel filters, how often do people change these ?
I have gotten over 20,000 even 30,000 on fuel filters in the past.

I am using another vehicle to jump this one as it required quite a bit of cranking.

Unlike most people who manually hand pump fuel to the injector
I usually am able to just fire up the car after having the fuels lines off.

Which is what I did this time.

rhodes2010 · #3 04-30-2011, 06:41 PM

37,000 since last fuel filter change. Guess I found the limit.

New fuel filters. Idles and starts quite nicely.

All is good.

kerry · #4 04-30-2011, 06:58 PM

Feel like you're talking to yourself

Good job. Change the filters when they get dirty.

04 Diesel · #5 05-01-2011, 07:54 AM

I change the fuel filters every 10,000 miles.

vstech · #6 05-01-2011, 08:07 AM

I change the filters when the car acts weak at all.
sometimes it'll go 30K, sometimes it'll go 30Miles...
bad fuel will stop em up in a second.
ya gotta have a good feel for your car, and if it changes. the fuel filters are the first thing to do.
also, if you went 40K since last valve adjust, you need to do it again in 100... or less.
those valves could all be burned by now...

1980sd · #7 05-01-2011, 10:35 AM

That's good news! Would be good news to me...