Wondering if diesel and gas starters are interchangeable. Wanted to swap one out(300D/300E) same year.

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

I do not think a gasser starter will have the oomf to crank diesel compression over.
any diesel model 124 starter is the same though.

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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!

the gas starters are not butch enough to crank a diesel. A neighbor of mine had a 300D and he was telling me he bought a starter from Autozone and it was weaker than his worn out diesel starter, came out it was a gas starter. (I have not compared gas/diesel starters though)

however I have come across a W210 E300D with a reduction type Hitachi starter, that thing cranked the engine very very angrily with a sharp raspy sound rather than the low muted sound of a slowish Bosch starter.

Thanks guys. I was trying to find the DIY link for the 602 R+R. No luck yet.

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

I was reading through a few threads and saw something about rigging the solenoid to bypass something and it will start. Is anyone familiar with this? How is it done?

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

Is there a way that I can test the starter while it is still on the vehicle to be certain it's faulty?

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

you can Jump it. Give it a good couple of whacks with a rubber mallet too while your at it

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

If its an auto, there is always the chance the inhibitor switch is faulty.
Tell us more about your problem.
Diesel starters are typically 30% ~ 50% more powerful; 2.1hp for some gasers, most diesels are over 3hp.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

How do I jump it?

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

Well it turns freely with the crank bolt. The starter just doesn't seem strong enough to turn it over, but it's trying.

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

Probably just internally worn out, brushes/bearings etc. When I replaced the starter on my 300E a few months ago the old one was in sorry shape. Shaft wobbled, sounded horrible when you tried to run it. New one is amazing. Starts like a new car! (I got a German rebuild, not an auto-zoo Malaysian one.)

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Well this will be my first time even touchiing the starter since I've owned the car. How difficult was it? Does any have a DIY link?

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

These links are not for your car so I'm not sure how helpful they will be:-

OM617 starter motor removal and refit

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617StarterMotor

OM617 starter motor rebuild

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617StarterRebuild

The second link will show you what the insides will look like - well they'll probably be similar...

Otherwise have a bit of a search here - I'm sure there are loads of W124 starter motor threads out there.

In google try

w124 starter site:peachparts.com

for example.

Good luck and keep us posted

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Well I picked up the starter. Going to get started within the hour. I'll keep you posted.

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1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k

Well everyting is loose except the phillips screw. I can't get it to budge and I'm afraid to strip it. Taking a beer break.

__________________
1995 E420 152k
1991 300D 2.5 348116 daily driver
1992 300E 2.6 196k-work in progress(head gasket)
2002 BMW 745Li 93k