1995 E300D Glow plug issue.. Yes I've searched.. - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Murkybenz · #16 11-24-2011, 01:08 PM

Check your alternator voltage regulator .

Remove it and check the brushes

There is a fair chance that the brush nearest the center of the alternator is making contact and the other one nearest the rear does but not very often.

Here is why,

My other half's 89 300d om603 non turbo UK car,,no glow plug light and hence no start ??

Inspection reveals ignition switch (electrical portion) and relays to be ok ???

Ignition switch changed and no difference ,,but !! letting the engine crank see's the glow plug lamp come back on ??

Now there was an issue with other dash warning lamps and eventually the warning lamps consisted of alternator and ABS only and these dimmed when engine turned over,I hasten to add that the battery was fully charged .

So realizing that the engine turning over would bring them back to normal function I checked the voltage regulator to find it worn out,it was replaced and instantly everything was back to normal.

I find the warning signs of the regulator having worn out brushes is flickering lights at idle at night ,anyway do a search for 'no dash warning lamps ' and the common theme seems to be the voltage regulator

Murkybenz · #17 11-24-2011, 01:25 PM

ottomatic · #18 11-24-2011, 11:35 PM

I have a 95 E300 Diesel. Car sat unstarted for 5 years before I bought it. When I turn key on I also get no Glow plug light. Also if I do not wait until the buzzing stops when key is put in ingnition until I turn key, all the lights (SRS, ABS, etc. ) start blinking. However If I turn it off and restart all is fine & sometimes the glow plug light works
My glow plug light comes on intermittently while driving for the first 2-3 mins.
Other issues:
Sometimes the headlight switch will not work @ night until I shut car off and restart.
Radio volume control Knob "suddenly" decides to work backwards.
When temp is below 45 degrees. Car idles @ 1,100 rpm (sometimes)
Headrests decide to work on their own. \
Ocassionaly I get a bad bulb warning light when all have been replaced and are fine
I bought car with 271,000mi on it . Paid $1,500.00 It had a clean carfax and was dealer maintained. So far I have put another $1,600 I have had 4 previous MB diesels and this one will be a keeper.
The previous owner died when he crashed his own plane on take off.
Mine acts like its haunted.

Zulfiqar · #19 11-25-2011, 12:38 AM

^^^
I would suggest you check all the fuses in the fuse box - and replace them with copper ones if they are the original corroded ones, for the headlamps and dash lights check the OVP relay and ignition switch wiring for corrossion, The radio knob is a known fault in these stereos - its repairable. But mostly people opt for a different stereo anyway.

stcbenz83 · #20 11-25-2011, 12:43 AM

Thanks guys for the reply!!
**My situation wasn't quite so straight forward as some of your post suggest. So pay attention!!

Recaping: SOMTIMES, not all the times, in the morning my glow plug light would not come on no matter how many times I turned the key (hoping the light would come on). With this issue, no GP light, no Glow functioning.. However I later found out that I could get the light to come on(and have Glow) if, when I have no GP light I simply bumped the starter (not starting it) turned the key back to the off position then back to 'pre-glow' and the light would come on and I would have glow plugs (easy starting Vs. rough without). some things to point out here
1. NO, my glow plug light DID NOT come on after I started the car or, while I was driving.
2. No, i had no other strange symptoms in regards to electrical components, other dash lights, or anything that would indicate bad wiring or something else

As luck would have it, another forum member was having a similar issue with his GP system on his 95 OM606.

I should mention I spent a week straight looking through threads, browsing the web for any info or come across someone with the same issue.

Anyways back to what I was saying

the other forum member suggested the water temp sensor as his likely cause for his issue. Later i found out that the water temp sensor is part of the GP relay on the 1995 E300D's.

being that I narrowed the issue down to either the GP relay or the WTS, I decided to go with the cheaper part

and hope it would fix it. WTS=$35ish, GP relay =$150-$200ish.

Just got it all back together.. hope taking the Intake manifold off get's easier with practice!! usually sitting over night will give me a no GP light when i go to start it.. this was sitting for 2 days and, turned the key and BAM, GLOW PLUG LIGHT

not only did I get the GP light but, the 'glow' actually outlasted the buzzer!!

I realize now that before I did the repair the GP lamp was going out way way to soon, half way between the time i turned the key and the buzzer going out no matter what the temp (about 4 secs +/-)
.

So the problem turned out to be that water temp sensor.. Odd thing is, the old sensor still functions correctly from what I can tell with my meter. though I don't have a guide to what specs are, it was still responding to cold and hot.

Anyway, the real test is tomorrow as I pulled it out of the garage and it's sitting outside tonight.. Should know if the repair is %100 by first start tomorrow

stcbenz83 · #21 11-25-2011, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottomatic

I have a 95 E300 Diesel. Car sat unstarted for 5 years before I bought it. When I turn key on I also get no Glow plug light. Also if I do not wait until the buzzing stops when key is put in ingnition until I turn key, all the lights (SRS, ABS, etc. ) start blinking. However If I turn it off and restart all is fine & sometimes the glow plug light works
My glow plug light comes on intermittently while driving for the first 2-3 mins.
Other issues:
Sometimes the headlight switch will not work @ night until I shut car off and restart.
Radio volume control Knob "suddenly" decides to work backwards.
When temp is below 45 degrees. Car idles @ 1,100 rpm (sometimes)
Headrests decide to work on their own. \
Ocassionaly I get a bad bulb warning light when all have been replaced and are fine
I bought car with 271,000mi on it . Paid $1,500.00 It had a clean carfax and was dealer maintained. So far I have put another $1,600 I have had 4 previous MB diesels and this one will be a keeper.
The previous owner died when he crashed his own plane on take off.
Mine acts like its haunted.

Ottomatic; your issue sounds very much like your harness is shot.. This is very common on the 1995 and cost a lot to have repaired. Which I assume is why it was parked for so long? anyway the tubing that the wiring is encased in on these cars is bio-degradable and degrades to quickly causing all sorts of electrical issues.. only cure is to replace the whole wiring harness.

your car is NOT suppose to idle that high!!! These cars have no 'high idle' function and though it would be nice when cold, your car should be idling @ around 600-700 RPM. 1,100K is way to high.

ottomatic · #22 11-25-2011, 08:09 AM

Car sat because the widow could not make up her mind on wether to sell it. I knew it would be an uphill battle when I bought it.
Where can I find "copper" fuses? Who sells wiring harnesses?
Also are the smallparts from an 82 300 TD. Such as : Blower motor , headlight switch, window switches, ETC interchangeable. I have an 82 300TD which was rear ended.
(Which I will be parting out, palimino interior & cream colored exterior+ euro headlights, 217,000 mi on it.)

BTW how do I tell "early" 95 from late. Vin #?
I have an "early" 99 7.3

Chris W. · #23 11-25-2011, 10:11 AM

Copper fuses can be found on ebay.

Here is an example - no connection whatsoever with the seller.

Mercedes Ceramic Fuse Set NEW GERMAN 8-16-25 amp set | eBay

Wiring harness is dealer only, although some very dedicated folks have rewired their own I wouldn't suggest it unless you have some particular mad skilz in that arena.

I'm not aware of an "early" vs. a "late" 95 E300D.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 355K

stcbenz83 · #24 11-25-2011, 10:19 AM

Not 100% but, i would say no, the parts on a w123 (82) will most likley not fit with a late mod w124.

Zulfiqar · #25 11-25-2011, 10:32 PM

high idle in very cold weather is caused by the cruise control unit arm connecting to the pump, pop out and grease it, If your idle still jumps to 1000 rpm - your 4 wire coolant sensor wiring is shot or the sensor is shot - my car had new wiring and had 1000 rpm idle, I had to replace the sensor and all worked after that.

Preventive maintenance of the wiper is easy on this model, remove the part which covers the allen screw on the wiper and then unclip the large plastic clamshell to remove it, grease the two sliders and protuding rod - its good practice to clean and regrease this system every year to prevent costly wiper motor repairs.

Be sure to replace the dust filters underneath the wiper system or you will cause high amp draw by the blower motor and may blow that annoying 30 amp strip fuse.

ottomatic · #26 11-25-2011, 11:14 PM

Stcbenz83; thanks for the heads up on WTS.
Chris W. for fuse link
Zulfigar cruise control arm & wiper . I just recieved 2 cabin filters from Peach.

Stcbenz83 Were the intake runners cruded up from egr?.
I deleted egr in my DMax. & was wondering about MB

The Gears · #27 02-28-2012, 10:05 PM

I had this exact same problem on my 84 300SD.
To define the problem I placed my hand on the relay case while my wife turned the key on. Yes I could feel the relay engage,but no light or glo.
Next, I gave the case a light tap with a screw driver handle and the light came on. I think when you bumped the starter that was enough shock to make the relay contacts close completely.
My cure. Remove the relay from it's case. Draw a fine sand paper strip through the points to remove crud and the arcing spur. With small needle nose pliers bend the points a touch to lessen the gap. Fixed, like new.