Just cools it off quicker, the engine will never be below the stated air temp. Windchill is a human thing.

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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)

as I understand it, wind chill is a 'feels like' temperature used by weatherpeople to jazz up their reports. It is a real effect on exposed skin, but not so much for vehicles.

8 degrees in Newport RI this morning and the 300D fired right up first time after the glow light went out.

over the last period of 40* weather, I changed air filter, the oil to T6 5w40, adjusted the valves (uniformly 0.05 mm tight to start with), and cleaned off glow plugs.

I managed to drop a bunch of the harness retaining nuts into the dirt, but happily discovered that they are the same as that which hold the power anntena to the body. Still 1 short, but there appears to be enough contact to get the job done

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1991 300D

Let me know if it works.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

My 85 300D did not start again this morning at 9F and acted exactly the same as yesterday. If I plug in the block heater for an hour it will start. So it's either gelled fuel (most likely) or injector nozzles need servicing. Here's the video from yesterday (took 24 hours before it showed up in photobucket). I have not serviced the glow plugs or injectors since buying the car. It did have a bad case of algae which I took care of with Startron and multiple cleaning of the primary filter.

CLICK TO PLAY!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

mine started at minus 2 with no block heater.However I add two gallon regular to a full tank diesel

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Sounds similar to mine when a tank of B99 gelled up on me at a whopping 34°F.

However in my case the block heater didn't help at all as the fuel was gelled all the way back to the tank and inside the tank. That and also, once the fuel is gelled, it needs to get all the way back to near it's pour point before it will un-gel.

Yours might just be "cloudy" and beginning to crystalize so it's easier to get it flowing again. Just a thought.

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1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

http://i.imgur.com/LslW733.jpg

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Visit the W123 page on iFixit for over 70 helpful DIY guides!

I grew up in Chicago. Mom didn't have a car and wasn't paying for a bus ride. We didn't have no stinking wind chill, just jumped in the coat, boots, hat, scarf, gloves & headed out - 2mi to school and better not be late.

The SD wasn't close to being born.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

It was about 14F outside the other morning. The newer, champagne car has been my driver lately, so I decided to crank her up. She sure does get btchy when it gets cold out! She started on the third crank and cycle of the plugs. First time was a 15 second glow and I kind of figured she would not start. Second time, I gave her a little throttle and a 30 second glow. Third time, I gave 30 second glow and full throttle. I had to hold the starter until the engine came up to idle speed. Man, she was smoky and btchy for a few seconds.

All new glow plugs, battery of unknown age but looks recent. standard 15-w40 dino oil and whatever Diesel fuel came out of the station my last visit.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

Think it got down to -20 around me here in Chicago monday night (bit late to the party here)

Had to go and drive out to go start my grandpa's 500k mile 300SD. Had a gallon of regular gas to the whole tank of diesel and it runs this during the coldest parts of winter. All I did was bring the battery into the house for it to thaw a bit, brought it back out, damn thing fired right up without a hesitation, burble or anything. Smoked for a few seconds and cleared herself right up. Synthetic oil sure seems to do wonders for this all original block. Block heater wasn't plugged in either.


My OM603 had the same story, except I use that power service anti-gel/cetane booster and didn't care enough to bring the battery inside. Just let the damn thing glow the 30 seconds it wants and it fires up like it's July.

Seems my diesels are in love with the cold. The powerstroke and duramax neighbors were strugglin.

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Allen Kroliczek
Oak Grove Autosport | Oak Grove Autosport
01 G500, 82 300TD, quite a few more.....

If my commute consists of bringing a battery inside, I'm staying home. The 603, with good glow plugs and properly treated diesel (from the gas station), should start right up.

My 300D doesn't have a block heater. It's started down into the teens with just me waiting for the GP light to go out and then waiting a few more seconds. I haven't tried starting it in colder conditions. I run Rotella 5W-40.

I used to have a 240D with considerably lower miles, but with loop plugs and a sketchy maintenance history. It would start easily and have instant heat regardless of ambient temperature with a few hours of the block heater being used. Without the block heater, it would still start but was an ordeal at anything much below freezing.

Before that I had an old (1986) Lincoln Town Car that started the same at -14 and +95.

I also have an '07 Kawasaki Ninja 650. It's a bit sluggish and slow to start below freezing, but it's never not started on me. One could argue that if a motorcycle is getting hard to start, then one shouldn't be riding one. I've ridden down into the 20's. It's cold, but it's doable with the right gear. I use Rotella 5W-40 when I change my own oil, but last service they put 10W-40 Yamalube, just in time for freezing weather. It still starts.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I haven't tried to start my 240D at all this winter. Too much salt on the roads to drive it here. My 280E fired right up when it was 4 degrees outside. Something must be wrong with me since I prefer to drive a 30+ year old Mercedes over a brand new CR-V

I'll change to lighter oil this weekend. Other than that, I'll have to drive something else if it won't start. Just gotta make it to March & the weather breaks - then we can start with the AC threads.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.