I posted about this problem a while back when I thought my battery was bad.

Basically, starter barely turns engine over. In fact it acts just like an almost dead battery would in winter.

But engine and glow plugs are good, so it starts after hardly a single revolution.

In my earlier post, I thought starter motor was just sticky, but even although car is driven daily, the problem has started again.

I fully charged the battery. I also checked battery after a stop start run when on several occasions I didn't think car would start and it was still at over 13V. On earlier occasion, I did a load test on the battery and it seemed OK.

It feels like the engine is tight or has excessive compression and hard to turn over. A/C compressor is disconnected, so it isn't that. What else would do that? PS, Vac pump, Alt? No other signs that those items are giving trouble.

Any ideas?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

If you think engine is partially seized when hot, try turning it by hand via crankshaft bolt to verify. Could be bad bushing in starter that cause the armature to jam from being off centered.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

If your battery is good, you need to verify engine strap is clean and secure, and battery ground cable is clean and secure, if still weak, swap in another starter.

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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 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Among other things, worn starter brushes will cause just that problem.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

In Boston-ese "StaaarTaaaaaH"!

Assuming we's talking about the '85 300D

1.How Many Umpity-Zump Gazillion Km on that Particular Starter since a
Major Maintenance?
I.E. Bushings,Brushes,Etc. ?
Lotsa Times Just Blowing out all the Carbonized Brush Materiel Will aid
Performance.If you're gonna "Go Into" the Casing "Do It All".

Access to a D.C. Amp Meter ("Draw") will tell you the Direct Health of the
Starter.

Down Heah, some auto parts stores have available FREE diagnosis Black Box
curbside service (Advance has a particularly Great "One Box Does All" service
That they'll happily hook up to your under hood system and it'll tell all the
Good + Bad!

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

It was replaced in about 1996 at about 210k km. Probably done same mileage since then. Maybe it is time I wouldn't mind putting a new one in regardless, but I seem to recall it wasn't a job I would want to tackle myself. Something in the way?

I have an el cheapo battery/starter/alternator tester. But need to get wife off golf course to help me again. (She would rather I was trying to fix the washing machine which won't run!) Last time engine started so quickly, I never got a good reading. Need to tie down the stop lever as someone suggested in earlier thread and retest. I have a quite good battery out of my E320, that I might try jumpering over just to be sure it is not a battery load problem.

Cables and ground are good at least at top end.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I hate working on washing machines and dryers & usually give them a quick test per professor Google then throw them away and buy another. They are little money for trouble free operation that working on them isn't worth my time.

Mechanics on the other hand charge $75/hr and are incompetent.

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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.

Both ends of ground and ground strap must be clean and tight.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I've been burning through starters pretty regularly in my swap. Thinking I need a starter blanket, but my swap also uses a Toyota starter and I think cranking that diesel is asking a lot out of it.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

I redid those a while back. They still look fine, no corrosion. But just to be sure, I ran a temporary ground from the ground strap under the air cleaner to the battery negative.

Also hooked DVM to each side of solenoid while operating remote starter. Seemed like solenoid was functional, starter was getting power, but motor did not rotate. Local rebuilder said likely bad brushes.

I could not find a Bosch SX67X here in Canada, except at crazy prices. Core charges eliminated US sources. Decided to buy an ACDelco reman Bosch from Rok. Nearby shop will install - Then at my leisure either rebuilder or I will refurb existing starter as a spare. The ACDelco rebuilt Bosch is an unknown quantity, so not expecting too much.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

If the chassis to ground strap is clean, battery cables are free of bulging from corrosion....then you may have to face the music and replace your starter...a bad starter and kill a good battery....

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My first thought was "bad starter". 210k miles is a plenty long service life.

However, it is also possible that one of the accessory belt-driven devices is bad, and that is slowing the engine during the start cycle. You would need to loosen the belt(s) to test that theory.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

"Weakest link"

- load test battery, you could have a marginally bad cell. Not bad enough to prevent normal operation or even glowing but when hit with the massive current from the starter it breaks down.
- verify the entire electrical path for secure connections - battery + to starter solenoid to starter motor, and block ground to frame (underneath drivers feet) and frame to battery -

Once this is proven then start on the mechanical causes.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

I have done the battery load test several times. It seems OK. Not 100% but still withing green on tester. Just have to do the starter load test again.

Funnily enough, today the engine spun and started normally. That's what happened when problem first cropped up a few weeks ago - problem just went away. Hard to trouble shoot! But it does point to some sort of intermittent problem. Could be connections or starter. Just have to keep at it!

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

My starter on mine behaved exactly like this, acted like a bad battery, even to the point where a jump start would help it crank fast enough to start. Battery tested fine, well in excess of factory spec, voltage was good and stayed good while cranking. Starter tested good at the auto parts house. Replaced starter and all has been well since, great cranking.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap