This week my 1981 300SD would not turn over. Glow plugs would glow but just a click when I turned to key to start it. I assumed the battery was down and put it on a charger. Later - same thing. So I wondered if it was the starter solenoid or the original starter. I rocked it back and forth in gear and it started right up. Aha - flat place on the starter rotor.

Drove around the block to charge the battery fully and parked it in the garage. Started fine again. Rotor must be in the right place.

Next day. Same problem. So I am thinking flat spot on the starter rotor and I need a new starter. Met with my Habitat houseleader at zero dark thirty on Saturday morning and complained. He said it did not sound like the starter and said the rocking in gear thing did not make sense (am I missing something - I have thought this worked for forty years). Anyway he said it sounded like a battery connection problem and suggested I check the battery cables.

What does he know? But after Habitat yesterday, before I hung up my belt, I pounded both battery terminals lightly with the hammer. I tried it and it started up fine. Three times today it started fine.

So while I am not yet convinced this solved the problem, maybe it did. Therefore Occam's razor - the simplest solution - seems to apply here - yet again. After four days with no car.

Yup... battery testing is first... then battery connections, both ends of each cable, then the ground strap between the block and chassis... then the 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 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I'll 2nd this. Thought I had a dead battery the other day she it was -5. Turned out to just be the connection on the negative terminal.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

When I lived in Atlanta (for 20 years), I learned to remove and clean the battery terminals every year and use "terminal spray". My wife once called stranded w/ our 1969 Dart. I drove over and measured the voltage at the cables dropping <1 V as she tried the starter. Moved the tips directly to the posts and >12 V while trying. Then measured 11 V drop from BATT+ post to cable. Cleaned the terminals and started right up. She didn't even call me an idiot that time. BTW, I helped build a Habitat house in Atlanta ~1985.

Bill - Seattle probably has a Habitat chapter. Give them a call and go out on a build. Good thing to do.

There's no "rocking in gear" if that is an automatic...it takes pulling/rolling the car at 20+mph to generate enough transmission pressure to move the engine itself

Your issue sounds like a neutral safety switch on the side of the transmission possibly. Messing with the shifter can get it to make contact and allow starting.

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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)