amazing: 1 crank after sitting 1.5 years, wrooom! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

scottmcphee · #1 04-12-2016, 11:03 AM

My 87 300D got parked outside on my 3rd bay garage pad when I took delivery of a new car 1.5 years ago. The battery in the diesel was finally dead, so car sat there non-driven, not rolled around, nothing. And this explains my absence from this board for corresponding amount of time, after doing a sell-off of my 2 spare parts cars.

Checked crank oil, wet, and in range. Coolant was down, loss from external dripping somewhere, so topped up with hose water.

Costco battery goes in yesterday, and one glow and 2 spins of the crank and the sucker fired up and idled like it did the day it was parked.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G !!

Confirming my theory this is THE doomsday Armageddon cockroach survivor of cars...

Brake discs nice and rusted from weathering... so grinding sounds there and entertaining slowing for the obligatory spin around the block.

Putting the foot into the go pedal caused my usual black puff (ALDA removed) and corresponding turbo spool up to 1 bar pressure as measured on the digital gauge I installed to keep an eye on that.

This sucker wants to live another 30 years.

I just had to share the news with people who know and appreciate how good this is. And of course, now this means I'll probably get active again on this forum now that the diesel is back in the good books with the family.

zu! · #2 04-12-2016, 11:11 AM

Yaay! Welcome back Scott! I missed you

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ROLLGUY · #3 04-12-2016, 11:25 AM

I am sure many others will chime in with similar stories, and here is mine. I went to look at a 350SDL for sale on a CL ad that was sitting for a couple years in the guys garage. He ran over something that poked a hole in the oil pan, and so he had it towed home and put it in the garage for a later project. Fast forward to a little over a year ago when he decided to sell it. I showed up, made a deal and bought it. I got it cheap enough, knowing that if the engine needed replacing, it would still be worth it (99,000 original miles on the car). After getting it home, I wanted to see if the engine was seized (both the seller and I had no hope that the engine was good, having run without oil for a time before shutting it down), so I charged the battery. I turned the ignition on to see what worked and what did not, and then turned it to start. To my amazement, it started IMMEDIATELY! It was not only sitting for years, it was without a drop of oil on the sump (it had years to drain out). I shut it down right away. I then patched the oil pan with epoxy and steel wool, put oil in it, and drove it around the block. There seemed to be no permanent damage. I replaced the oil pan, and the car has been my daily driver since. Yes, I am convinced that these cars will last forever, or at least my lifetime!

scottmcphee · #4 04-12-2016, 11:45 AM

I think "the trick" for these quick starts is the IP remaining wet (full of diesel) and no leaks in the IP hard lines. Keeping this all wet inside means the first few pumps are going to do the job at the injectors and spritz.. compression takes care of the rest. Even if most of the injector lines remain wet but there's one or two dry or got air bubbles... a few good cylinders is enough rhythm to carry the rest into the dance as they come up to speed and load up with diesel.

For the record: yes, the hydraulic lifters were extra clackity until the engine filled its chambers and routes with engine oil again. I'm seeing 2+ bar oil pressure on a cold engine... so that's good to see.

BillGrissom · #5 04-12-2016, 02:37 PM

Still waiting for "The Walking Dead" series to show them find an old diesel, w/ standard transmission on a hill. That is the eternal transportation plan. 3 years into the apocalypse and they still find gas cars that start right up. Fuel injection does hold gas better than old carburetors, but the fuel in the tank would slowly boil off the lights to turn it into kerosene. The charcoal canisters can only hold a little vapor.

ngarover · #6 04-12-2016, 05:12 PM

Cold start of my 87 after a year of sitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMMQHFqf-I4

Too bad the front frame rail doomed this car. Still have it out by garage just sitting there, maybe use if for a w123/om603 project down the road

Mark DiSilvestro · #7 04-13-2016, 10:55 AM

Several years ago, I was asked by an elderly friend if I could get his '74 240D running. The car had been sitting for 5 years. I checked the fluids. Jump-starting was hopeless. So I put my 240D battery in his car. The car did NOT start on the first crank but it did start eventually and then ran like it was parked yesterday. These cars don't suffer the damage that gasahol does to carburetors.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Deplore · #8 04-13-2016, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillGrissom

Still waiting for "The Walking Dead" series to show them find an old diesel, w/ standard transmission on a hill. That is the eternal transportation plan. 3 years into the apocalypse and they still find gas cars that start right up. Fuel injection does hold gas better than old carburetors, but the fuel in the tank would slowly boil off the lights to turn it into kerosene. The charcoal canisters can only hold a little vapor.

I parked my 97 E320 for about 6 months. Battery was almost gone when I got back, the lights were flickering when I cranked it...but it started right up. No issues.

I left it running for 15 minutes to charge the battery, and went for a drive. All was well.

I realize 6 months isn't 3 years, but I should think that a gasser would start right up after a few years sitting. My dad had a 1988 toyota landcruiser that sat in his driveway for years. When he started renovating the house, he put a new battery and a bit of gas and (after many cranks) it started and ran perfectly.

Indestructible little car....I was so sad when he sold it.

Ceristimo · #9 04-13-2016, 08:01 PM

The most anti-climactic thing I've ever experienced is starting Ol' Betsie after her 8 month hibernation in the garage during our winter season.

I figured I would have to at least prime the fuel and crank for a bit, after which she would hesitantly start and billow smoke. I had my coveralls on and everything, getting ready for some dirty hands.

Yeah, none of that... Turned the ignition after pre-glow, and less than a second later she was idling as if she had last ran that morning.

I know, 8 months ain't a very long time, but still...