Well first of all to answer the question of whether or not it is in park. The car is a stick. Before I had bought the remote starter switch I could think of no other way to test the starter myself than to remove it from the car and use my 10 gauge jumper cables to excite the starter. Nothing happened. However upon replacing the starter into the car it did start the car a couple of times. So with that starter in was intermittent. Kind of anyway. I am going to have to look into this idea that I may be recieving the starters for a VW. Thanks again for all the ideas. This 240 is the family car and I hate the fact that I have to worry about my wife and kids getting stuck somewhere because it won't start.

I looked into the VW, Mercedes Switching thing. I looked at the starters from 74 all the way to 98. None of them even come close to being a match. Elliot the Mercedes Shoppe must of been pulling your leg. The starters in question would not even bolt up. Completly different beast. If you compare the starters on Fastlane you will see what I am talking about. Well the latest starter has started the 240 about 15 times since I put it in. I guess I can expcet to get about a year out of it. Thanks for all your advice and time.

MadMercedes,

Still contemplating the evidence, but if the starter you have is really a decent quality item it should last more like 7 to 15 years, depending on how you use or abuse it. Keep us posted, Jim

MadMercedes--"to answer the question of whether or not it is in park. The car is a stick. "

The factory shop manual claims that some manual shift 123's have a switch that is activated when the clutch pedal is put to the floor.... so for future reference when people are reading this thread I wanted to add that....it will give the same symptoms as a auto trans car with the neutral safety switch out...

If you do a search on starters on this board, you will find quite a few people describing similar symptoms to what you detail, but not as extreme. For many. the problem is intermittant. For instance, on my 85 300td, there is sometimes a hesitation, before the starter gives any indication of having current, when I turn the key to start. In cold weather it gets worse. I've never had these symptoms on another vehicle so it seems odd that is found repeatedly on MB diesels. Perhaps it is a result of diesel starters living a harder life, but I suspect there has to be another explanation. It sure seems to be an issue of current not getting to the starter, particularly in your case where they are testing ok off the engine.
In your case, I would probably try running a ground strap directly from the starter to a reliable ground and see if it made a difference.

Anyone else have an hypothesis that explains these widespread symptoms that seem unique to MB diesels?

Note that this thread is over a year and a half old. Apparently, leathermang has been contemplating this for a while. :o

Photographic Memory ?
 

Rick, how about the theory that I just ran across the info about the clutch switch .... and remembered him saying that he did not have a " park " switch due to having a stick... and thought I should complete that thread ? Could'ev happened like that ... didn't , but could'ev.... LOL
How about the things which could be said about someone that reads the posting dates of all the posts in a thread ? Too much time on your hands ? How is your boat floor ? Spring is almost here....

I like your theory.

As for the photographic memory, I'd say the lab is a little backed up on developing. ;)

240D with intermittant starting problem
 

Hi, I know this forum took place some time ago, but I was hoping that someone may now be able to better addredss a similar problem I am having with my 1978 240D that is having INTERMITTANT starting problems. It works fine much of the time, but sometimes won't turn over even though the glow plugs do their cycle. no click sound. If I wait &/or move the auto transmission back & forth it usually turns over after a few more tries. Sometimes this won't though .. until the next day. Most often, it won't start after I've driven it for a while. I cleaned the connections to the starter and the battery terminals. I also cheked at the transmission & found the plug from it (kill switch i think, only allowing it to start in park & neutral, a little shabby and I pressed it it better. Still have the problem. Possibilities: the ignition switch? transmission switch? or the solinoid or starter. It's cold where I live and I often have to use the starter longer than usual to get the engine going if I haven't remembered to plug the block heater in over night. Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks in advance.

When one of these starters won't even click, ENSURE THAT THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL and then use your lug wrench to momentarily short between the big nut on the solenoid and the big nut on the starter just below it. This will jog the starter and it will most likely then start, if not, do it again. This is how you can get home.

Once a starter starts doing this, if the motor is in good shape without excessive end play, a new Bosch starter solenoid will make it good as new. On a 240D, you can replace the solenoid without removing the starter. Don't even think about trying that on a 300 though.

Good luck,

I see this thread is still alive. Last post only a few weeks ago. I replced my '82 240D starter last May (11 months ago) when the solenoid kept "sticking on" (intermittantly). Got a new (rebuilt) unit direct from MB. Put it in myself. Been fine for 11 months until today. Drove around then parked at a store. Came out and only heard the solenoid clicking. No starter noise at all. Tried moving back and forth between park and the other gears to no avail. Was sitting waiting for the tow truck when I decided to try it again (about 30 minutes after the first attempt). It fired right up. It's only in the 50s (F) here today so I can't say it was real hot but the thought of a temperature related problem crossed my mind before I tried it that last time. Came home and the connection at the starter was slightly loose (I was able to tighten it a little, anyway). Sprayed some contact cleaner on the lugs after loosening them up again. Tried it several times while it was up on ramps and naturally everything seems fine. I'm just hoping that this is not the start of an annual affair each spring. It does have to crank for some really long times in the winter. Like 6 or 7 long cranking sessions. Well, that was before I replaced my 23 month old Interstate battery. I liked the idea of putting a separate ground strap from the starter to ground. Are there any other suggestions on what to try to "guarantee" (ha ha) that this won't happen again?

- Jeff