I prefer Sears Diehard.
"Sears! where else?"


David

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1985 300 D Turbo

In addition to a 123, most diesel pickup trucks should be able to jump-start an OM617.

How do I know this?

A few months ago, I was replacing the fuel hoses on my car (all leaked; I picked up a good 2 to 3 mpg with the new hoses), and used a 12 volt drop light hooked up to the car's battery (my 110 volt drop light was sitting on the boat {actually, it still is} ). When I was done, the car wouldn't crank. Hooked the truck up with jumper cables, and the car lit right off.

BTW, I rpelaced my battery with a Die-Hard shortly after getting the car, and have been real happy with it...

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Jump starting is not a big deal if you connect the cables and give it a few minutes to charge first. My 240D has been jumped twice from a 4 year old Toyota Corolla and fired right up.

The vent tube is primarily to provide an exit path for the hydrogen gas that is released under certain charging conditions. You wouldn't want that building up under you back seat.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Fully agree, also run away from any place that sells Prestolite, Tudor, Delkor. Some of the worst experience I have had is with batteries of these make.

Best deal for a MB battery is at AutoZone, even though the price went up $5. $65 for a 7 year warranty battery, that's less than $10 a year. You don't need any paperwork for the warranty, they put your phone number in their computer and it can be accessed nationwide.

Walmart doesn't sell group 49 batteries anymore.

P E H

I have jump started my wife's '82 300D, a couple of times, once from the '80 300D, twice from passer-by motorists vehicles, both with batteries less than half the size of the N88.
I have not tried this at sub-zero ('C) temperatures, and I don't wish to. We rarely get to 2'C overnight here in West Oz.

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

peh, are the autozone batteries made by johnson controls? i'm thinking about one to replace the die hard that's in there now when/if it fails..

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

84300DT,

As far as I know the Autozone batteries are made by Johnson
Controls.

P E H

thanks for the info.

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

84300DT,

I have 3 AutoZone group 49 batteries in service now in my 3 Mercedes.

P E H

The MB batterys don't cost much more than the Sears Die Hards. (for the SDL's at least) The Sears one was $99 and the MB one is $118. So I just bought the MB battery because I like sticking with OE parts whenever I can. I also think it looks and fits better.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I just keep rolling into my local Interstate Battery distributor (not dealer) and buy the group 93 (I think) battery that fits my MB. Also use Interstates on my Big Chev truck (dual batteries) and use their Golf Car batteries in my travel trailer (hence the big Chev truck). Never had a problem with any of them. Important thing is to make sure the alternator is putting out the correct voltage and enough current under load (A/C max, headlights, rear defroster, etc). A worn $25 regulator can kill a bunch of $100 batteries if you let it.

Has anyone else ever bought a Deka
battery?

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

I put a Deka battery in the wifes Jetta a while back. Works great so far... Supposed to be a pretty good battery, from a trusted source. If you don't mind making some modifications to install an Optima I say go for it. I put two in my pickup and they spin the motor faster than the Interstates did when new. You'll swear the GP's are out the motor will turn over that fast. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

My 300d has an exide. It's been in it 4 years. The car sits over winter, and has just been charged up again. Battery took a good charge and has worked good for the last month.

One man's battery is another man's nemesis. so it goes...

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71 220D 169K wrecked
83 240D 118K sweet 4 speed
91 350SDL (one of the 60% good engines) 156K
84 300d (loaner to my sister) 189K
79 300SD (partswagen)
86 420SEL partswagen
70 220d (partswagen)
68 280s GASSER!!! under construction now
85 300sd 310K miles winter beater car retired
93 300d 2.5 turbo 168K wife's car
83 280SL euro 5 speed 155K
69 250S newest project 54K