My trusty 82 300SD has been good to me. But right now she's giving me fits, sort of.

I let her sit for about 6 weeks while I drove my "new" 420sel.

Started her up, but the windshield wipers worked real slow. I figured it was because it sat in the cold for so long. Went on a trip, and the glow plug light would come on occasionally all by itself (before I let her rest, I had installed new plugs and relay - two plugs were bad and i figured I'd buy and install a kit - relay worked fine).

My power door locks stopped working before the winter, so I was going to look at them when it got warm out. They started woring, like new. I mean real quick action, better than ever, even better than the 87 sel.

The cruise, which had been working fine, started jerking and then working intermittently.

Anyway, I got to where I was going. I happened to have the old plugs and relay in the trunk, So I connected the old relay, but still had the same intermittent glow plug light (btw - the glow plugs were energized as well - the headlights would dim a bit until th relay timed out)

I also noticed the back up lights did not light in reverse.

The next morning, locks worked great again, but now the glow plugs wouldn't energize. Tried both relays, no go. Juiggled the very tight chasis ground connection behind the left headlight. Now the glow plugs worked, the locks didn't, the wipers are ok, the back up lights still inoperable, and the cruise is still intermittent.

That ground was as tight as anything could be. I'm going to cut the connector off, strip the wires back, and install a new connector, but I see no corrosion and the connection is tight.

Where are the rest of the grounds? Do all of these accessories go through those three 14 or 16 gage wires behind the headlight? Do you think these are all related, or did multiple things fail while it sat?

Or do I call a priest?

Thanks

__________________
Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

Exorcise the beast from the car. It has no right to mess with a Merc.

Seriously, you will need to deal with the issues, one at a time unless you can find a common factor. Is there a connector which is common to all or most addected systems? Use a voltmeter to check the voltage from earth points to the battery negative terminal . It should be less than 0.2V (worst case with any device operated).
When you identify the fault, let us all know, as we may need this information ourselves, tomorrow.

__________________
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.

Alas, we'll have to wait until at least next weekend - I was hoping someone would have a quick fix.

I should have time next weekend to tear into it. Unless, of course, she really becomes possesed before then. But for now, she starts and I'm sure she will get me through the next 800 miles. Knock on wood!

Will let you know what I find. I sure am hoping the door lock issue is related to all these other issues. I do not relish taking 4 doors apart because I just know whatever door I start on, and the next two, will not be the problem doors.

Does anybody know the grounding point of each of these systems?

Thanks

__________________
Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport