On my 96 E300D, I've since recharged the battery and it just cranks over and over but won't start. Did I fry something by leaving the key in the furthest right position? If I can eliminate any electrical damage I can start to look elsewhere.
Thanks,
Matt

I've proceeded with the supposition that the electical is intact. One variable is that the fuel gauge is reading just below the first reserve mark and the car is sitting on a slight upward incline. After checking all the user friendly fuses, under the hood and by the battery under the rear seat, I removed the fuel filter. It was not brimming to the top full, and since I had a few extras, I replaced it, but filled it with fuel before doing so. I also put the remaing fuel left in the gas can into the tank(about a gallon). After approximately 3-4 times of 20 second cranking, it fired up. I guess I'm wondering what happened initially to create this inconvience. The only thing I can figure is that when I tried to start it with the low battery, it might have flooded the cylinders with fuel? The other possibility is that it was low on fuel? In any case it's back on the road.
Matt

My car occasionally does that also. After a short drive, it'll struggle to start like you described. Couple times its stalled and won't start right away. Sometimes playing with the OVP will start it up like a charm. The good users of this forum has told me its time to change the OVP, so perhaps you might have a similar problem to look into.

Thanks for the info, where was the OVP on your car?

Years ago, I had a Saab 96. I left the key on for hours one time and fried the coil. Don't know if that still happens with newer elec. systems.

I discovered it (after it wouldn't start) because I happened to smell something hot and when I touched the coil, it was very hot.

Then I read somewhere that coils can do that.

**EDIT**

Whoops! I thought your car must be a gasser since this post is not in the Diesel section. Never mind.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I would wonder if the problem has something to do with the fuel pumps being on for those hours, with a fairly low fuel level in the tank.

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Steve
'93 400E