I can't get this car to start on a regular basis when cold. Will someone with a manual give me the procedure?

Thanks

FYI...
We have all of the W123 service manuals on CD-ROM for sale in the PartsShop Lobby.

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Bill Wood - Webmaster
MercedesShop.com, LLC

quote:

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Originally posted by Webmaster:
FYI...
We have all of the W123 service manuals on CD-ROM for sale in the PartsShop Lobby.

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I don't need to service it, I need to START it!!!

Here I sit, mooking about the house, because I drained the battery trying to start it. Ugh!

Evan,

The only procedure there is involves:

Turn the key to the on position, observe the yellow light at the lower, right corner of the instrument panel. When the yellow light goes out, start the engine.

If this is not working there are several things you should check. On the firewall, directly behind the engine is a little black box. This is next to the throttle linkage connection at the firewall. Lift up the cover to this box. There is a metal strap that connects the two screws which are on either side of this box. This metal strap is a fuse. If the fuse is not solid all the way across, it is blown, replace it. If the fuse is in place take a volt reading at this point immediately after turning on the ignition key, not in start position, but in on position. If there is no voltage, the problem has to do with the relay system, which also includes the Thermotime switch in the engine next to the injection pump. If there is voltage, the problem is related to the glow plugs themselves. There should be roughly three volts across each plug. if there is not, there is probably one of them burned open(not likely) or one or more of them shorted to the head within its bore. This would be due to "crud" around it causing it to short against the head. If this is the case clean out the bore. DO NOT USE ANY SORT OF STEEL BRUSH TO REACH INTO THE BORE. A steel or brass brush can break off fibers which will find their way into the cylinders. Clean them with a popsicle stick as best you can. There is actually a special reamer available for this purpose, but it is expensive.

Hopefully your problem is that you are not waiting for the yellow light to go out before trying to start the car.

DO NOT GET THE BRIGHT IDEA TO USE STARTING FLUID ON THIS ENGINE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a glow plug engine, the glow plugs can ignite the starting fluid and blow everything to smitHerenes!!!!

Good Luck and let me know if you need any more help.

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Another tip for cold weather starting is to cycle the glow plugs twice before trying to start. Turn the key to "on" until the glow plug light goes out, then turn it off for a minute, then back on until the light again goes out. Hold the gas pedal to the floor while cranking, then release it slowly when the engine has started. Even if everything is in optimum condition, in really cold weather (below about 20 degrees) most diesels simply won't start without a block heater that has been plugged in over night. Hope this helps.
Colin

Don't forget to crank that idle speed adjustment all the way counter-clockwise when starting it. After the engine warms a little, you may then turn the knob all the way back to the right detent. Hope this helps!

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Rgds,
Aaron Greenberg
MB technician
Precision Motorcars, Cincinnati, Ohio
'67 250SE Cabriolet
'77 450SL
'79 6.9 (SOLD)
'80 300SD
'85 380SE
'89 420SEL
'93 300E 2.8