Hi Everyone
I'm facing the following problem, and I'm happy to know such forum where I can always find the solutions.

Ok, this problem poped up suddenly. When I start my car, i hear the crank shaft spinning one strong spin, then one very weak spin then it spins strong and the car starts.

Ok, the last maintenance I did was that I had some problem in my A/C and I change the evaborator coil (This is name the mechanic told me it has leakes needs to be changed). But after this change (4 days ago) I did not experience this problem till today.

So, I was wondering could it be my battery is getting old and it needs replacement? Or it's a serious problem?

Many thanks

when my battery had been drained, and it was drained nearly every night for a while there till I found the reason, the car would give one half hearted try at starting and then get progressivly more pathetic with each successive attempt. Do you have a mulitimeter? you can check the voltage of the battery to get a sense of where you are and they don't cost more than ten bucks at a parts shop. What you are describing doesn't sound to me immediatly like a dead battery, it would get worse with every turn, i.e. slower and more pathetic like. have you ever had to jumop the car?


cdt

__________________
2002suzukiGSF600S
1985 190e 2.3

Hi Tunk
Ok, now for jump start, I did a jump start for a friend of mine (He has a 4 wheel drive and his battery seemed to be dead). But that was like 2 weeks ago, but i experienced nothing!!

Currently, when i start the car, as i said I hear the engine tries to start, and the first run is good, then the second turn sounds very week and in the third turn the car starts. (This is what i hear in one start).

Now, i can arrange a multimeter, but isn't it what's important the current rather than the voltage? and what is the appropriate voltage reading?
Many thanks

Getting the battery tested is a good idea, sometimes in larger cities shops will make you wait around for a while to do the free service, and on weekends you can forget it. but if you have a good shop you know and they can do it for you quickly than by all means go for it. but for a two second quick look you should be able to use a multimeter to see what the voltage of the battery is with the car off. if its less than a 9 volt battery than the decision to go get the battery tested and probably replaced is a good call. If its up right at 12... And with the multimeter you should be able to check the battery with the car running to see if the charging system is doing its job. If the charging system isn't working than you can focus on that. Its tough because we can't see the car but... you have written that the car always starts. That doesn't sound like the bad batteries I've had: a really bad battery is going to have left you stranded, most likely after sitting all night following only a brief around the block ride.
you should have a multimeter anyway because... you'll want to know- if it is your battery that has gone bad- what if anything other than simply time and weather caused it, and for that you will need a multimeter.


cdt

__________________
2002suzukiGSF600S
1985 190e 2.3

Thank you all for your contribution in trying to let me know what's the problem.

I have done a test guided by your posts. I have tried to start the car several times one after another. I know that the car requires a lot of AMPs to start, so, as you mentioned in your postings, if it was a bad battery, then It would not start after doing multiple restarts. But the battery passed the test!

Now, one thing that I must have mentioned before, the battery comes with an indicator that has a green color when the battery is Ok, but it turns red when the battery gets bad.

Now, I don't know, a friend suggested that it might be a problem in the STARTER. So, what's the starter? and is it an expensive part?

Have you ever seen those people starting a boat engine by pulling on a string several times? Thats what a starter does and its relatively expensive.

What model mercedes are we talking about here? You see the fact that you gave someone a jump bothers me.

Hi Yal
Well, I have E220 1993
From the way u described the starter I tend to believe it might be the problem cause this descripes the sound I hear.
You now the normal sound was just to hear the sound of the engine as u pull the string, but it fades then engine starts. It reminds me with very old cars that used to be run by rolling a shaft Or old planes when they used to run then by spinning their fans

I don't know if you agree with me, but after I did the jump start for the guy, I didn't face a problem!! I just faced the problem after 5 days! I'm not an expert but i'm trying to think in logical way!!

Its always best to check check the complete cranking/alternator output system with a VAT machine or equivalent.This will take the guess work out of the equasion. You can properly load test the battery separately/check the starter draw/check the alternator output and even check for a parisitic drain all with one machine and save yourself a lot of money in unnecessary parts.Starters for a good one are expensive and can be difficult to install depending on the application.The VAT machine will also let you know if the battery cables/terminals are corroded.Any good auto repair shop will generally have a machine of this type and it doesnt take long to come up with a diagnosis by using it.
Hope that this helps.
Phillip
1999 C43

hello

this fast slow fast is also created when the timing is way advanced. i can make my 72 do this and all my other cars i've ever had that it's timing is advanced or retarded by turning the distributor. but i don't know if your engine uses the dist as your timing set. i understand some do it electronically.

generally speaking as a battery loses charge the speed or cranking slows till the engine won't spin. a very low battery with just enough juice will make 1 crank then almost nothing then another crank till it won't turn at all.

before you turn it over put a vom meter on it to read the available volts. a good battery should read about 13.5 vdc. then after it is started do it again and compare the 2.

if in doubt go to advance auto or autozone and they will test the battery for free maybe your charging system as well.

good luck

__________________
Thanks Much!
Craig

1972 350sl Red/Blk 117k
1988 420sel charcoal/Blk 140k
1987 420sel gold/tan 128k
See My Cars at:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aytj/index.html

Pound it to fit then Paint it to match!

There is only First Place and Varying degrees of last!

Old age and deceit will overcome Youth and Enthusiasm every time!

Putting the square peg in the round hole is not hard... IF you do it fast enough!

Old enough to know better but stupid enough to do it anyway!

The symtoms indicate a starter that is dragging, that is, it is still functional but needing more amps than it is designed for to start the engine.

I find no starter amp draw data for a 93 E 220 ?

Thanks for everyone who's trying to help
Well till now, i'm facing same problem, yet I didn't make sure the battery cables are tighten, but this thing for sure i'll do.

I have a question for Inspector1. How can the starter draining more AMPs now? I mean the car was normal, and it's all of the sudden having these symptoms! I would have expected this symptom if the battery was changed, or starter was changed. Am I right? Or I might be missing something!!!

For the 1993 E220, I guess most the books in US are for US & North American models. Mine is European model. Maybe this is the reason. It has W124 Engine.

A new starter is designed to draw X amount of amps to overcome the inertia of the armature when at rest and energize the starter drive.

As starter ages, and think about how much use a starter gets, it gets dirty with metal fillings, dirt etc which decreases the conductivity of the armature, thus making it draw more amps.

One way to test the starter amp draw can be done if you have a voltmeter with an inductive amp lead, or intrusive lead. Connect the VM to the (+) and (-) terminals of the battery, then clamp the inductive amp lead around, or insert the intrusive lead into the neg wire of the battery. Disable the ignition and crank the engine for about 15 seconds.
Watch the VM readings and the amp draw. Voltage should not drop below 9.6 Volts and amp draw should not exceed specs. THE SPECS FOR AMP DRAW is what I cannot find for your specific vehicle. What a pain...in fact I cannot find any specs for MB starter draw????

Good luck