did i mess something up? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ned2683 · #16 02-07-2004, 05:01 PM

thanks a lot for all the help. i will try to jump start it like that thread said.

the clicking is not a starter clicking that occurs when u are low on battery. its just one click maybe my motor is locked up so the click is the starters initial click but the mototr will not turn?

could i have possibly locked up the motor in my several attempts to start it? ( i came back from vacation in the middle of the winter and the car is not winterized).

I am fairly good with working on cars but then again i learn a lot of stuff from reading this board. i did a bunch of searches, and i will try a lot of stuff to see what is wrong.

as far as the starter goes. i have no clue where it is. is it suppose to be between the engine and trans? i can't make anything out since it is pretty greasy in there.

oh and i did a search on hydrolock. but i was wondering how does that happen in the first place? or what could i have done to lock up the motor if it is in fact locked up? i cranked a half a dozen times all with oil pressure. and i actually got it starting one day when it was 54F. so i believe the car not starting is because it is not winterized yet.

84300DT · #17 02-07-2004, 05:12 PM

i still say try to cycle the key a bunch of times.
then try jump the screw terminals on the fender well.

would certainly be surprised if the engine was hydrolocked!@!

ned2683 · #18 02-07-2004, 05:26 PM

its like 15F over here. which means too damn cold for me to try again today

what is exactly hydrolock BTW? i hope that is it, and when it get warmer it will just start right up!

Damn, why do i like these cars so much?

i'll keep everyone posted. thanks

stevebfl · #19 02-07-2004, 06:02 PM

Hydrolocking is the event that happens when more liquid exists in a cylinder than the volume that exists above the piston.

When the piston is driven up the liquid stops it as the liquid is NOT compressable. If enough force is applied spomething breaks as the liquid will not compress.

The most common hydro lock is from head gaskets leaking coolant into the cylinder. I have seen oil and gas hydrolocks also. And I have even seen a ch126 300SD driven in a puddle till the bow wave entered the intake and hydrolocked bending a coupe connecting rods.

ned2683 · #20 02-07-2004, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stevebfl
Hydrolocking is the event that happens when more liquid exists in a cylinder than the volume that exists above the piston.

When the piston is driven up the liquid stops it as the liquid is NOT compressable. If enough force is applied spomething breaks as the liquid will not compress.

The most common hydro lock is from head gaskets leaking coolant into the cylinder. I have seen oil and gas hydrolocks also. And I have even seen a ch126 300SD driven in a puddle till the bow wave entered the intake and hydrolocked bending a coupe connecting rods.

thats what i kinda thought it was. so can u hydrolock a car with diesel fuel? like by cranking it a bunch til the cylinder fills up with diesel? i guess not since diesel is compressible correct?

stevebfl · #21 02-07-2004, 07:16 PM

No liquids are compressable, but it isn't likely you would hydrolock with diesel as there isn't close to enough liquid in each cycle for it to happen and the excess will be blown into the exhaust with each cycle.

ned2683 · #22 02-08-2004, 06:08 PM

update:

today i was cycling my keys through, and stuck my head out to hear where the clicking is from. and it appears the clicking sounds is generated from the drivers side inner fender. i like to beleive it comes from the glow plug relay.

now what could have caused this? and how does it affect the starter not engaging?

stevebfl · #23 02-09-2004, 08:13 AM

The activation of the glow relay is a normal function. If it is cycling when you are in the starter position then you probably have a bad connection or defficient battery.

ned2683 · #24 02-12-2004, 05:24 PM

well i just remembered that a day before this all happened i hooked a battery charger to it and set it to the "jumpstart". setting. and sometimes during that attempt it actually flipped the circuit in my house. i didn't think it had anythign to do with it because all my fuses were still in tact.

but yesterday i took my battery in for the shop to take a look at. and it was actually leaking so i got a brand new one. and the problem still persist. so i guess i can rule bad battery out.

i put a multimeter to the battery while cranking it to see what is going on and the battery has a 12.1v while not doing anything. 11.6-11.8v while on "glow" cycle. and 11.6v when i turned it to start position. when i turn it back i get 12.1v, and i can go back and forth and will get 12.1v and 11.6v.

i have 2 pictures i took so i can ask if these are what i think they are:

1st: are these the three wires mentioned to jumpstart the starter? so i need to cross the "blue" to the 2 left ones(same connection) correct?

ned2683 · #25 02-12-2004, 05:25 PM

and is this the starter i am looking at? i can't get my hands in there. but i only see one wire connected to it. can i put a voltage to that wire and would it turn over? assuming starter is good.

what i am trying to do is check all the connections and make sure it is the starter

stevebfl · #26 02-12-2004, 06:16 PM

Your connections look terrible. The two large wires on the right are real involved with all this.

ned2683 · #27 02-12-2004, 06:24 PM

i will take them apart to clean and put back together. hoping that it will be those bad connections. does the blue wire connection go to the starter?

engatwork · #28 02-12-2004, 06:33 PM

I was thinking the same thing Steve was. Just hope that the screw head does not twist off when you try to take it apart. Make sure you disconnect the negative battery cable prior to disassembly.

stevebfl · #29 02-13-2004, 08:04 AM

The purple wire is usually circuit 50 (starter activation at solenoid). The two big connections carry all the current for the whole car short of the starter. But you have to understand that statement.

The battery powers the starter with the cable the size of your finger. It takes that size cable to handle the current of starting. Everything else comes from there and is powered through those two leads. Your radio, your A/C, your ability to make a starter start, go through those two screw connections. Before those connections the big braided wire comes from the starter solenoid upper connection grouped with that wire the size of your finger.

You have corrosion like we never see in Florida (except from northern cars). You have the ability to have some real story telling problems with those connections. That buss bar is available from MB probably fairly reasonable. I would order one with screws (they will have to be ordered individually). Replace it and clean the wire connections with a wire brush. Some dielectric grease would do a good job corrosion protecting the final result. I don't remember what car we are talking about or I would post the part number.

ned2683 · #30 02-13-2004, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stevebfl
The purple wire is usually circuit 50 (starter activation at solenoid). The two big connections carry all the current for the whole car short of the starter. But you have to understand that statement.

The battery powers the starter with the cable the size of your finger. It takes that size cable to handle the current of starting. Everything else comes from there and is powered through those two leads. Your radio, your A/C, your ability to make a starter start, go through those two screw connections. Before those connections the big braided wire comes from the starter solenoid upper connection grouped with that wire the size of your finger.

You have corrosion like we never see in Florida (except from northern cars). You have the ability to have some real story telling problems with those connections. That buss bar is available from MB probably fairly reasonable. I would order one with screws (they will have to be ordered individually). Replace it and clean the wire connections with a wire brush. Some dielectric grease would do a good job corrosion protecting the final result. I don't remember what car we are talking about or I would post the part number.

thanks steve. i will get that done this weekend (if the part gets here) say if i were to replace a starter at a shop how much would it cost (well how many hours?, i believe the starter is about $200 at fast lane) i would do it my self, but i live in an apartment and they don't allow it here. i am just preparing for the worse case senario that my starter is dead.