Not sure where you are, benzo, in a hot or warm place, but what you are describing sounds like glow plugs, or lack thereof. If you are in a cold place and your glow plugs are not working, you probably won't be able to start. If you are in a hot area, it will probably start without glow plugs but smoke for a while until the cylinders warm up.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 380K, with a bad glow plug

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