I have a 77 240d automatic and it was hard starting until I changed the glow plugs. Had never done it before but it was easy.

Found that one glow plug was bent badly, apparently by the mechanic that had changed them years ago. It was a little hard to get out because it was hard to get a wrench on it.

Anyway, it now starts immediately. Maybe one or two revolutions at most. It has a little over 213,000 miles on it.

This would be a cheap fix to try.

I would also suspect GP's normally, but it was doing it when warm then there may be other problems. Could be anything from bad fuel to low compression. Don't you hate answers like mine. :p

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'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

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pj,

Did you wait anytime for the GP to heat? How long after the engine was shut off (hot) did you try to restart it?

However, if you tried to restart the engine immediately after it was shut off, It should start immediately with out waiting for the GP to heat.

Whats more important though, is how it starts when cold.

P E H

Actually I dont mind ambiguous answers. The car had been sitting for about a year before the current owner bought it with the idea of fixing it up. But he decided it was more than he wanted to take on and bought another car. He had replaced fuel lines, drained and cleaned the tank, worked on the breaks and front suspension and had just bust something in the vacume system before I went to see it so he was trying to figure what it was he'd done to stop it switching off with the key. Quite funny actually.

I was actually being driven home in my KIA dealers courtesty shuttle after having my 02 Kia Rio POS towed in because it's fan fell off!!! when I saw this 240D for sale in a yard. I figured I've really had enough of the Rio which I have decided is a re-incarnation of a Yugo and out of desperation did what I'd swore I'd never do again. Namely, investigate a Mercedes before having the cash immediatly available.

Now I'm enduring the mental anguish of trying to figure out how to come by the money by honest means...

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Get 3 diesel nuts in the same room and you will always hear 5 different opinions ..... and just how fast is the cranking speed? If the starter motor and/or battery are tired then that's another factor.

Maybe check the glow plug relay or the 80a fusible link on the firewall?

__________________
2002 500SL(Black/Black)
1992 300SE(Black/Black)
1992 190E 2.3(White/Navy)
1999 VW Jetta TDI(Pearl Green)
1986 SAAB 900 Base 3 door(White)
1983 Porsche 911SC(Chiffon)
1977 VW Scirocco(DiamondSilver)

Yeah but that fusible link is a start/no-start deal which shouldnt slow down the starting. When my fusible link corroded away I bypassed it with bailing wire so I could get to the dealership for a $2 replacement part.

PJ, something else that nobody has mentioned here is valve clearances.... If valve clearances are off, this will directly effect hot start performance. Hell, that's probably the first thing I'd check on any car that I just bought.

- ask a vague question and you will get vague replies. Is the glow plug light doing anything funny? If the car is hot, it should only come on for a second or two..... if cold, then it should stay on for awhile and then go off.

And never buy a diesel you havent started when it's stone cold!! I once walked away from looking at a car without even starting it. Putting my hand on the hood told me the seller had warmed it up before I got there. Said to the seller that I'd be happy to come back in a day or two when the car was stone cold.