After an uneventful 3,300 mile cross-country trip from SoCal to Boston, as I near my return departure date, suddenly my '82 300SD won't start. I had it towed from the shopping center where it died to where I can work on it over the weekend at a friend's house. It has full battery power, lights and such are OK, but when I turn the key to the final position, nothing happens. Lately,(the past few weeks) when I tried to start it, there would be a clicking sound, then nothing. I'd recycle the glowplugs, and after a few tries(and clicks), about the 3rd try it would start up fine. After several recent Forum searches, I suspect the ignition switch innards, as the starter/solenoid is less than 1 year old, and is a Bosch reman with lifetime warranty(whatever that means). The battery is just over 5 years old, with SoCal winters, only. Perhaps it should be replaced first? I need help with 2 things:
1. To see if it is the ignition switch that has failed, I want to bypass it and hot-wire the starter. What are the two wires I connect in the fenderwell black box? I know the purple one is involved. Can anyone tell me the precise two wires to touch? My Forum searches only reveal vague, or "I forget exactly which ones..." answers.
2. If, in the end, I must remove the starter/solenoid, is their a way to do it without removing the exhaust header on my 300SD? The CD says to drop it, but steering components get in the way.
Thanks in advance,
SteveKaa
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1982 300SD 348k miles