It started - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

nuckingfuts · #1 12-07-2005, 03:49 AM

Now Im impressed. It was -17f at 9:30 pm (-20 right now.) The cedes started perfectly after sitting since 2:30pm. No block heater. (It's plugged in now).

whunter · #2 12-07-2005, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuckingfuts

Now I'm impressed. It was -17f at 9:30 pm (-20 right now.) The cedes started perfectly after sitting since 2:30pm. No block heater. (It's plugged in now).

You must be running 0W40 synthetic oil or have fantastic compression, battery and starter.

boneheaddoctor · #3 12-07-2005, 10:13 AM

damn glad its not that cold here..............would be a miricle if mine started even though I think its in great shape...I've experienced -20 F once in my life...the winter of '79-'80 It got that cold for three days in SW PA when I was in college. I don't care to repeat the experience.

#4 12-07-2005, 10:17 AM

I didn't even try to start my 617 this morning (-6 F), I just plugged in the block heater so I can use it later this morning.

vwnate1 · #5 12-07-2005, 12:33 PM

Jeezo-Peezo that's cold ! glad I moved far away from all that snow jazz .

My '78 starts right up in 40* weather , idles really rough but at least it lights off here on the chilly mornings .

Anyone here use Ether to help 'em wake up on cold days ? .

boneheaddoctor · #6 12-07-2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Jeezo-Peezo that's cold ! glad I moved far away from all that snow jazz .

My '78 starts right up in 40* weather , idles really rough but at least it lights off here on the chilly mornings .

Anyone here use Ether to help 'em wake up on cold days ? .

only if you are trying to sent it to an early grave.

nuckingfuts · #7 12-07-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

You must be running 0W40 synthetic oil or have fantastic compression, battery and starter.

New battery is all. Using shell rotela oil and I did the diesel purge last week which REALLY helped.

kerry · #8 12-07-2005, 01:17 PM

I'm also in Denver with that same -6 degrees. Wife's 77 300d was plugged in last night. Fired right up. My 85 300td is refusing to start. Spins nicely but no hint of a single cylinder firing. 9 degrees will be the high today so it looks like it will have a cold vacation for a couple of days.

This is the first time it has started when it turned over. It used to have the sticky starter problem and below about 0 degrees the starter wouldn't engage. That problem completely disappeared with no effort on my part so now I'm learning about the engine's cold bloodedness. I wonder if there's a block heater on it without a cord?

nuckingfuts · #9 12-07-2005, 01:38 PM

I found that mine had a block heater (cord not attached) in the owners manual. Turns out they installed them on all of the 603s and left the cord out. I had a texas car and the owner obviously didn't take the cord installation option. I don't know much about the 123s but if you still have the owners manual it would be in there.

#10 12-07-2005, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

I'm also in Denver with that same -6 degrees. Wife's 77 300d was plugged in last night. Fired right up. My 85 300td is refusing to start. Spins nicely but no hint of a single cylinder firing. 9 degrees will be the high today so it looks like it will have a cold vacation for a couple of days.

I don't think it's going to make it to +9 today. My wife's 240D started right up with the block heater too (then she took the Jeep to work so it wouldn't get dirty). My 300D was OK after a couple of hours of being plugged in. Just try letting the TD glow for 30-40 seconds and keep cranking for 10-15 seconds (no more). As long as the battery is in good shape it should eventually catch.

83-240D · #11 12-07-2005, 02:12 PM

i have been pluggin in the td and taking the battery in every night. -3 today, 2 and 3 respectively the previous days. i have the battery operation down to 15 sec flat.

yes roy i am careful in my disconnection process.

boneheaddoctor · #12 12-07-2005, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuckingfuts

I found that mine had a block heater (cord not attached) in the owners manual. Turns out they installed them on all of the 603s and left the cord out. I had a texas car and the owner obviously didn't take the cord installation option. I don't know much about the 123s but if you still have the owners manual it would be in there.

Unlikely....unless it was ordered or put in by a previous owner its unlikely to have it.

kerry · #13 12-07-2005, 02:40 PM

Just got it going. It's probably around 7 degrees now. Glowed it twice and spun it for around 15 seconds. No hint of firing. Immediately glowed twice again and spun it. One cylinder began firing after about 8 seconds. Kept the starter engaged and my foot down on the accelerator as it ran on one cylinder for about 20 seconds, then the rest began kicking in.
I suspect the initial attempt raised the cylinder termperatures marginally enough that the second two glows were hotter than the first two glows, getting it just over the borderline to engage the threshhold of ignition.

#14 12-07-2005, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry edwards

Just got it going. It's probably around 7 degrees now. Glowed it twice and spun it for around 15 seconds. No hint of firing. Immediately glowed twice again and spun it. One cylinder began firing after about 8 seconds. Kept the starter engaged and my foot down on the accelerator as it ran on one cylinder for about 20 seconds, then the rest began kicking in.
I suspect the initial attempt raised the cylinder termperatures marginally enough that the second two glows were hotter than the first two glows, getting it just over the borderline to engage the threshhold of ignition.

I've found that using too much throttle before it catches can be counter-productive. I usually don't touch the throttle until at least on cylinder starts to catch. Then I use just enough throttle to keep it running. I also turned up my idle a bit to help keep it from stalling when cold.

kerry · #15 12-07-2005, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I've found that using too much throttle before it catches can be counter-productive. I usually don't touch the throttle until at least on cylinder starts to catch. Then I use just enough throttle to keep it running. I also turned up my idle a bit to help keep it from stalling when cold.

I too have thought that but I just read my manual. Above 32 degrees no throttle. Between 32 and 0 hold it to the floor. Below 0 pump it three times (it doesn't say whether it should then be held to the floor or released). With only one cylinder firing, I don't think it would have kept turning mostly of its own accord, with a little help from the starter, unless I gave it a lot of throttle.