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  #1  
Old 10-07-2007, 03:24 PM
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Question I don't want to replace my starter!

A friend of mine and I just got a 82 240d up and running, after it had been sitting in his driveway for over a year. It started great, ran great...we gave it a diesel purge and were up and running.

Course, fairy tales rarely come true with an old benz that's been sitting. The starter had a strange whining sound, which has been drawing out slower and slower. Until today, when nothing (not even a click of the solenoid) happened. The battery I have in there was just charged up completely.

Side note: The car has been draining it's batteries as well. The wiring to the alternator is somewhat suspect with lots of taping, and the wires are resting on the motor mounts. However, I'm assuming this is a separate problem (???)

The question: Dammit, do I have to replace the starter? Is there anything else I need to do to be certain it's toast? It sounds like a hell of a job.

Thanks!

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1976 300D 217k...an old car needin some love. (GONE OFF TO RUSTY CAR HEAVEN)

1982 240D probably something like 190,000 miles...was Old Yeller, but I changed the name to Buttercup
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  #2  
Old 10-07-2007, 03:29 PM
pawoSD's Avatar
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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Nah, replacing a starter is exciting! I just did it on our '83 300D.....only took about 10-11 hours! We used an autozone rebuild, and it works excellent. $99 out the door and they had it in 1.5 days. It has new brushes, bearings, new solenoid, and was properly greased and looks great. We had him run it at the store to prove it was a good one, and it ran smooth and powerful. Cranks the engine over 2x as fast as the old one! (which had dead spots and you had to beat on it half the time to get it to work)
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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)
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  #3  
Old 10-07-2007, 03:31 PM
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Changing the starter on a 240D is simple, and can be done from above.
My guess is you will change it and still have problems. That wiring sounds scary.....
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'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Last edited by JimmyL; 10-07-2007 at 09:24 PM.
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  #4  
Old 10-07-2007, 04:05 PM
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Sounds a lot easier to change out than the five cylinder. If you can access the bolts in the clear from above it is probably no worse than the average starter. Make sure your allen key bit fits well though as sometimes the top bolt is really tight. Also make sure the allen bolts are cleaned ouit and that you bottom in them. Even if it rounded out though you could probably grind off the head of the bolt. Or saw it off.
I have never changed a 240d starter but have had the enjoyment of the 300d that you have to pretty well access along the top of the transmission for the top bolt. It was harder but once the top bolt broke loose not bad at all.
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  #5  
Old 10-07-2007, 04:06 PM
toomany MBZ's Avatar
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I agree with JimmyL, don't like that wiring hack job, could be part of your problem. If you can, get a correct wiring harness, and install properly, or make sure there is no short. On a non turbo engine, the starter should be relatively easy. I had a new one installed in the SD, $65, and a couple of hours. Worked on from underneath, has to use a breaker bar and pipe extension. When I replaced the V belts on that car, I bent a ratchet wrench loosening one of the alt bolts.
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  #6  
Old 10-07-2007, 07:57 PM
xafman
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pawoSD View Post
Nah, replacing a starter is exciting! I just did it on our '83 300D.....only took about 10-11 hours! We used an autozone rebuild, and it works excellent. $99 out the door and they had it in 1.5 days. It has new brushes, bearings, new solenoid, and was properly greased and looks great. We had him run it at the store to prove it was a good one, and it ran smooth and powerful. Cranks the engine over 2x as fast as the old one! (which had dead spots and you had to beat on it half the time to get it to work)
I just last month had to replace my starter and am too old to do my own
work of that type. Had my inde replace it and furnish a rebuild starter.
The cost was just over $400, but it starts now. The wagon is excellent,
but I really need to sell it.
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1984 300TD 182,000 mi FOR SALE
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1994 Buick Roadmaster 7200 mi (actual)
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  #7  
Old 10-07-2007, 08:58 PM
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Alternator wiring mess

Thanks guys...I'm feeling better about replacing the starter, if I need to.

Also, send me a private message, you with the station wagon, and include a picture if you have one. I just might have a buyer for you.

Get this: The wires running to the alternator (and also connecting to the starter...hmmm) have been split and a fuse run between each of the two major wires. Why the hell would there be a fuse in there. According to my wiring diagram, the alternator doesn't have a fuse. I'm considering taking out the fuses (as the wires to one have almost completely split off) and connecting the wires back together without the fuses in the middle. Any good reason I shouldn't do this???

Thanks, D
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1976 300D 217k...an old car needin some love. (GONE OFF TO RUSTY CAR HEAVEN)

1982 240D probably something like 190,000 miles...was Old Yeller, but I changed the name to Buttercup
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  #8  
Old 10-08-2007, 12:02 AM
Mustang_man298's Avatar
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The car came factory properly fused, so long as nobody has altered the actual wiring from it's origional form, it shouldn't hurt. The question is, why were they put there to begin with?...was it melting wires or were they just trying to isolate a problem? Of the heavy wires, one should be for the charge going back to the battery, and the other I believe is the main feed to the ignition switch. The battery drain could also be bad diodes inside your alternator.

FYI I too have an 82.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deanna View Post
I'm considering taking out the fuses (as the wires to one have almost completely split off) and connecting the wires back together without the fuses in the middle. Any good reason I shouldn't do this???

Thanks, D
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  #9  
Old 10-08-2007, 10:29 AM
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first, an easy check for the draining battery issues is a simple fuse check. place a multimeter on the battery and note the draw, then pull one fuse at a time and recheck the draw. If there is an open circuit thats causing the battery to drain, then this may show you which circuit it is.
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  #10  
Old 10-08-2007, 12:36 PM
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If you replace the starter, put a turbo 300d starter in there... more starting power and bolts right in. I did this on my 220d... the replacement was easy... pulling the starter off a junked 300dt wasn't ;-).

If you have a local pick and pull, I think the starters are easier to pull from a 300sd (w126) than a 300d (w123).
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  #11  
Old 10-08-2007, 02:09 PM
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[quote=pdxwaker;1641285]If you replace the starter, put a turbo 300d starter in there... more starting power and bolts right in. Agreed.
If you have a local pick and pull, I think the starters are easier to pull from a 300sd (w126) than a 300d (w123). I doubt it. The major components are the same under hood, except for the turbo on early 300 D's.[quote]
All SD's are turbo charged, not all D's. The turbo is the biggest obstacle in removal. The starter is "easily" removed from underhood on non turbos, must be removed from underneath on turbos.
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  #12  
Old 10-08-2007, 02:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toomany MBZ View Post
All SD's are turbo charged, not all D's. The turbo is the biggest obstacle in removal. The starter is "easily" removed from underhood on non turbos, must be removed from underneath on turbos.
On a W123 300D it can be removed from above just fine if you remove the air cleaner/heat shield/and battery and battery tray. You only need to go underneath to disconnect the wires and undo the bolts.
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Last edited by Brian Carlton; 11-24-2007 at 12:28 PM.
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  #13  
Old 11-24-2007, 01:32 AM
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I want to pull out my 300CD turbo starter and have a look. The yolk is staying out (cold/greasy). And I want to clean it up.

I have the special tool.



Am I up against anything out of the ordinary, Also, I cant find the procedure in the service manual library.
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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #14  
Old 11-24-2007, 02:31 AM
pawoSD's Avatar
Dieselsüchtiger
 
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Nope, just undo the wires, the two rear allen bolts, and the bolts on the bracket at the front of it, and out it will come, far easier to loosen the bolts and wires underneath, and then lift it out from above. You'll need to remove the heat shield, battery, battery tray, and air cleaner. It took me a long time to figure all this out, otherwise it'd have only taken a few hours.

Its way easier on a W126....I replaced the one on my dad's car in about 2 hours start to finish, all from underneath. Easy. W126 rocks!
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)
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  #15  
Old 11-24-2007, 03:35 AM
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Posts: 3,473
pawoSD, did you have the special tool above?

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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