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  #1  
Old 10-26-2008, 08:38 PM
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I need some starter help

Yesterday my daughters 80 300d 123 wouldn't start. The lighit were all bright and it wouldn't jump. I tapped the starter and solinoid and it started up instantly. Today no start again so I pulled one off of a parts car I have that has been sitting up for 2 yrs. For a split second it turned then stoped. I tapped that one and nothing. Could there be something I'm missing or is it possible the old starter was to old. Any Ideas before I have to get a new starter. Thanks Ray The glow plug relay fuse is good


Last edited by ray m; 10-26-2008 at 08:40 PM. Reason: more info
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  #2  
Old 10-26-2008, 08:46 PM
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Try jumping terminals 1 and 3 in the junction box on top of the right fender in front of the battery. If it works, you have bad connections somewhere, probably in the ignition switch.
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  #3  
Old 10-26-2008, 08:47 PM
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Is there fore-aft slop in the shift lever? If so, maybe the problem is the shift lever isn't disabling the neutral start inhibitor in P and N. Could be a bad neutral start inhibitor.

Can you check for voltage at the solenoid while someone turns the key?

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  #4  
Old 10-26-2008, 09:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Try jumping terminals 1 and 3 in the junction box on top of the right fender in front of the battery. If it works, you have bad connections somewhere, probably in the ignition switch.
I went outside to check and
My 80 300d 123 does not have those connections. My 300sd 85 does but not this car . Are they located somewhere else
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  #5  
Old 10-26-2008, 09:28 PM
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I suppose i could bring my original starter to auto zone or sometning and ask them to check it. Is there equipment good and reliable. Are there starters any good, or any of the other parts retailers have good starters. I'll try starting it in neutral like a post suggested.
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  #6  
Old 10-26-2008, 09:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ray m View Post
I went outside to check and
My 80 300d 123 does not have those connections. My 300sd 85 does but not this car . Are they located somewhere else
Perhaps. On my 79 W116 they are under the battery tray.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13
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  #7  
Old 10-26-2008, 09:44 PM
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You can test your own starter with a set of jumper cables.
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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13
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  #8  
Old 10-26-2008, 10:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
You can test your own starter with a set of jumper cables.
I tried the Start in neutral to see if it is the neutral safety switch and after a few times it turned over in neutral after a jump. I'll restart a different post to get info on the n.s. switch.

Last edited by ray m; 10-26-2008 at 10:54 PM.
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  #9  
Old 10-27-2008, 02:04 PM
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I've got a similar situation I am trying to find. Brand new battery, battery has a full charge. 3 out of four times everything starts just fine with engine "firing" immediately. 1 out of 4 times I can hear a click that sounds like the starter relay but nothing happens. Then I immediately do another glow plug cycle and the engine starts just fine.

The PO did mention the problem before purchase and he suspected the starter relay but had never spent any time tracking down the problem as it would start on the second try. The problem appears to be more prevelent if I try the starter immediately after the glow plug light goes off but the problem is random enough that I am not sure whether this is a good correlation. The relay looks fairly new, though.

One hypothesis that I have not yet tested is that the GP relay is sticking. Assuming that the light is trigged by the input side of the relay, not the output, the light would go out but the GPs would still be pulling enough current to not allow the starter to engage. This would also explain that supposedly the problem does not occur when I wait longer after the GP light turns off.

Since I can hear the "click" of the supposed starter relay I am assuming that both it is good and that the ignition swith is good but if the GP test turns up nothing I'll test those items next.

I'll post my results on this thread.

Edit: PS battery connections cleaned and ground connection cleaned.

Last edited by Gene Horr; 10-27-2008 at 09:05 PM.
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  #10  
Old 10-27-2008, 02:12 PM
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Next time it happens try using a jumper cable and attach one end to the neg. side of the battery and the other end to the engine, doen't bother with the pos. side. If this works then you have a bad ground from the body/neg. side of the battery to the engine.
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  #11  
Old 10-27-2008, 03:20 PM
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He said tapping it worked. Typical onset of colder weather, the grease in the solenoid is all gunked up from road dust, cools a bit and gets sticky. See if tapping the starter works again.
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  #12  
Old 10-27-2008, 05:31 PM
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Sounds like starter solenoid to me.
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  #13  
Old 10-27-2008, 08:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by winmutt View Post
He said tapping it worked. Typical onset of colder weather, the grease in the solenoid is all gunked up from road dust, cools a bit and gets sticky. See if tapping the starter works again.
Tried tapping again but nothing. That's why i changed it out with one from a parts car I have.
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  #14  
Old 10-27-2008, 08:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil View Post
Next time it happens try using a jumper cable and attach one end to the neg. side of the battery and the other end to the engine, doen't bother with the pos. side. If this works then you have a bad ground from the body/neg. side of the battery to the engine.
Usually a bad ground will cut all lights etc. Will this be the reason it starts in neutral only.
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  #15  
Old 10-28-2008, 10:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ray m View Post
Usually a bad ground will cut all lights etc. Will this be the reason it starts in neutral only.
No not if it is just a bad ground to the engine but the body is still grounded ok. The reason I suggested this is I have seen cars with a loose ground and a little bit of shaking (hitting the starter) was sufficent to get enough ground to start the car. I'm not saying this is common but it does happen.

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