on my 83 300SD, my glowplug light is intermitant. Sometimes it works great, sometimes it comes on a second after the car ignition has been turned on, and sometimes it just plain doesn't come on at all. Until recently, i just counted till 10 and then started the car. Always started first turn. Recently, however, if the glowplug light does not come on the car doesn't like to start that well at all. it takes longer to start then when you have a brain leak and say "i forgot it was a diesel". When this happens if i give it some gas real quick it fires right up, but then i can smell it's flooded after it starts. This isn't a big problem with me being in fl and all, however during the wintertime my car will be sitting outside when the temps go into the high 30s to low 40's, and if i don't have functional glowplugs i think i may be in for some trouble. Starting hot poses now problems BTW. The car can sit for up to a couple hours and fire instantly up without the glow plug light on. This is only after the car has been sitting for quite a while. IF it's the glowplug relay i'll probably learn to live with it, i heard those are 200 bucks! Thanks in advance
Ryan

Sounds like it's the glow plug relay. They're not too expensive actually, http://mercedes.thebenzbin.com has it for it for $120. Partsshop has it too, but its a little more expensive.

The part number is 001-545-98-32

You should try and check the relay before you replace it. You should turn the key on and listen in the area that the relay is located. You should here an audible click after about 30 seconds or so. My father's 82 SD did the same thing. I checked for the sound and knew that the relay was working. If its not the relay, its the plugs. We replaced the glow plugs (total cost was around $50) and its all good now. How old are the plugs in your car?

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

i have no clue, so old i'm assuming
thanks for the tips!
R

Ryan:

You have more than two glow plugs out. With one, the light blinks, with two or more it doesn't come on at all. You can start these hot with no glowplugs at all, and the will even (eventaully) start in Florida with out them cold.

Replace all 5, save yourself hassle doing one at a time.

PEter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

would that cause the light to work intermitantly?
thanks
R