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  #1  
Old 04-23-2011, 12:48 AM
Wayne
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Rockport, TX
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94 S350d Won't crank

Ok, so here's what happened. I crank the 94 S350d the other morning to go to the CarQuest for parts for the GMC. Run the preglow, starts right up as always. Get done at CarQuest, run the preglow, it cranks right up as always. Go to put it in reverse (do not think it ever got to reverse) about 30 seconds after start and the car shuts down. I try to restart it and do not get any of the caution (idiot) lights on the instrument panel like normal, nor do I get a glow plug light. When I put the key to start, absolutely nothing. Everything electrical works, lights, turn signals, sunroof, radio, blower, headlights are bright, etc. So it's not an electrical failure related to the battery. All the fuses in both boxes look to be good and swapping them hasn't helped. Even fuse 17. Reckon it's as easy as an ignition switch taking a dump on me?

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Old 04-23-2011, 01:11 AM
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Could be the ignition switch, but I'd check some other things first. For starters, clean your battery terminals. Dirty ones will conduct intermittently and cause all kinds of weirdness. After that, make sure your grounds are good. A '94 model is getting to the age when ground problems start getting common. If all that checks out, then I would get out the wiring diagrams and start tracing the current path to/from the ignition switch in order to identify the problem.
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  #3  
Old 04-23-2011, 06:34 AM
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My partners 89 300d Uk non turbo right hand drive suffered no glow plug light,so a no start situation.

Only dash lights were Abs and battery light,upon turning key these dimmed.

The cause was the voltage regulator in alternator,one brush was badly worn and not making correct contact,once changed it was all ok.

I had the ignition switch electrics off the back off the ignition barrel and they checked out ok,the fault still existed when a spare block was substituted.

So pull the regulator out and check it over,it may save you removing the lower dash and a heap off work.
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  #4  
Old 04-23-2011, 12:14 PM
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I suspect that it had its feelings hurt...that you would be using IT for a parts chaser for your GMC.....
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  #5  
Old 04-23-2011, 08:15 PM
Wayne
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Rockport, TX
Posts: 87
If I had a bad glow plug relay, wouldn't the starter still engage and the engine turn over? I've it it before in those rare real cold days in South Texas where it wouldn't crank after one glow plug cycle, but did after 2. The car will not even attempt to engage the starter, no matter how long the I wait before turning it to the start position. I don't think the car is that thin skinned, as a matter of fact it gloats when it has to do the work designed for another.

Wayne
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  #6  
Old 04-23-2011, 09:29 PM
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I would think it should still engage the starter, etc... but I have no manuals for such a new car and I stopped making generalized guesses on MB because they think differently on so many issues....
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Old 04-23-2011, 10:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippy View Post
For starters, clean your battery terminals. Dirty ones will conduct intermittently and cause all kinds of weirdness. After that, make sure your grounds are good..
+1
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  #8  
Old 04-23-2011, 10:43 PM
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What is weird is that your glow plug light all of a sudden doesn't light. Otherwise I would say a starter solenoid problem but a glow plug issue would not keep the starter from operating. Yes battery connections make sure and check. Large fuse at glow plug relay check. Check cable at starter and solenoid. A bad glow plug can do this as far as the starting and no light but should not effect the starter turning over the engine. Ignition switch possibly bad.
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Old 04-24-2011, 06:20 AM
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Just a guess- but is there a neutral safety switch? The fact that you put it in gear and it died makes me think the transmision may be involved.
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Old 04-24-2011, 10:56 AM
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OVP cabling... or the relay itself... jiggle the ovp and see if it will start.
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Old 04-24-2011, 03:14 PM
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Check the voltage regulator or let the engine crank a couple of turns and then see if the glow plug light and other lights come back on.

This is what happened on my other half's car,I let the engine turn slightly and then the lights came back on and the penny dropped that the only part that could affect it was the voltage regulator (I had a spare electrical part for the ignition to play with and this and the original both showed no dash lights during checks)

The engine turning obviously drives the alternators shaft so the regulator brushes then make better contact and the lights came back on,in my case one brush was completely worn and the other bad but making contact.
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  #12  
Old 04-24-2011, 07:52 PM
Wayne
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Rockport, TX
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I thought about the neutral switch, tried to start it in neutral, reverse, drive, all with the same result. Nothing. I haven't had time to bypass it. The battery is pretty new,(not that that means anything) and the connections there are good. All the electrical systems,(with the exception of the warning lights on the instrument cluster) I can check with out the engine running work, so I discount a bad ground unless it it is tied to the start circuit. The only item I know of that controls all the missing lights, the glow plug circuit and the starter is the ignition switch circuit and the switch is buried. The boys in Stuttgart put alot of thought into into the installation, I think they installed it, then built the car!

Wayne
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Old 04-24-2011, 08:43 PM
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maybe the connections at the starter are corroded, you could try the starter with a remote jumper,

on a 300D85, you can jump the starter via a relay on the front pax side inner wheel fender
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  #14  
Old 04-24-2011, 09:09 PM
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Do you have a junction box in engine compartment on the passenger side (my SD does)? If so, jump the connections & see if it cranks. I don't remember if the ignition switch needs to be on. I do that when I want to bump the engine using my 35 yr old switch like we used to do when setting point gap. That will let you know starter, solenoid & wiring to solenoid are good. FSM should have details on which terminals.
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  #15  
Old 04-24-2011, 10:05 PM
Wayne
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Rockport, TX
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Don't know abput the j-box, but I'm sure there is a relay in there somewhere. I'll see what I can find. I did find out that the starter lockout relay is on the same fuse as the front cigar lighter.Found a Service Bulletin dealing with moving power to another fuse, my fuse card doesn't reflect this, so I'll have to see if it is that simple. Don't know if it would shut the car down, but it definetely will make it not crank

Wayne

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