Mercedes-Benz Ponton

Here are the best directions I have found for cold starting a diesel Ponton 1953-1962.
Starting a Cold Mercedes-Benz Ponton Diesel Engine © www.mbzponton.org




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"Drain off the coolant after shutting off the engine and before using car again warm up the coolant and pour it back into the radiator."

WOW! That will make you late for work!

Do you thing there more than 1 "heating vessel" in an office?

Honey??? what did you boil the spaghetti in?

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1999 Mercedes E300TD daily driver sold at 238K miles 106K miles were mine, rust worm got it :-(
2006 Mercedes CDI new daily driver! 56,000 miles May 2016 now 85,625 Apr 2018 and Apr 2019 101,000 miles Apr 2020 109,875. March 2024 135,250

Does that manual mention bringing the battery back inside too?

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

There are better options today.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/137674-cold-weather-starting-links.html#post2048923

It does.


a.) Take out the battery and store it in a heated room.

If you read the old 1950 vintage German Betriebsanleitung/ Owner's manual, they tell you to drain the coolant nightly AND at the other end, if you think the water and coolant mix might freeze before it's used again!

Oh, and don't use river water, if you're short on water, for some reason!

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

"Pouring of boiling coolant into a cold radiator and engine involves no danger"

Imagine the field day lawyers would have today with that little tidbit in the manual

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

Reminds me of the Alaska bush pilot trick of draining the oil from the engine and bringing it inside with you.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

We used to take the 59 VW Bug battery in when I was growing up in Chicago. Install battery, start car, let warm up (heater wasn't worth a crap), kick hole in snow drift, rock car back & forth until getting out of snow drift, drive to destination, bounce car back into another hole in the snow drift. Simple.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.