Hey all - I've not been here in a while but just picked up a 1965 190Dc. I do not (yet) have the W111 manual but have one coming.

The car starts/runs/drives but is a project. I've always wanted a finny and now I have one. Be careful what you wish for!

Here's the issue. It will start on starter fluid but not without - likely due to cold glow plugs. Pulling the plunger to the glow position does not warm the plugs. No power noted at the firewall mounted coil spring so I'm guessing nothing is coming from the switch or potentially a relay - again no manual and no diagrams at the moment. There is continuity from the firewall connection through the glows plugs to ground. Jumping 12v directly to the firewall warms the coil and glow plugs - at least hand warm so I'm guessing I've got a power issue either to or after the plunger. Have not checked to see if when jumped there is a glow at the salt shaker.

Later MBs used a relay. I'm not sure about this one but I'm certain someone here has the answers. I'm off to chase wires but would love any hints/input to save me some time under the dash...

Thanks in advance!

Oops. W110.

Follow-up:

I powered up the glow plug circuit at the firewall ceramic/coil fixture with a jump lead. 10 seconds and pulled the starter. Fired right up so the glow plugs are good (or at least mostly). Does anyone know if the 1965 version uses a relay or is the plunger a stout enough switch to make the circuit directly?

Wish I had a manual/wiring diagram! Anyone got a pdf to share?

Thanks!

No expert but I don't believe any of the cars with the "Salt Shaker" interior resistance coil have a relay.

The attached pic is for a 615 engine. The earliest ones used the Shalt Shaker and there is a wiring diagram of the system #5 in the diagram is I believe the the Salt Shaker. There is no relay.

It could simply be that when you pull the knob that over all of these years the switch the Knob pulls on is simply burnt out and non-functional.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

You may want to eventually upgrade to fast start pencil glow plugs.
It may save you some trouble in the long run.

Google "DSL-EARLYGOR-4" for Kent's kit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anyIzllzbW0

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78 W116 300SD 'Desert Rose' new as of 01/26/2014
79 W116 300SD 'Stormcloud' RIP 04/11/2022

With your present glow plug system if one glow plug burns out they all stop working and as you noted in your case you cannot start with out the either. The adapter glow plugs get much hotter and hotter faster and they are wired differently (throw away the ground strap on the present system) and if one goes bad the rest keep working.

I don't know what is in Kent's kit but My notes have the Mercedes number for that adapter glow plugs as 0250201044 and the Bosch Number as 80035.
Monark and Hueco (Huco?) also used to make the adapter glow plugs (Bosch and the mentione companies also used to sell more then one version of kits some more extensive then others).
Most people on the Forum had used Bosch so I have not read feed back on if the other companies are any good or not.

Simple enough to make your own jumper wires for the Plugs. The Bosch Plugs may not come with the little nuts so you would need to find them.

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__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

SOLDER those terminals ! .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Hey all. Thanks for the replies and the information. My glow plugs all work and jumping power to them at the firewall-mounted coil for 8-10 seconds allows for an easy engine start. My research appears to show the power comes off the headlamp switch then goes to the plunger switch, the salt shaker and then to the glow plugs themselves. I assume the break is at the headlamp switch - seems others have experienced that in the past as well.

I've seen the pencil type glow plug videos online and while I'm not going to change mine out yet I am going to take the suggestion they make re upgrading the wiring. I've ordered a 50 amp relay and will grab power directly from the battery. For now I'll install a simple lighted rocker switch below the dash. When I have a bit more time and ambition I'll use the plunger to switch the relay. Seems a good upgrade.

I'm going to post up another thread to see if I can locate some parts. I'll also post some photos. The car almost completely original in and out and is in great shape. Needed some serious cleaning to make the exterior halfway presentable but I'm making progress.

Thanks again for the expertise!

NEEDS PICTURES ! .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I never owned one of those rocket ships. Although there was one owner that set a speed record by driving it off a cliff.

The salt shaker may have a glow plug in the series as an indicator in it. If it is burnt out it could be your issue. Also there should be a strip fuse perhaps on the firewall. Anyways easy to find the issue.

Feeding the current through the headlight switch is not likely as the system current is so high. If you live in a temperate part of the country. Keep something in the trunk to start on if a glow plug fails. They are like an old series Christmas tree light string. One burns out then they all do not work. Never test one of those glow plugs using twelve volts.

The salt shaker is by-passed with the knob in "starting position". If you see no voltage going to the ballast resistor when somebody is pulling the knob in "pre-heat" ...but voltage is present when knob in "starting",then the salt shaker is at fault(you can just by-pass it).Never by-pass the big ballast resistor on the firewall with the series type (old type)glow plugs.


There is no strip fuse on this model. Upgrade to fast-glow plugs is easy (get Bosch) .The ballast resistor now needs to be by-passes and the ground wire (from GP of first cylinder to the engine) removed. Wires need to be min.6mm2.
May want to install a small box with min.50A strip fuse before the newer type glow plugs.

Click on the link,open w115.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/3803537-post1.html

..select 220D.Engine-->Elctrical System(pre-glow). Relevant to om621's too.

How many amperes does this system draw ? .

If there's no fuse in it I'd think it wise to retrofit a 60 ampere circuit breaker.....

Maybe lesser, 50 A ? .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

From the documents:
-series type GP "The glow plugs have an input of appr.60A..." (50-55A after 15 sec. in another doc )
-parallel (pencil) GP : "When the glow system is turned on, a current of appr. 30A will flow per glow plug...the control coil heats up very quickly ...restricts the current to appr. 14A" (per GP...some report 8A ,probably depending on the type of Glow plugs).

On om621 the installation of a strip fuse is optional. Seems like om615,616 with series GP etc. had a 50A mounted on the firewall in this box:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/1235400450.htm?pn=123-540-04-50-M22
https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search_2016.cgi?command=DWsearch&description=A000+545+25+34
...or on the relay.
Don't the 4 and 5-cyl models have a 80A strip fuse for the pencil (parallel) types?

Hello again. I installed a relay on the firewall, fused it with a 30 amp fuse and connected to the ballast type coil. Installed a lighted rocker switch on the dash and have been using the 8-10 second count method with success. Likely the issue is the salt shaker or the power source to the plunger - I'll leave that surgery for another day. My temp fix will work for now.

As promised, a few pictures.

Thanks for the help!

I've cleaned it up - long way to go but you get the idea. An almost completely original car. I'm trying to save the paint. Starting to look better!

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