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| osky1976 Member Date registered: Oct 2016 Location: Kansas Vehicle(s): 1990 Mercedes 250GD W460 LWB Posts: 39  | Need some advice Hello Everyone, Before I tell you my issue let me give you a little background. I recently had my 1990 Mercedes W460 LWB restored in Naples Italy. I'm in the U.S. Army and recently had my G wagon shipped back to the states. As I was dropping it off the agent that was checking over it turned the vehicle on without waiting for the glow plug light to go out. It was upsetting and had to explain to them how to start a diesel truck. Again there was no issues with it when I dropped it off, It has the 250GD 24v engine system and again no issues with it whatsoever. I got a call yesterday that its ready for pickup but for some reason its not starting up from what the shipping company is saying. They also mentioned that they are following the instructions I left on how to start it. The Glow plug light does not come one and they can not start it. Besides the security key that gives it power or cuts power from it I don't know what else they can try, can anyone offer some advice on what I can tell them to try? I'm open to any advice at this time and I cannot pick it up because I'm gone to school for the next 3 months so I have my brother picking it up for me. | ||
| #239636 |
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| FrogWagen Member Date registered: Nov 2008 Location: Provence, France Vehicle(s): G300TD LWB Posts: 18 | RE: Need some advice Hi there Osky1976, You really need one of the true experts on this forum to chip in = 'Harold' for example. I usual I bow to their extra knowledge. However, as I can see you are in a fix, as I'm semi-technical and have owned a 300TD in France for 10+ years I'll give you my view in the hope it may help. I have a 300TD and some years ago the 'glow-plug heater' dashboard lamp stopped working. Like you it was concerning but as my car is a 2000 model it's pre-LED so I figured the dashboard lamps are probably of the old fashioned incandescent filament type and don't last forever. I took it to the Mercedes dealer who said it's a costly job just to change a bulb as it requires a dashboard strip down. Anyway I wanted it working so they agreed to spend a minimal amount of time on it. When I collected the car they said that hadn't been able to rectify the broken bulb problem, but that they were sure it wasn't the bulb. They went onto say that they'd checked the glow-plug circuits and they were all working properly and that I should just turn the key an wait ten seconds or so for the heaters to do their job, then turn the engine over. I've been following this routine for some years now without and issue. My car starts first time every time (assuming the battery is charged and in reasonable condition). It gets pretty cold in the winter where I live an my car is only under a carport, however it still starts every time. Now I'm going to make a comment here that I hope helps you, but I'd still hope one of the experts jumps in to confirm my view: My understanding of diesels is that the engines have a much higher compression ratio that petrol engines. i.e. the volume of air & fuel that is compressed into a small space when the pistons rise from their minimum (lowest point) state to their highest point state is large. So a big volume of air is compressed into a small volume. Its this compression that causes enough heat to ignite the diesel fuel. When the engine is cool or cold, the engine needs a bit of help to get this process going - hence the pre-heater glow plugs. These pre-warm the cavity (cylinder), before you start the engine, such that the first time the piston rise and compresses the diesel/air mixture, it's already hotter than it would have been. What I'm trying to say is that, if you observed someone trying to start you engine without using the pre-heat function, provided the engine starts - then it makes no difference to the engine what so ever if the glow-plugs were pre-heated or not. I can see no reason why any harm would be done. I've come across diesels in other situations (non-auto) where there is no pre-heat function and no glow-plugs installed, in these engines there is a 'compression release' lever. To start this kind of engine, you pull the lever which effectively opens the cylinder to the outside world (so no compression builds up), you then turn the engine over with the starter button for a few seconds for it to get up to speed (and momentum built with the flywheel) you then release the 'compression lever' and the momentum + continued energy input from the starter motor is enough for the compression to kick-in and ignite the diesel full. The engine then fire and you release the starter motor push button. What I'd suggest you do is contact those who have your car and instruct them to try to start the car by turning the ignition on (all lights on the dashboard illuminate), leave it in this state for 10 or 12 seconds, then turn the key OFF (yes without ever turning the engine over on the starter). Then turn the ignition on for another 10 to 12 seconds - this way (assuming your glow-plug pre-heat circuit is good + battery is charged) you know that the cylinders are pre-heated (even without the dashboard pre-heat bulb working - I'm assuming like mine it could just be the bulb). With luck this procedure which is what I've used for years works for you. I hope this helps - it's simple but works with mine. Good luck and do post how you get on. FrogWagen | ||
| #239637 - in reply to #239636 |
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| H1LM002G55 Expert Date registered: Mar 2010 Location: S Florida / Geneva / Jeddah Vehicle(s): 500 GE, G55, LM002, H1 Posts: 1796  | Re: Need some advice Maybe the battery is dead??? | ||
| #240130 - in reply to #239637 |
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| Otiswesty Administrator Date registered: Jun 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213 Posts: 3006  | Re: Need some advice It would be by now | ||
| #240132 - in reply to #240130 |
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| H1LM002G55 Expert Date registered: Mar 2010 Location: S Florida / Geneva / Jeddah Vehicle(s): 500 GE, G55, LM002, H1 Posts: 1796 | Re: Need some advice I assume this is the case from having taken a month or so for it to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S. Assuming you didn't fly it ;-) | ||
| #240138 - in reply to #240132 |
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