10 years ago when I started driving a diesel full time (actually it was 10 years ago next month) we had one of the coldest winters ever around these parts, it hit -20F something like 5 mornings in a row which is unheard of. After the second morning I had to roust Angie to drive the Dakota to drag the 240D up and down the driveway to get it started I knew I needed a better system. The car would start fine down to 0F (new battery, M1 0w40 oil, new starter), at -10F it was iffy, at -20F forget it. It had a block heater but we lived on the wrong side of the apartment building so I couldn't get a cord to it.
I went to Autozone by work and picked up a 110ah marine battery and a box to put it in (which I use as a toolbox now). I'd haul that heavy bastard down to the car from my third floor walkup, hook up my 400w inverter (some people will say a 400w inverter won't do this job, they're wrong), plug in the car, go back inside, shower and have breakfast. Go out and start the car, haul the battery back inside and put it on the charger (this was a REQUIRED step) and off to work. Then one day one of the glowplugs took a dump. Rusty got me a new set next day and the weather cooperated, it warmed all the way up to 10F when I replaced them, in the dark... Marshal used to argue that you only needed to replace the plugs as they failed. I suspect he either had a heater garage or somebody to do the work for him. Now at the FIRST SIGN of GP failure I swap 'em all. -Curt Date: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 19:26:45 -0500 From: Larry T <l02tur...@comcast.net> To: mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: Re: [MBZ] '78 240D Block Heater Message-ID: <529e76c5.6020...@comcast.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Hi Gang, I guess I wanted the block heater to help start the car so I could avoid a proper fix. i broke down and replaced all 4 GPs ; (I had a new set on the shelf in the garage - duh) Normally the Richmond Va area doesn't get so cold to need a pre-heater (teens is about as bad as it gets) but as others mentioned, it's easier on a engine to pre-heat it. Unless the cost of electricity get too outrageous, of course. anyway, I replaced the 4 GPs and hit the key (waited about 15 secs.) And it started _/instantly/_. I thought the engine was basically healthy - I had rebuilt it about 50K mi ago with new pistons, cylinders, bearings, etc - everything needed to make it a new engine except for a new crankshaft and was very pleased at how easily it started once I had new GPs - i'm glad to have it drivable again.... Thanks for all the suggestions.... now, it's time for a oil change.... Larry Please Visit My AMSOIL Online Store: http://www.amsoil.com/StoreFront/default.aspx?zo=5114156 Oil Analysis Site - www.youroil.net _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
