More help please for MB diesel virgin.

[BarryG]

As I stated in another post there was no handbook with my N reg C250 auto, though I now have a Haynes manual for it!
The car has started first time on first turn of the key everytime apart from yesterday morning it was a lot colder and it wouldnt start for about 5 mins.
I am guessing the light on dash shaped like a coil is the Glowplug heater?
If correct what is the correct way to start the car, length of time to wait Etc. Also is it different in winter?
What I did was turn on ignition and wait for that light to extinguish but it was still difficult to start.
Do you touch the accelerator when starting to get the diesel flowing?
Also the car had been parked overnight on a slight incline engine higher than boot does gravity and the diesel make a difference?
How long can you actually continue trying to turn the engine over before it is detramental to the battery?
Ok they are probably stupid questions, but any help would be appreciated and simple answers for the idiot that I am, thinking that it was going to be just the same as a petrol start
Replaced the batteries in remote (£8 ) is there a way to lock the car without the central locking in an emergency? I know there is a keyhole passenger side but that only opens and closes that door.
Thank you once more in advance.
Barry

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Barry

your car should start pretty much instantly even without waiting for the glowplugs to do their thing. Did you say 5 Minutes!!!!!!!!! that is a serious amount of cranking, or did you mean to say 5 seconds?

I have seen mention in other threads of air leaking into fuel lines. If I remember rightly it is due to perished 'O' rings at certain points. This should be a cheap fix other than labour and as you have purchased from a dealer perhaps your first port of call should be his office.

Don't panic yet, I am sure you have a good car and these are just teething troubles, just the kind of fault the previous owner would have lived with if they knew they would be trading it in soon.

 

[pcman_jh]

C250 not starting

I'd put money on it being air ingress into the fuel pipes.

Change the O rings on ALL fuel pipes and the air leak off pipes that run between the injectores. Their prices are minimal, pence per O ring, but worth it.

My 1994 C250 had this problem which turned out to be the fuel leak off pipes between the injectors since they crumbled in my fingers when taking the old ones off - not a bit of problem once they were changed.

Don't pass go or look for a Plan B until you've done the above!

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

As I said, get it back to the dealer and give him the above info. That way you don't have to get any smelly diesel on your hands.

 

[Blobcat]

Injection run back tubes perishing is quite common. When they do they let air into the system which makes starting veru difficult. Quite an easy job to undertake.
As for glow plugs you can wait until the orange light goes out then start the car. If the glow plug warning light comes back on after the car has started then one or more of the glow plugs has failed. Be careful changing the glow plugs as they can shear off in the head which can be expensive to fix,

 

[BarryG]

Good info again guys thank you.
Taking it in tuesday as left hand wing mirror moves every direction but up!
only a minor niggle but surprised myself how many times I check left hand mirror without thinking. When its not there you miss it lol. Especially reversing as the back pillars are huge arent they? And the back of car being so high. I will mention the O rings when I take it in.
Your right 5 minutes was an exaggeration but certainly felt that long + I wasnt sure whether I was doing startup procedure right .
Also found out what another button on the dash does I had pressed it before and nothing happened. In between times my son had lifted the headrests in the back and all you knowledgable MB owners know what happened next I had passengers in the back and I pressed said button and everybody in the car got a shock when the headrests slammed down lol.

 

[BarryG]

One other thing the left hand heater display around the knob sometimes flashes but stops on turning on the car headlights have not found it mentioned in Haynes yet and it has stopped at time of writing this.
Barry

 

[ted lay]

give little bo peep her sheep

what about the guy who has had a c250 d for 18 months and just discovered it has ABS, think I might join bo Peep