If you $pend but _one_ Garage or Dealer repair on your old Mercedes Diesel each year , now's the time for it , have the valves adjusted as they greatly affect cold starting .
Also , change BOTH fuel filters and add some Power Service Diesel Fuel additive RIGHT NOW before the car begins to be hard to start . use about 4 Oz. per fillup of fuel as a proactive measure .
Pretty much any Diesel Fuel additive can be used and _should_ be used during winter .
Also , do a *HOT* oil & filter change , being sure to use a fully synthetic multi-grade Diesel rated oil with a 5W ~ or 10W rating as this too makes it easier to start on those cold mornings when you're in a hurry to get to work and don't want to fool around with a balky 35 year old Hobby Car .
If you're up to it , look at the battery , if you see _any_ corrosion or ' fuzz ' on either cable clamp , remove the battery and make sure the caps are tight , wash it in the laundry sink or bathtub using dish soap and a cloth , rinse it well and pat 100 % dry with towels before setting it aside with a pencil or whatever under one end to hold it up so the bottom dries fully .
Now , take a plastic pan of warm water and baking soda out to the car and use this with an old toothbrush to dissolve the fuzzy crap , repeat with a fresh mix as necessary until no more bubbles & fizz , then blot dry with clean towels and allow to dry before re installing the battery ,someone you know has a " crappy worthless " 1 or 3 amp. battery charger they'll loan you , this is the *perfect* one to leave on your battery whilst it's drying . low ampere battery chargers give your battery a better , fuller charge but they take longer .
Remember : there's a specific cold starting drill you should follow :
Hold accelerator pedal to the floor , DO NOT pump it nor release it .
Turn the key until the glow plug lamp comes on then wait until 10 seconds after it goes out before turning the key to the ' start ' position and _hold_ it there until all the cylinders are firing as evidenced by the engine running smoothly and gaining RPM's , do not release the throttle fully , just enough to hold it to a quick idle , release the key and now fiddle with your heater buttons , radio selection and seat belt , by this time the engine will have been running for 60 seconds or longer and you should be able to shift out
of Park and drive off .
DO NOT warm it up for a long period ~ drive it *gently* down the street , this is the very best way to warm up any engine .
Some Diesels will stall out unless you lightly keep the throttle depressed for the first 3 minutes or so , don't worry but also don't race the engine , experiment a bit to see how slowly it'll idle without shaking or stalling then remember that engine speed and use it when you shift into gear , this will prevent the usual tranny slamming and rapid wear .
One good Tune Up now should last you until Spring time .
I hope this helps & isn't too long & rambling .....
-Nate
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