I have a recently purchased 1999 E 300 turbo diesel with 220,000 miles. I am currently experiencing a no crank problem.

I had problems with the shifter not going into gear from the previous owner who had to move the car after the battery died and forced the car into neutral to get it towed after a tree fell on the trunk. In order to shift the car I would have to manually move the shift linkage to get the car into gear.

The car would only start if I moved the shifter into neutral. Now that the shifter was taken apart and put back together it shifts fine, but I can't get the car to crank in any gear. I've checked all the fuses and everything is fine. Im thinking it has something to do with the shifter. Any ideas?

 

Did you disconnect the battery before removing the shifter assembly?

 

Does the battery need to be removed? I had the shifter out before and put it back in and had no problem starting it. I have disassembled the shifter a couple times and i am confident everything works as it should. Only thing that might not is the little black box that the two connectors come out of the shifter. However, the reverse light does come on when shifted.

When jumping the starter directly it turns over, but the car does not start. Im gonna look at a wiring diagram and see if i can't trick the car into thinking its in neutral.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160854013600

Would that work as a replacement for a diesel?

 

I disassembled the shifter again and then took apart that black box that is responsible for registering the gear. There are two brushes attached to a white selector that attaches to the shifter assembly. One of the brushes wasn't making contact. I bent it back in place and the car starts. Glad I saved the $170 for a new shifter