I have a 94 Pickup 4X4 with 5sp R150F transmission. At some point in the past someone put a 3.0L Mercedes turbo diesel in this truck. The original starter motor is not strong enough to start the truck in cold weather.
Does anyone know if starters from trucks with the 3.4L engines (4Runner, T100) will bolt up to the bellhousing. Or any other ideas....Thanks!!

 

Does it have a block heater or glow plugs? Either one of those would help in cold weather.

 

No Block heater, yes glow plugs but that's not the problem. This engine should start w/out a block heater down to single digits. The problem is that the starter motor isn't spinning the engine fast enough.
Thanks for the thought.

 

A German engine won't start in cold weather with the oem starter.
I don't think so :p It gets really cold here.

Get out that Volt / Ohm meter. Run new wires and a new relay or install a relay. REplace starter contacts. Then recheck the system.