Fixed the stop lever oring last night and seemed to idle better on cold start this morning, but did not eliminate the sputtering or white smoke entirely. I'd say it about 50% better. I'm thinking I might be losing fuel prime somewhere after the LP. More trouble shooting this weekend. I'll keep you posted on my findings.

No sputtering or smoke this morning.. Replacing the leaking oring on the stop lever seems to have cured it for me, must have been sticking halfway down on cold starts. Easy fix with gratifying results. Now if I can just raise my idle a little. Started another thread about that.

Took the plunge today. Dropped the benz off at the dealer to get the timing chain replaced. It is going to cost me, but at least it should be done right. I had every intention of having the indy do it, but he is busy til sometime next week, and right now, my car struggles to get going from a stop on an incline. How damn embarrassing!!!

Make sure they check & adjust the IP timing as part of the job, even it costs a little more...

:o

Well, the job is complete, and there is absolutely NO improvement whatsoever. I am disgusted. So what should be next in the troubleshooting line?

Sputtering chapter 2
 

well, My 92 300D has been sputtering on take off until about 2000 (about when the turbo kicks in) then it is smooth as can be. Well, after alot of discussion on the board and calling different mechanics, I decided to change the timing chain. So today was the big day. I took the car to the dealer and had the chain replaced. Guess what? Not a hint of improvement. Exact same symptoms. Piss poor acceleration til I get to about 2000 rpm. So now my question. What would the next step be? Should I go for the injectors. jerk the ALDA off, firebomb the car, what? Just for the record, filters are all good, and I see no leaks in the fuel system. ANY info would be helpful.

Take a video, that would helps us alot.

Though not an accepted method by everyone, I have used the diesel purge (glass jar, lines, etc.) first as a good cleaning method and now as a preventative measure. In fact, this weekend I will be performing the procedure on my '84 300D Turbo. The initial purging of my '87 300TD was successful and very noticeable as the procedure was done. That in itself made me believe it works. Probably not the whole answer to your situation and maybe it won't help but at least it is something to consider. If you have not done it in the past, search and you will find the procedure clearly outlined, step-by-step.
Best,
Steve

1) Do you mean the car still coughs & sputters, or that it's just slow off the line?

2) Are you sure they checked & adjusted the IP timing after the timing chain was installed?

3) If it's just slow, but not sputtering, that's the injection pump calibration. Adjusting the ALDA should help tremendously.

:batman:

I used enough purge a while back to clean the barnacles off a pier. No real improvement.

I would love to post a video, and I can record videos, but the damn camera records in some kinda jacked up format that I have no idea how to use on my computer. It is a sony handycam dvd if ya got any suggestions.

please help!!!
 

ok i am making one last ditch effort for some opinions on what could be my problem, well, my cars problem. It would take a book to list my problems. Anyway, here we go.

SLOW! the sputtering I have been experiencing has just progressively gotten worse. I had the timing chain replaced and the timing adjusted at the dealership. No change. NONE. The filters are all good. Tonight, i was going up a SLIGHT incline, VERY slight. 2 degrees maybe. I stepped on the gas from a dead stop, and there was almost NO response. i damn near idled to the top. When it gets to about 2K rpm, then I am good, before that, i may as well push. PLEASE, any thoughts on what to do to fix this? I am leaving my car with the mechanic all next week while I am gone for him to look at, but i would like some ideas first. Could it be clogged air intake, injectors, ALDA, ERG?

Thanks!

Is it the 92 or 96 that is having the problems?
To eliminate the chance that it is a fuel system related problem I would change both the plastic Primary Filter and the spin on Secondary Filter (if you think the old ones are OK save them for reuse). Next I would disconnect the hose at the Primary filter and run a longer hose to another container of clean diesel fuel (such as a 2 gallons spare gas container). Drive the car a few blocks.
If it runs OK like that you know that the fuel system from the primary filter on up to the injectors is OK. It also means you could be having a problem from the point the hose was disconnected back into the fuel tank (clogged Fuel Tank Strainer or Fuel Tank Vent).

It would also be helpful to know if when you are having the problem is the black smoke, white smoke or any unusual noises and so on.
Dose the transmission have the right amount of fluid in it.

from his other thread
 

1992 300D has been sputtering on take off until about 2000

"Biglex", send me your phone# in a PM.
I will call this week end to discuss your issue.

For test purposes - remove the ALDA entirely, and go for a test drive. Click here to see a pictorial on how to remove the ALDA (look at the "ALDA_removal" photos). Then let us know how the car drives.

Just to add a little something to it, when the engine gets hot, that seems to take away even more power. Almost an idle when stepping on it at a dead stop, as when it is cold, at least it moves a little more. Not sure about these cars, but that would lead me to an exhaust issue on some of my old gassers.