*rant*

Please don't work on cars if you don't know your a** from a toothpick. Was working on "The Beast" today my 92 2.5. Was determining what vacuum lines needed to be replaced, tracing my hard shifting issue (vacuum related), found two disconnected lines that were cut. Replaced those and got my transmission shifting a lot better and a lot sooner than it was. Still is shifting late, and harsh but%better. I ran out of vacuum tube to fix rest of the lines broken.

I also found two lines (I forgot to take a picture), but on the back of the injection pump at the top were just blatanly cut.. I was reading this has something to do with the electronic idle control. The car idles very low (500RPMS) and this connector with two wires was just cut.

So I'm thinking and starting to believe this is the cause of idles issues. I believe it should be idling at about 650-700rpms just like my other car. And from what I understand it should idle higher when cold. Correct? As it gets warmer, it idles higher..

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Engine electronics regulate idle speed via a solenoid on the back of the IP and a rack position sensor near the shutoff valve. I'm guessing that some genius "simplified" your system. High shift points suggest that they played with the Bowden cable, too.

I have a tech manual for the '87 2.5. Yours will be a bit different, but I can e-mail you a copy if you PM me your address.

The manuals are also on the startekinfo site. Note that if you have an iPad you will need to exercise the "request desktop site" option to get the correct site with the manuals.

They are under the "MB Workshop Resources" on the left.

Also there is http://w124-zone.com/downloads/MB%20CD/W124/Main.html

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Frank and Jay, thanks for the responses. I'm going to take a look around startek and w124-zone.. Good to know that's what's causing my inconsistent idling issue. I'll look into bowden cable adjustment as well.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

I have seen some very strange things in my W124 - listed as

a wire from the alternator field winding terminal (W I think - but has AC voltage) wired all the way to the interior to a flip switch and connected to 12V +ve on the other side - WHY?????

vacuum lines snipped off and then mended with electric tape - WHY??

idle control ELR plug body ground and controlled ground wires switched, causing a 1100 rpm idle with everything looking sweet...

right wiper rain tray drain disconnected and then connected with a washing machine drain hose made into a loop - All that was required was to undo 2 screws on the tray and place the tray correctly into the lower drain tube.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)