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  #1  
Old 07-30-2008, 11:36 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Faison, NC
Posts: 7
1981 380SL Won't Start!

Hello ......my name is Doug and I live in Eastern NC. Hope you all are doing well.


I recently bought a 81 380SL that ran great for three days. Started right up and purred like a kitten every time I drove it for those three days (probably 400 miles or so). Left from a stoplight and noticed a slight sputter but picked right up and accelerated with no hesitation. About 5 miles down the road it just cut off with no spit or sputter. Just cut off like I had turned off the key. Could not get it to restart at all.

Pulled it home and started troubleshooting. Checked fuel pump and replaced fuel filter. Didn't appear to have spark at plugs so I pulled a coil off my old Jeep Grand Wagoneer (electronic) and put on Benz. Pulled module box off fender and cleaned connections. I had spark at plugs but appears to be weak? Anyway tried cranking with my Dad spraying starting fluid in breather.

It cranked and ran good. Cut it off and cranked & cut off 5 or 6 more times with no problem. Left it running to reinstall breather cover and before I could get it back on it cut off again and it has not hit a lick since then (even with starting fluid). I went and got a universal coil that it called for and still no start. Spark still appears to be weak. Cracked open a fuel line on top of fuel distributor and had pressure.

Any suggestions??????

Also I don't have any manuals of any kind with it. What seems to be the best for this model.

Also not really important at this point but where are the vacuum buttons located inside the car that release the gas cap door and the trunk lid.

Thanks in advance,
Doug
surveyor3209@yahoo.com

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  #2  
Old 07-31-2008, 08:23 AM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ipswich, MA and Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 92
Hi Doug. Welcome. Don't know about your other problems, but the gas cap releases when the doors are unlocked. There is no button inside, nor is there one for the trunk, it's the same, except you can manually lock the trunk so it won't unlock with the doors. If they aren't working you must have a vacuum problem. Does your central lock work? You should be able to lock your drivers door with the key, and it will lock the other door plus the gas door and trunk. Unlock and all unlock too. Hope this helps and you solve the other problem. Advice: Get an owners manual along with a shop manual. I bought a CD that had the shop manuals. Ned
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  #3  
Old 07-31-2008, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 252
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Lewis View Post
Any suggestions??????
Sorry, I've got nothing on your no-start condition. If you've got spark and you've got fuel, you should have a running engine.

Quote:
Also I don't have any manuals of any kind with it. What seems to be the best for this model.
The best I've found is the original MB shop manuals. They come up on ebay frequently.

Quote:
Also not really important at this point but where are the vacuum buttons located inside the car that release the gas cap door and the trunk lid.
No such thing. The gas lid lock and the trunk lock are tied in with the central locking feature. The way it's supposed to work is with the driver side door lock. Unlock that and everything unlocks. Lock that and everything locks. If that isn't the way it's happening on your car there's a vacuum leak somewhere in the system. There's an actuator in the driver side door, along with a thing MB calls the "master vacuum switch". Basically just a small piston with three vacuum connections. There's an actuator in the passenger side door for that lock, and there's two actuators in the trunk, one for the gas flap and one for the trunk lock. Between them all there's vacuum tubing. It runs from the engine compartment (vacuum source) to the driver door. Then it goes under the dash to the passenger door, then down under that metal threshold on the passenger side and back into the trunk. First stop is the gas flap actuator, last item in the chain is the trunk lock. If you don't have a hand vacuum pump, do yourself a favor and pick one up. I paid $30 for mine at Sears.
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  #4  
Old 07-31-2008, 11:43 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 96
Check the cap and rotor, my 88 ran great until the wear was so bad on the rotor contact that it just gave it up. Maybe you checked already but i did not see it mentioned.
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John
2001 ML 320
1988 560 SL
2009 Toyota Tundra TRD
1992 400 E (sold '07) (bought back, '13)
2008 ML 350
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  #5  
Old 07-31-2008, 01:17 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Falls Church, VA
Posts: 5,318
Is the fuel pump running when you crank the starter? Put your hand on it while someone cranks.

If it is, you may have fuel pressure problems. Fuel dribbling doesn't mean there's enough pressure to open the injectors. How did you test the fuel pump?

Did this car sit for a while before you bought it?
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Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe
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  #6  
Old 08-11-2008, 06:28 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 10
I would check the fuel accumulator and fuel filter.

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