380SL Fuel Accumulator Question

[Wide Right]

I've got a 380SL with the infamous hot start problem. I was running through some of the tests described in document 07.3-120 on the service manual (Checking Fuel Pressures and For Internal Leaks). In testing the accumulator, I pulled off the leak line connection from the back of the device. The car was not running. After disconnecting the hose, the back side of the accumulator dripped fuel at the rate of one drop every 2-3 seconds. Does this mean the accumulator is bad? The manual says "a pressureless leak quantity is permitted." What does that mean? From the design of the accumulator, it seems like any fuel on the leak line side of the device indicates that there's a hole in the diaphragm.

I'll probably end up buying the control pressure gauges and running all of the pressure tests, but I wanted to see what everyone thought about this accumulator and whether it should be replaced. Thanks in advance.

[mbboy]

Originally Posted by Wide Right

I've got a 380SL with the infamous hot start problem. I was running through some of the tests described in document 07.3-120 on the service manual (Checking Fuel Pressures and For Internal Leaks). In testing the accumulator, I pulled off the leak line connection from the back of the device. The car was not running. After disconnecting the hose, the back side of the accumulator dripped fuel at the rate of one drop every 2-3 seconds. Does this mean the accumulator is bad? The manual says "a pressureless leak quantity is permitted." What does that mean? From the design of the accumulator, it seems like any fuel on the leak line side of the device indicates that there's a hole in the diaphragm.

I'll probably end up buying the control pressure gauges and running all of the pressure tests, but I wanted to see what everyone thought about this accumulator and whether it should be replaced. Thanks in advance.

I don't believe in throwing parts at a problem. However, if your car has over 100k miles, as most 107's do, and the accumulator hasn't been replaced already, why not just replace it? You're gonna need one sooner or later, you can get one for a little over $100, and it's fairly easy to do. You can change the filter at the same time and the pump as well, if you haven't already done that, as you're probably gonna have to do that sooner or later, too.

[YuCrew]

Agree with prior post. I have '84 380SL with 84,000. Dealer insisted it was a leaky injector and claimed accumulator would not create a hot start problem.

After reading all the posts, I decided to replace the accumulator. No hot start issues since that "repair".