Lost four Cylinders. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Benzyne · #1 11-03-2009, 03:12 AM

She's been threatening for a while now. Then a couple of weeks ago the Mrs was out in it (92 500 SL) and it lost most of its power. In the shed it goes and I pulled the engine shrouds and plug covers off to reveal one lot of distributers plugs have no spark. Thought it may be a faulty ignition lead from the coil. Its the easy to get at coil by the way. Not the one under the ABS box. The lead is OK. The coil tested OK too. The plugs are clean. The inside of the distributer cap (contact ad rotor blade bit) was pretty scunged up, so scraped them back to a nice clean surface. No difference. Left it for a couple of weeks and went to start it yesterday and she fired up on all 8 sweet as a nut. Down the drive I roll out on the street good as gold. Hit the hill and the 4 cylinders drop off straight away. Then back to running crap again.

Were should I be looking now?

Cheerz, Tim.

neds380sl · #2 11-03-2009, 10:29 AM

Tim- Only a guess, but if you had to clean off the contacts in the distributor, and the rotor was fouled too, then it's (past) time for replacements. Had a similar problem with my 380SL, and upon inspection, discovered that the rotor was totally chewed up. Unlike my old Chevy, which would quit when the rotor and cap got the least bit fouled, these things will run up to the point of virtual disintegration, then they stop. I'm sure the parts are pricey, but try new ones. Check the wires too. Have they ever been replaced? Good luck, Ned

Lee Wireless · #3 11-03-2009, 10:47 AM

Ditto on changing the cap and rotors.

Benzyne · #4 11-04-2009, 01:42 AM

Hokey dokey then. I'll give that a try and she what happens. Thanks for the tips. Cheerz, Tim.

Benzyne · #5 11-05-2009, 10:08 PM

All sorted. On closer inspection noticed that the rotor had been glued up to try and do a quick fix job. Mongreled.

New rotor= Sweet as a nut. Purring again.

Where is the best place to get another rotor, caps and wires who would ship to New Zealand? I checked out some prices form the local MB parts suppliers here and some from over your way and found the price difference to be more than half including frieght costs and your end.

Feel I really need to replace the other rotor, caps and wires now. Summer comming on down here. Time to get the top off and do some cruising.

Cheerz, Tim.

neds380sl · #6 11-06-2009, 07:49 PM

Your M-B dealer is the best place. It's costly, but forget aftermarket for these parts. My $.02. Ned