380sl non starter

[MIKE196]

morning all. i know this subject has been discussed many times and i have read many of the posts but i'm still seeking advice. my 1984 380sl has not been driven in almost a year. i periodically start it up and let it idle for a while. last start was about three weeks ago with no problem. this past weekend i tried to start it and no luck. engine turns over strong but no fire. i have never been ware of the fuel pump hum you guys refer to but i did put in a new fuel pump relay last evening. unfortunately this did not help. still will not fire. should i go ahead and replace the fuel pump or is there a recommended alternative to explore. your help is grteatly appreciated. by the way, there are 74k miles on the car and i've never realyy had any prior issues.

mike

[ironman21]

I would, spray a little starter fluid down the carb and see if fires then at least you know where to start looking

[MIKE196]

Thanks. i'll give that a shot tonight. Any other options.

thanks
mike

[ironman21]

Mike no other suggestions at this time, if the car starts with the fluid then we know the plugs are working along with the distributor. Look at the fuses and make sure they are in good order, sometimes they corrode and need to be cleaned. I have a hard time believing the fuel pumps are out but stranger things happen, also check the connections to the pumps and make sure they are OK. It does have gas right? First check to see if it fires with starting fluid or a small amount of gas into the carb. There are a few other things in the fuel system that need to be checked as well

Filter clogged
Screen clogged

[MIKE196]

great advice Ironman. i tried the starter fluid last evening and she fired right up.i have checked fuses and connections and haven't noticed anything out of place. as i noted earlier i do not hear the pump energize when i turn the key even after replacing the FPR. What fuses in particular should i check?

thanks

mike

[ironman21]

Let me do some checking, I have a 560sl and it has 2 fuel pumps and i am not real familar with the electrical side of this system.

[Build]

Check all your fuses and replace them with copper fuses. Remove the relay and jumper pin 30 to 87 and you should hear the fuel pump run.

Sometimes the fuel pump just needs a good tapping with a wooden handle to get it started again. Ideally, you should replace the pump, the fuel accumulator, and the fuel filter.

[ironman21]

Build is correct, did some checking and one other way to check the pump is to run a wire from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the fuel pump, disconnect the positive lead from the pump first then tap the terminal with the battery lead, you should hear the pump engage, if not repalce it. You can also check the volatge between the pump leads with a meter, turn the key to on and see if you get 12 volts, may have to try starting it to get a correct reading this will take 2 people. But do the fuse thing first clean each fuse with steel wool to remove any corrosion.

Try (benzworld.org) great fourm with solid advice

[MIKE196]

thanks guys. i am going to replace/clean fuses tonight. also, i have a new fuel pump coming today so i am going to replace that this evening along with the new filter i have. will let you know how i make out.

mike