280SL Euro Running Rich

[desert]

I think my 1985 280SL Euro with the 110 engine is running rich. Now that it has cooled down here in Arizona I notice some white smoke when I first take off in the morning, just for a short distance, and when I park the car in the garage after it has run for a while I notice a burnt gas smell. The car only has 60K on it and it doesen't burn any oil, I use Premium gas so my guess is it is running rich. Is adjusting the richness a DIY job or should I take it to a shop? If DIY any guidelines?
Thanks, Desert

[alabbasi]

Black smoke indicates richness. I suspect that it's just vapor in the same way that you see vapor when you breath out on a cold day.

[79Mercy]

sounds normal to me

[nobby]

Originally Posted by desert

I think my 1985 280SL Euro with the 110 engine is running rich. Now that it has cooled down here in Arizona I notice some white smoke when I first take off in the morning, just for a short distance, and when I park the car in the garage after it has run for a while I notice a burnt gas smell. The car only has 60K on it and it doesen't burn any oil, I use Premium gas so my guess is it is running rich. Is adjusting the richness a DIY job or should I take it to a shop? If DIY any guidelines?
Thanks, Desert

You don't NEED to run premium....just saying.

Black smoke would be a rich running condition.

Does your SL have a cat installed?

[meltedpanda]

if it is running rich , you can smell it, plus as mentioned , black smoke. Check tranny fluid just in case , whitish smoke can be that . also as mentioned , just vapor
pull a plug and tell us what it looks like on the tip

[desert]

Thanks for the feedback. It smells like it is running rich but the morning take off smoke/vapor is white not black.Tranny fluid is normal. Plugs were changed out not so long ago and the old plugs were clean when removed. I'm not sure it has a CAT but I assume it has to have one since it was imported into the States and I think that was one of the requirements, plus it passed a number of California smog tests when we lived there. If it continues to have that "rich" smell can I adjust it myself, if so how? Or best to take it to a good MB shop only problem there is not too many are that familiar with the 110 engine..Thanks, Desert

[alabbasi]

No offense, but I think that if you mess with it, you're going to cock it up. You indicate that there is a "rich" smell in your last post. In your first post, you said that it is a "burnt gas smell".

When an engine runs rich, it cannot burn all of the gas so you should smell raw fuel if it's running rich.

Adjustments should be made in conjunction with an exhaust gas analyzer so you're not going to be able to set it right using the seat of your pants method.

If you think something is off, find your nearest independent MB specialist and pay him to check it and make any adjustments that are needed.

[desert]

Good advise Al, I didn't think it would be something so simple that I could follow a few steps and adjust it, like the old days with a single barrel down draft carb but thought it worth while to ask anyway. We have about a half dozen so called MB shops here in Tucson so will call around and see who "says" they can analyze the 110 engine then cross my fingers.... Thanks, Desert

[meltedpanda]

after months on my 107 it came down to the exhaust gas analyzer , a must have for engines this old

[nobby]

Originally Posted by desert

Good advise Al, I didn't think it would be something so simple that I could follow a few steps and adjust it, like the old days with a single barrel down draft carb but thought it worth while to ask anyway. We have about a half dozen so called MB shops here in Tucson so will call around and see who "says" they can analyze the 110 engine then cross my fingers.... Thanks, Desert

I have fiddled with M110 over the years....but it comes down to this:

What changed? Was it always "running rich" or maybe you just never noticed it before?
The enrichment screw should, theoretically, never need to be touched once set.

But if one or more of the air / fuel system components starts to fail the first thing people want to do is adjust that screw.

I say drive it some more......maybe take it out for an Italian Tune up, throw some Techron in the tank....and then see if it still smells.


Because you are right.....if you get the wrong mechanic he might just fudge it up more or mask another problem.

[desert]

It very well could be just gunked up since I drive it at low speeds, usually under 50mph to the store and back, so it probably needs to open up once and a while. I'll take it out on one of our desert roads and blow it out and see if that solves the preceived "problem". Thanks for all the good input....Desert

[nobby]

Originally Posted by desert

It very well could be just gunked up since I drive it at low speeds, usually under 50mph to the store and back, so it probably needs to open up once and a while. I'll take it out on one of our desert roads and blow it out and see if that solves the preceived "problem". Thanks for all the good input....Desert

Throw some Techron in the fuel and drive the bleep out of it.

[RadioTek]

Too bad, it's about 3 weeks late to toss in a couple of bottles of Techron and go to Gila Bend for the Shrimp Festival. (yes, really) If there's something like that going on a hundred or two miles away, it would be a good excuse for a road trip with SWMBO. Maybe just do it anyway.