I have a 1989 190E 2.6, here is the problem. My wife and I drove the car this last Sunday to the market. When we came back out and tried to start the car. It popped like a backfire in the engine compartment. Since then, it will start and run for about 1 second and then not run at all.

The rest of the story: We had a tow company come and pick the car up. While they were enroute home with the car, the chains on the back of the roll back came loose and the car rolled into the header board of the truck. (It was placed on the rollback facing backward). When it hit the front header board, it smashed the taillight panel, broke the lights, crushed the rear bumper cover and crunched the right quarter panel. The car has 173K on it and we are sure it will be totalled, but the tow company and insurance wont give us full value unless it is running.

All this being said, does anyone have any ideas as to how we can get the engine running without dumping a ton of money into this thing? I have already replaced the fuel pump relay and one fuel pump (The other one is known to be good) Also the filter was replaced recently.

Thanks for your help in advance

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83 W123 240D
76 300D, "Lil Yellow Car"
1978 Cessna 172N 180 HP Mod

"If life ain't fun, I'm not interested"

The important things are those that you learn after you know it all.
Chip Foose

Build a better mousetrap and you will REALLY infuriate corporate america.

Possibly a vacuum hose on the intake has popped off OR the fuel pressure is low.

Good luck!

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

When mine backfired and wouldn't start, it turned out to be the vacuum hose from the bottom of the air horn to the Idle Control Valve. The hose split and wouldn't stay connected, but luckily there was a guy in a van that had some electrical tape and I was able to tape the hose to the connector, plug it in and drive it home.
Reach under the air intake throttle and feel around to see if the hose came off.

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1993 190E 2.3
2001 SLK230
1971 LS5 (454) Corvette Convertible

Thanks for your help guys, I checked and the hose that went from the idle air valve to the intake manifold had come off. It left about a 1" hole, so it was no wonder it would not run.

__________________
83 W123 240D
76 300D, "Lil Yellow Car"
1978 Cessna 172N 180 HP Mod

"If life ain't fun, I'm not interested"

The important things are those that you learn after you know it all.
Chip Foose

Build a better mousetrap and you will REALLY infuriate corporate america.