OK, my car was sitting for a few hours after a day of driving...when I started it, I noticed a strange vibration, and that my engine didn't quite sound right. I pulled out of my driveway and the car was VERY sluggish, so by the time I got to the end of my street, I turned back, knowing something was wrong...when I pulled the car into the garage, I left it running, and gave the engine a couple of revs...as I let go of the gas, the car gave a slight shudder, then you could hear the engine ALMOST give out, but it would keep going (even the interior and dome lights would dim, so you could tell the alternator was slowing as the engine almost cut out)...this was all followed by a very strong gas smell. I tested it a few more times, and the action is consistent. I didn't see any fuel on the ground anywhere, but I also haven't gotten under the car yet to check it...I am very hesitant to start the car any more if there is a potential gas leak.

The car is a 1994 S500 coupe with about 95k miles on the clock. Please, give me any advice, and I plan on having a mechanic friend of mine come look at it later today. Thank you.

It sounds like the fuel that is entering the combustion chambers isn't being burned...I have replaced MANY MANY distributor caps and rotors for this condition.

This is only a GUESS. IF YOU HAVE A FUEL LEAK, GET IT TOWED.

__________________
Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 11 YRS

as Donnie said cap, rotor, etc but it could be also fuel filter, fuel pump, pressure requlator to name some others.

Let's us know!

__________________
Regards . . . . JimF
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'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

well, I had two mechanic friends of mine check it out, one (who never gives me much of a break and always makes money off of me...) suggested a full tuneup (cap, rotors, wires, plugs etc) and said it would run me a good $1500.

The other guy, who I'm much cooler with, as I help him with his marketing and send a lot of business his way, and he gets me parts and stuff at cost, said that it's a sensor issue, that he thought was fixed before (he was familiar with the car before I bought it) but came back to sting me...which is causing it to dump fuel...he tested it and revved it heavily and the cats were getting VERY hot to the point where you could smell a burning odor, and smoke was jetting out of the muffler. Needless to say...I'm not looking forward to this repair bill either way. Stay tuned....