88 300E M-103 auto. turns over, won't start... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

400Eric · #1 02-12-2009, 03:22 AM

Is that the plate over the throttle body? It's not stuck---it is funny you would mention that. It actually seems to me that there is not enough resistance---the plate seems to move too freely. How much resistance should there be? Maybe something has failed (a diaphragm? Maybe it got chewed?) If it's not getting sucked open when it should be, that would be the same as it being stuck closed. I need to check the one on the '89. I also need to watch how that plate is supposed to behave when starting/running. Thanks. Regards, Eric

pawoSD · #2 02-12-2009, 07:07 AM

The pressure when moving the air meter should come from it pushing on the plunger in the fuel distributor....if it moves too freely that means the plunger is jammed/stuck. Likely due to varnished gas....like I said before. Fuel distributors don't like sitting, its probably shot.

400Eric · #3 02-12-2009, 07:42 AM

You and your bad gas--- maybe you should take something for it?

I've already admitted that I don't know too much about these M-103s. I just can't believe that 2 identical cars filled at the same station with the same gas that sat almost the same amount of time at the same location would react so differently. The '89 has been running like a top ever since it was reanimated/recommissioned at the end of October. One sat for 16 months and one sat for 19 months and 1 week.
I do appreciate your help---please don't get me wrong.
We'll just have to see what it is when I get back. Regards, Eric

pawoSD · #4 02-12-2009, 08:01 AM

If I am correct I think the 400E has an entirely different injection system.....the 300E has the older style CIS....which is much more sensative to sitting and fuel issues. In general you have to run fuel system cleaners fairly often to keep the fuel distributor and injectors happy.....they're just needy.

gsxr · #5 02-12-2009, 10:46 AM

ETHER!!!!

400Eric · #6 02-13-2009, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsxr

ETHER!!!!

Don't you know that stuff can cause brain damage?

Like I said, I just ran out of time. I have other things that have to be tended to and I'm leaving for 2 weeks tomorrow. And as I also said, ether is first on the agenda when I get back to work on Benzer II. There were things that needed to get done before I left that didn't get done because this half day job turned into a 3 and a half day job. Remember, this car isn't even here now. Don't worry, we'll figure it out! Thanks again to everyone! Regards, Eric

400Eric · #7 02-26-2009, 11:05 PM

I'm back! Have a million things to do though. Will try to get to the 88 in a few days. Regards, Eric

400Eric · #8 02-13-2009, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

If I am correct I think the 400E has an entirely different injection system.....the 300E has the older style CIS....which is much more sensative to sitting and fuel issues. In general you have to run fuel system cleaners fairly often to keep the fuel distributor and injectors happy.....they're just needy.

"I've had many cars through the years including my 93 400E that have sat for extended periods without ruining the fuel system. The 400E sat from 8/05 till 6/07 with no ill effect. The 88 300E sat from 6/07 till now (remember, I said less than 2 years) My 89 300E, which was also parked in 6/07, fired right up and ran great when asked to do so at the end of last October. That's just 3 months and 1 week less time sitting than the 88 300E."
I think you are confusing the 89 300E with the 93 400E. the 88 and 89 are identical. Yes, the 400E has a completely different and for the most part much more efficient fuel injection system but in my experience the CIS cars are more reliable. That's one of the reasons why I love them so much. My 137,000 mile 400E (Benzer III) has given me more trouble than both my 194,000 mile 88 300E (Benzer II) and our much beloved 230,000 mile 89 300E (Benzer I) have combined. That's one of the reasons why I'm so much more knowlegable about the M-119 despite having owned it the least amount of time. The 90 and later CIS cars became a little more complex and I have no experience with them so my coments don't apply to them. Regards, Eric

pentoman · #9 07-09-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

Is that the plate over the throttle body? It's not stuck---it is funny you would mention that. It actually seems to me that there is not enough resistance---the plate seems to move too freely. How much resistance should there be? Maybe something has failed (a diaphragm? Maybe it got chewed?) If it's not getting sucked open when it should be, that would be the same as it being stuck closed. I need to check the one on the '89. I also need to watch how that plate is supposed to behave when starting/running. Thanks. Regards, Eric

THe air flap will have resistance when there is fuel pressure, but it dies away over time.
If you remove your fuel distributor completely, the flap becomes floppy, almost so that it moves under its own weight. But connect to car and turn on the ignition, it becomes much more resistant. The resistance doesn't seem to go away even if the car is left overnight etc.

I don't think you need any acceleration enrichment for the car to drive alright. No way it should stutter and completely bog down, but maybe a bit of bogging is 'acceptable' with an EHA not-functioning problem. Try disconnecting the EHA just to be sure the computer isn't making things worse instead of better.

I once had a major problem of idling but refusing to rev up, when I had put the OVP relay in wonky. It was misaligned by a couple of pins and it completely screwed the engine - luckily I figured it out but even with the relay being the only thing I changed before the problem, I was stumped for a bit. (that may be my stupidity though).