Guys,
Joe from Nigeria with you. I am having problems with my 230E new Import to Nigeria, it stalls when stuck in Traffic after more then 60 minutes, then after a 5 minute wait it can go again........ Can the COIL cause this problem, Overheating then cooling down enough to start again?

Need Help!!!
Joe

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Beautiful Car!
Wish It Ran Beautiful!
Help Please!

Joe what year car is your 230E? A coil can cause stalling, so can several other parts.

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
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190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
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Guys,
The car is a 1993 German built 230E (124 023 first 6 vin #).
It is 4 cyl, with AC and auto transmission, and fuel injection.... I just got it in country from the importers, the car is new to me....

I replaced the fuel pump, Fliter, and cleaned the tank and hoses.

The fuel relay has been replaced, then when the problem kept happening they jumpered it, it stilled happened so I have the original relay in the car....

The car water temp runs at 85 degrees, even in traffic and maybe if it is really hot out almost to 95.... NEVER ABOVE!

It starts fine, then runs for an hour or so, especially when sitting at Idle in traffic when you go to move a few feet forward, it sputters, backfire, chugs, then stalls, you can force it to high RPM in neutral with fancy use of the throttle, (still backfiring) but when you let it idle it stalls! Like the timing has changed.

Let it sit 5 minutes and you can drive it again!

Coil or Cranksensor???? I know where the coil is, but haven't a clue about the CS??

We don't dare use the car, only let it run it the driveway, and around the campound, too many unfriendlies around, so you see I need a car to depend on....

Please help!

Joe In Nigeria

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Beautiful Car!
Wish It Ran Beautiful!
Help Please!

Where is the Crank sensor on the 4 cyl gas engine, and how hard is it to replace???

Thanks!!!

Joe In Nigeria

__________________
Beautiful Car!
Wish It Ran Beautiful!
Help Please!

Joe the crank sensor is at the rear of the engine next to the oil filter, just above the starter.
The fuel pump itself could cause this stalling as well. Do you have SPARK when the car stalls??
You could check the DWELL signal on the negative side of the coil whenever it stalls as well.

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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

Thanks for the location of the crank sensor, I guess I need to remove the oil filter before I can get at it....

Okay about spark after it stalls in traffic, the very second it stalls if you turn the key off, then ON for start the car will start if you force it to (play with the gas pedal) and then will back fire and pop up thru the injector intake... you can force it to run at higher RPM (2000+) but the second you take your foot off the gas the engine is stalled again, the only thing to do is to let it sit the 5 minutes or so and restart like nothing ever happened!

Also if you let it sit running in the driveway, to test it... after a hour it will still be at idle but if you try to rev it up, you get the backfires and the same mess as before...

Guys, Nigeria, Africa is not a place my family and I can afford to stall every time we are in traffic, so we haven't used the car since the problem came to up.... It is a new car for us..

This problem will be solved.....

1993 230 E (European version) , 4 cyl, gas, built for Unleaded fuel, Auto Trans, fuel injection.... Water temp norm 85 max 95,

** New Fuel Pump
** New Fuel Filter
** New Fuel Pump relay
** Flushes out Tank and hoses

Looking At:: Crank Sensor or Coil or both to be sure

Thanks to all!

Joe in Nigeria

__________________
Beautiful Car!
Wish It Ran Beautiful!
Help Please!

I have a feeling that diagnostics might be at a premium in your neighborhood.

I really doubt a coil, the crank sensor is a possibility, they are often heat affected, but the description of the problem sounds more like a fuel thing.

The first step in diagnostics is to see whether the problem is fuel or spark related. I would do a fuel pressure/volume test first, but that probably isn't practical. One simple suggestion, take the line from where it supplies fuel to the fuel distributor. The line attaches to a fitting which then screws into the fuel distributor. There is a screen in the fitting. Take the fitting out and verify that it is clear.

I don't know what ignition is in your car but if you can put a plug into a plug wire end and sit it on the engine and crank you can verify the intensity of the spark by increasing the plug gap. You should have a spark that you can both see and hear. It should jump even if the electrode is removed (it should jump to the base or edge). DO NOT HOLD it.

After re-reading this I realize that I'm not sure you have a KE system. If it is electronic fuel injection the fitting thing wouldn't apply. I might look to an OVP problem if it is EFI (electronic fuel inection). The OVP will not keep a KE car from restarting (it can cause a stall though and they are heat affected).

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

If the engine can run great for 1 hour, I would not suspect the complex stuff like crank sensors. This is not a fuel delivery problem.
1) Are the plugs the right type and heat range? If the plugs are too cold they will get fouled with carbon/fuel at idling and will stall after a while. Revving the engine clears the plugs. Put in some new Beru or Bosch plugs anyway as they are cheap. Also check the plug boots are in good condition and no moisture is condensing on the spark plug insulators. Is it worse when it rains?
2) The car may be running too rich at idle. Can be adjusted or else the oxygen sensor may need changing.
Don't just change out expensive parts: the dealer gets rich and you get ripped off.
Ed

Check the inside of the distributor cap and the rotor for corrosion and wear. On a 93 if they are original you need to replace them by now. Clean them up while you wait for the new part, it will probably run better.

Check the inside of the distributor cap and the rotor for corrosion and wear. On a 93 if they are original you need to replace them by now. Clean them up while you wait for the new part, it will probably run better.