1980 Euro 280CE Won't start - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

asphaltking · #16 08-21-2010, 08:23 PM

sounds stupid did you make sure that your battery cables where clean and tight also the wires connection at your starter is tight . before i would take a starter out i check everything possible even the minor things

Fulcrum525 · #17 08-21-2010, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asphaltking

sounds stupid did you make sure that your battery cables where clean and tight also the wires connection at your starter is tight . before i would take a starter out i check everything possible even the minor things

Yes I pulled the connections off of the terminals and cleaned them before trying anything else. Also I wish I could see the wires that are connected to the starter but it is very difficult to see them on this model (There is a heat shield in the way on top and no way to see them from the bottom) The starter it still going 'click' so there is definitely power getting to it.

Because it is located to close to the exhaust manifolds I would only attempt this job with a stone cold engine. (Not a problem considering I can't get it to start

)

Thanks for the writeup cth350. My friend has some sort of free (Or at least heavily discounted) towing option through her cell contract. I'm going to have them tow the car to my house so that I can get under it and get this job done and over with. Sadly I can't do it till Monday or Tuesday. It all comes down to when I can get a new starter for it.

Fulcrum525 · #18 08-23-2010, 05:00 PM

Starter options-

My friend says she can get an aftermarket delco-remy starter for $84...i'm hesitant to try this fix. Has anyone ever used one of these units? (I question if they will even fit.....)

Edit: I convinced her to let me bring the original starter to a local shop to get it rebuilt (None of that autozone nonsense) She's having it towed to my house tomorrow so I can pull the little bugger. I knew when I found it that the car would need some initial work....I just didn't expect anything so soon and certainly not the starter.

Edit #2: The car got towed to my house tonight. If the weather is good in the morning i'll pull the starter then (Actually i'm going to play with the connections first and ensure that they are making contact....battery discounted while working with them of course)

Fulcrum525 · #19 08-24-2010, 04:39 PM

Alright the weather held out and I got the starter out (Albeit with much more difficulty then necessary)

I'm going to say this, cth350s description of how to do this job was perfect. For anyone else in the future who reads this thread follow the instructions to the letter! (It will save you a lot of frustration) I messed up by not giving it a 2nd look this morning before I started the job and it cost me....Figured "ok two bolts no big deal"....it is a big deal.

1980 Euro 280CE Won't start

The tidbit that I forgot about overnight was in regards to the two 10mm hex bolts and how to remove them, Extension rods are key to this job, you can ONLY get at the top bolt with them (No way around it, I tried) I did manage to get the lower bolt out with a ratchet but even that was a pain and much harder then it should have been. A new starter will be here tomorrow and now that I know what i'm doing

the job shouldn't take more then 30 minutes.

Fulcrum525 · #20 08-25-2010, 10:07 PM

The job took longer then expected for reasons I won't get into.....but the good news is that I didn't have to look any further then replacing the starter

. She fired up on the first shot without any hesitation

The only problem I have to deal with now is that my friend put regular into the tank and it's running like crap right now. This of course was before I got the chance to tell her it's a HIGH COMPRESSION ENGINE, PREMIUM FUEL ONLY. The gauge says half a tank...should I just run it dry, suck the fuel out or top it off with premium?

alabbasi · #21 08-25-2010, 11:13 PM

Nice one! you should take it for a drive. The Euro coupes go like the clappers.

Fulcrum525 · #22 08-25-2010, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

Nice one! you should take it for a drive. The Euro coupes go like the clappers.

It did and probably would have gone a lot better if there wasn't crap gasoline in the tank (It NEVER ran that rough before even with the high idle)

I'll say this though you are right....I took it on a short test drive after we got the starter in....and then went down a side street....and then another....and then another

I swears it was addicting

Fulcrum525 · #23 10-19-2010, 10:29 PM

Ouch my friend has bad luck....

First the starter goes within a few weeks of purchase....then THIS happens
I HATE losers....
So since then my friends mother has been driving the car. Everything is fine, then the glass comes in today so my friend starts to drive the car again for the first time.....and it dies.

Called me from a parking lot and I could hear the starter trying to turn (barely) So I knew instantly that it just needed a jump. After a few tries I got it running.

Drove it around for a bit and the dash lights were very dim but the headlights were pretty much working.
Center console lights were on.
Left turn signal came on very weakly

Turned it off and tried to start it again, no go so another jump start and we drove it back to my house. Ran for about a minute in the driveway and then died again.

Are we looking at a voltage regulator? (Hopefully) new battery? (Less hopefully) or a new alternator? (Dreading...) I don't have a volt meter with me right now....