I bought a 1991 190e 2.6 Mercedes Benz from a lady on craigslist. The car is cherry inside and out. It also had a new set of tires on it. I figured I could make my money back by selling one of the seats for what I paid for the car. I don't want to do that. You hear about deals like this all the time and think where are they? This was one of those deals.

There was only one problem with the car. It turns over real good and strong but will not start. The lady said that she drove it round trip about 2oo miles a day for a couple of years without any trouble. One day the car started running rough and sputtering then quit on her. So she said that after it sit like over night it would start back and run fine then quit. Her husband bought her a new car and she gave the car to her daughter. The car stranded her daughter twice doing the same thing and that's when they desided to sell the car. She said the car has been sitting for several months.

The lady said her husband put a new fuel pump and fuel filter on the car. It also looks to have a new distributor cap and the spark plugs look new also. I have pulled the first spark plug out and checked for a spark and I do get a spark. I also put fuel down in the throttle body and it still won't start. Although the lady said it would start briefly using starter fluid. I also put a new battery in the car.

When I went to pick up the car I boosted it with jumper cables and tried to start it and it acted like it wanted to start and did for about 3 seconds and quit. I towed the car home and got a new battery and it still won't start not even briefly like it was doing at the ladies house. I have the most beautiful Mercedes sitting in my driveway for the last month and I can't even drive it. I am dumb founded and bummed out. Can anyone please help me?

If you spray starter fluid in the intake and it still doesn't start, you have no spark, or not enough/ or only on one cylinder.

You need to check spark again, and check the idle control valve hoses. A massive vacuum leak will cause a no start issue.

Are the plugs wet when you pull them? If so, fuel is not the issue.

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Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

OVP.

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1989 W124 260E

There are hundreds of threads on this subject for these cars. Best bet is to search through them and see what you think you can try to check yourself. There are two hoses that connect to the idle control valve located underneath the air filter housing. These get brittle and crack causing the biggest vacuum issues and will cause the car to die and not idle well. In addition to that there are about 20 other things that could be causing the issue as well as the OVP Odds are though, it is something simple but you just have to find it.