Hey guys, I have used this forum sucessfully many times but this is my first post. After a 120 mile drive last night during which the car(1986 190e 2.3 gas, automatic) ran great, would not restart last night. After flooring the car while cranking it starts but will not idle, as it will only run if you fluctuate the throttle to maintain 3,000 to 5,500 rpm. I resoldered a burned out connection on the fuel relay last week, and have driven the car everyday since. I have been checking stuff all morning and referring to this group. As I am stranded 120mi from home any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your attention.

I had a similar thing happen to me right after a 200 mile trip on my '86 300E. The car would run only if the accelerator was depressed a bit and the car would not idle. This is how I learned to drive with both feet . I was told to replace the idle valve and this fixed it. I assume the 4-cyl car should have something like this. It is a cylindrical part about 5X3 inches located on one side of the head. There are two tubes attached to each side.

...Another thing, once I got stranded at the grocery store because a relay went bad (i don't know the name but it had 6-cyl stamped on one side, and it was behind the battery). In this case the car would start for 1-2 secs and then shut down regardless of gas pedal possition.

I hope this helps

I have a 190E and just went throught this same problem for about a month.

Previous thread hinted towards idle valve. this is true but before you replace it try the following. This is what I did.

Take off the air filter housing and cover up the air intake hole. Im my case the idle screw was sticking took a approved EFI cleaner like carb cleaner and just put a dropor squirt in the valuve stem hole then used some compressed air to clean out some sand or dirt type material shot out several times do not put to much cleaner or air in the valve. just enough to clean it out. make sure screw inside moves up and down smoothly. Also behind the battery compartment is an altitude relay???? it will have a 10 amp fuse pointing towards you This relay can make the engine cut out for some reason. I took mine out and blew compressed air in the pin holes to clean out them and the relay switch again be carful not too much air only enough to clean not to damage. Can't say for sure it will help but I have not had a problem since and this was what I did. P.S I had the exactly, I mean exactly the same problem you are describing.

HOPE THIS HELP YOU GET HOME