1984 mercedes 190e 2.3l

[Pilotx1]

ok ive got a 1984 mercedes 190e 2.3l gas engine and i was adjusting the idle control on the engine to try to get a smoother idle. What I got out of my attemp it a barely runnign engine. The car will not start unless to press the gas pedal down most of the way and I have to hold the engine rpms at around 2000 for a minute or so after startup to get it to even stay running. when it is running the engine pulses between stalling at 400 rpm and 1100 rpm. The car has not been driven in atleast 6 months though I have had it idling while parked prior to my escapade with the idle control near the airfilter box. Now when it is running. if I touch the brake pedal the engine dies and the gas guage drops to the empty position. I know it has atleast 2.5 gallons in the tank as I put that much in it from a gas can. I have been thinking aout the prolem and have come up with several problems that might do this. The ECM might have gone bad on me, Clogged fuel delivery system near the injectors, Vacuum stain from the brake booster. If anyone has experienced this or has an idea of what is wrong please let me know. Looking back I should have left the idle control alone but... hindsight is 20/20

Please email me with suggestions or anything about this
Pilotx1@earthlink.net

[JDUB]

Sounds like a vaccuumleak somewhere. Spray around the hoses and intake and around the injector seals to see if you might find it. Also ckeck the spark plug wires rotor and cap. The gasoline also might have some debris or condensation in it. Put in a lot of premium fuel with a bottle of HEET and see what happens.

[Pilotx1]

I found out that what I had been told was the idle control was actually the mixture control valve and have now realized that Ive really screwed up he mixture,however that doesnt explain the engine kill problem. Ill be checking all my hoses under the hood this weekend, hopefully its something simple. thanks for the advice.

[Pilotx1]

Can anyone tell me which way I would turn the mixture control on my 1984 190e to go leaner or richer. if I know this I think I can get my mix back into a runnable range hopefully. Im a college student with little to no money so I cant really afford to take the car to the dealer. Though sometime this summer Ill be taking it in.(its inevitable Ill find something I cant fix) all inpput on this is greatly appreciated Thanks -Jason

[Pilotx1]

I spent the weekend trying to chase down the correct fuel mix where the car would run or at least startup and idle for more and a second but got nothing but frusturation and headaches. I got the chilton manual from my local library... what a joke, wasnt worth my time. Anyways, I fouled and cleaned the 2 sets of sparkplugs I have for the car 3 times over the course of the weekend. I know the mixture is too rich since the plugs are gathering a wetish black carbon/ soot buildup on them, its really soft and cleans off easiily. Any information on a base mixture settign for the engine and how to adjust it would be greatly appreciated. I checked the brake booster vacuum line and found that it is in immaculate shape and holds vacuum completely so i still dont know why touching the brakes would kill the engine nearly instantly. I get out of school for the summer in about a month and will be making a dealer visit for my car shortly thereafter. Or if anyone knows of a good MB tech in the northwest chicago area That'd be great and Id check the out. Id really like to avoid a towing bill to have the car taken to the shop... Ive got a feeling that the repair bill is going to cost a nice chunk of change.

Thanks PilotX1@earthlink.net

[Pilotx1]

Please help.. anyone out there with any info

[joe p]

clockwise to richen, counter clockwise to lean. Take it in 1/2 turn increments until you are close then in 1/8th turn increments.

if your feeling froggy, once your close, pull up the r/f carpet and fin the o2 sensor connecter, get a dvom on it and st the co to a average of .5vdc.



joe

[Pilotx1]

Thanks for the info Joe, do you know of a bast setting for the mixture to be set at by any chance?

[joe p]

set it to the best idle and lean in about 1/8th turn. That'll get you into the ballpark.


Joe

[Pilotx1]

I am unable to set te best idle because my car wont run for more than 5 seconds, Im beginning to suspect blockage in the fuel filter or a fuel pump on its last legs. the car was running before I had changed the fuel mixture setting which I now know was a big mistake. maybe someday Ill learn to leave things alone instead of trying to get something better from them. does anyone know if it is possible to have caused engine damaging/killing harm to my car by messing up the fuel mixture setting?

Thanks for all the help Ive gotten from this forum its the best source of info ive ever seen

[joe p]

nah, odds are the mixture is so far off that it just cant set itself up to run. :-(


Joe