Appreciation & more help needed

[Corngopher]

To everyone on here that replies to problems people post... Thank You


I have read these forums for the past year or so constantly finding solutions to issues with my sons car. Its amazing all the little tidbits of info on here that collectively amount to a vast sum of knowledge.


I have exhausted my search capabilities and I am stuck on a couple problems, one of which I have found contradictory answers to.


1985 Mercedes 380SE


1. What is the timing to be set at? I have found three answers on these and other forums. 25BTDC, 35BTDC and 0. I have it currently set at 0 and its starts and runs fine (outside of the next issue) No idea how it drives.


2. Background on this issue... My son bought this car from some dude that didnt know what maintenance was and did very sketchy things to make it run and drive. All the throttle linkages were adjusted wildly and the timing was erratic. After a lot of unrelated work (suspension and the like) I got to work on the engine (after many hours of time spent on these forums troubleshooting) and handled most of the issues. I then found the timing chain tensioner did not pump up. Replaced it and cranked over the engine without spark plugs in it and the coil disconnected and it pumped up. I had the fan and shroud already removed and turned the engine over by hand to line up the cam and crank pulley timing marks. Everything was good and I left as it was late. I got back to work on it several days later and put in the plugs, connected the coil and put on fresh valve cover gaskets.


I got in the car to start it and the key was left in the run position from previously working on it and the battery was dead. Charged the battery and tried to start it and found no spark. Came back here for knowledge and replaced the ignition control module. Car started and promptly died. Over and over. Came back here Replaced the fuel pump relay. Car starts and runs for a random amount of time between 5 secs and 15 secs.


I can jumper either 7 to 8 and the starts and stays running or 7 to 9 and the cars starts and stays running (with the fuel pump relay removed) but the cars idles at a high RPM. After it warms up the idle remains high. The tach does not work, but i checked the tach signal at the test port and its there and varies with the rpms of the motor.


While running I can pull the OVP and the idle goes up a little but it continues running. Reinstall the OVP and the idle drops down a little. I have replaced the OVP with the known good spare with the same results. I have replaced the FPR with the known good spares (2 of them) with the same results.


So here I am, kinda stuck. Any and all help is appreciated. Let me know if theres any more information that you need.


Thank you