Need Serious help with staggering engine, car not going anywhere

xp190 · #1 03-06-2003, 10:20 PM

My 85 190E developed a serious problem.

It started with some minor hesitation which occured a few times while I was driving, I knew something is wrong, now the car sounds like it's running on 2 cylinders.

I thought it might have been a spark plug wire cause one was damaged, I fixed it up but nothinging.

When I start it, it takes a lot more cranking then usual but it does turn over and start running, and it runs fine for a bit, then after a few seconds it starts staggerign as if something is holding it, the entire car shakes like crazy and I can hear the exhaust pulsing. The economy gauge goes 1/2 way up and when I try accelerating, the engine does not move until throttle is at 50%.

I need some help figuring out what this could be, any ideas please send them my way, I'm not sure what to expect, but my rotor cap, distributor arm wires, and plugs are all less then two months old.
it does not look like an electronic control to me, but I have no idea what it is so I could be wrong.

TIA

xp

haasman · #2 03-07-2003, 02:00 AM

Have you cleaned your injectors? Try the double-dose of techron. It worked when the '87 190e 2.3 was running the same way.

Additionally I also bled the fuel lines at the fuel distributor and at the injectors. Caution regarding the raw fuel.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

neileg · #3 03-07-2003, 05:32 AM

Certainly sounds like a fueling problem. My 190E ran like this when it needed a new fuel pump. Could be fuel filter, or injectors like haasman says.

xp190 · #4 03-07-2003, 08:03 AM

I agree it could be the fuel injectors

I'm gonna go pull them out and bleed them.

I can't get techron here in Canada, but I think it's time to replace my injectors if they are acting like this.

I'll keep everyone posted.

need to solve this asap.

Thanx a lot guys.

xp

#5 03-07-2003, 09:45 AM

I had some same problem on my six.
Changed the distributor cap and rotor (they were consumed) and now the problem is gone.

Check it.

sbourg · #6 03-07-2003, 10:31 AM

I get the impression all the symptoms occured a bit AFTER replacing the plugs, etc. If so, which plugs did you install? if platinums, switch to a copper plug and see if that solves it.

If not related to the service, then I would suspect the items mentioned by others, as well as the ignition coil. Note any ignition problems should show up on a scope.

Steve

xp190 · #7 03-07-2003, 11:11 AM

I got new copper plugs as well as distributor cap and rotor arm.

I pulled the injectors and plugs, injectors are worn but they don't seem cloged, two of the spark plugs were a bit darker then they should be.

I put everything back together started it up again, and it started fine, ran okay for a minute and then again, whole thing starts shaking, missing, and economy gauge goes sky high and the car wont accelerate.

I'm taking it to a shop now if I make it.

xp

sbourg · #8 03-07-2003, 12:12 PM

Actually, disconnect the EHA plug first to see the effect.

Steve

xp190 · #9 03-07-2003, 05:19 PM

it turns out that one of the NEW plug wires was bad, which cause the first cylinder to not work at all or randomly depending on where the park went.

I switched those, but the engine still does not run smoothe like it did before, I'm wondering what else it could be, I'll try the platinum plugs instead of copper and see if there is any difference.

xp

xp190 · #10 03-08-2003, 10:12 AM

After some more work it turns out that the new set of bosch spark plug wires was crap. One broke completely the other was in and out. Fortunately when I combined my old set with my new set I ended up with one WORKING set.

This cured the engine shaking and missing in idle, and it was missing big time, I could see the spark jump through the wires and onto the engine block.

So I got that fixed but now my car is hesitating again.

Same as before, from a stop it will hesitatate like crazy, cause EHA current falls to 0 for some reason, and then after a certain speed current jumps up to 12mA and the car takes off like a rocket... I think I'll start with the EHA this time since I adjusted the mixture the last time.

any hints?

xp