I have a Euro 280se (W126 / M110) 5spd manual that sat for a year and is having problems... The car dies after about 10 minutes of idleing great and bogs out when you blip the throttle. Let me try and describe it exactly...

When idling, after about 10 minutes or so, the engine will sputter, almost die, but recover. This cycle will go on about 5 times and then she quits. If you try and restart right away, the engine will start, rev once, and die immediatly. If you wait 10 minutes, the engine fires up and runs for about another 10 and the same thing happens all over again.

The engine has a serious bog when you blip the throttle. From idle, if you goose it, the engine stumbles for about 5 seconds and then the airplate opens and it revs up. If you goose it before it returns to idle, it revs fine. Today I sprayed starter fluid at the injectors to see if there was any leaks at the o-rings, with no change in rpm. I did however find a vacuum hose that runs to a canister that sits to the right of the radiator and when I pinched the vacuum hose attached to it, the engine idled faster and smoother...

The top speed of the car during a few laps around the house is about 40mph and it has no power. I have the pedal floored, the economy gauge is pegged in the red, and the engine pops back through the airplate once in awhile...

I have flushed the old gas out, replaced the fuel pump, filter, pump relay, plugs, cap & rotor, and sprayed tbody cleaner in the airplate (this DID help!). I don't have any repair manuals for this car yet so would appreciate any advice and suggestions! Seems nobody on the "other" msg board cared to respond...

Tom Johnson
Dallas Texas

Tom:

Don't know the answer to your problem just yet, but I also have a Euro 280SE, but a 1981 one. Black, with black cloth, and auto.

Could you e.mail me your address? I'd love to discuss our cars and perhaps provide mutual information for it. My e.mail is anagy@karlsberger.com.

Thanks for your reply......Andras

Andras-
Here's a tip.
You can get Radioman's e-mail address by clicking on the little "envelope icon" at the top of his message.

------------------
Bill Wood - Webmaster
MercedesShop.com, LLC

I think I would check the fuel pressure at the injectors right after the engine has stalled after its 10 minutes of running. It sounds like it is starving for fuel. If the pressure is low, there is an obstruction somewhere between the pump and injectors. If this is the case, the fuel pump will probably be noisy, also. Another possibility is that the fuel distributor is gummed up from sitting, and the internal "valves", which control fuel flow to the injectors as the airflow meter plate moves, are sticking, clogged, etc.
A third possibility is water in the fuel, and a final possibility is some kind of ignition problem. I would check the timing with the engine running, and the strength of the spark after the engine has done its dying routine. Hope this helps lead you to the problem, as it sounds like a neat car.
Colin

Thanks to everyone that has responded! Still haven't got it running good yet, but here is an update. I turned the fuel enrichment screw clockwise a half turn, which made the engine run rough, but the bog was gone. Took it for a test drive and she purred up to 90 with no problem. Back home I realized that I never had installed the new fuel pump relay so I stuck it in place and fuel started spraying from everywhere around the new pump and filter. I killed the ngine and disconnected the battery and will pin down this leak in the morning. The car has stopped dying now for some unknown reason... I ran it for an hour today before the leak and it didn't die even once. The saga continues...

Tom

Hi Colin,
Just read your post about the noisy fuel pump, and yes it is alot noisier than any other I have heard. Perhaps the fuel leak when I installed the new relay is also related???

Tom

Tom,
Could be, but the fact that turning the enrichment screw to a richer setting made the car run ok under load, but idle rough indicates that it was running lean (i.e. starving for fuel) before. While you're fixing the leak, make sure the fuel lines to and from the pump are clear. If the car has an in-tank feed pump, make sure that is working, too. Sounds like you are getting close to solving the problem!
Colin

Radioman, Been following this and wanted to ask acouple of questions:

Did you add any kind of fuel peservative before the car sat for a year?

Was the tank full before it set idle for the year?

Have you checked the air plate for free and unrestricted movement?

Was the fuel filter changed before starting it the first time?

Where the injectors pulled and benched prior to first start?

Hang in there.

J.R.
86 280GE
80 450SEL
81 Volvo

Webmaster:

Thanks for the tip.

This was the one new thing that I learned today. That must mean I'm still aline!! Hallelua.......Andras

Hi Colin and JR.
I sure hope your right Colin, the wife is after me to get this car on the road for her... I will check all the lines before I put the new hoses on.

JR, I bought this car from the son of the original owner. His Dad had passed away a year ago and they just got everything stright with the lawyers and such. The tank had about 1/4 fuel in it when I had it towed to my place, and the fuel smelled really foul. While draining the tank, I noticed the fuel pump was dead so put a new one in (along with filter) before even attempting to start it, so none of that old fuel got to the engine. The airplate does operate smoothly, although I used 2 cans of throttle body cleaner to get rid of the soot that was built up in there. Haven't pulled the injectors (yet), still awaiting the new o-rings to be delivered. Can one clean the injectors with tbody cleaner if they are clogged???

I cannot give up! This car has only 91k miles on it, and since it has a 5spd, my wife won't let me... She has laid claim on driving the 280 and will "let me" drive the 535i in the driveway. If I cannot get things fixed on the benz by this weekend, she has stated it goes to the shop monday morning. Thanks for everyones help!!

Tom Johnson
Dallas Texas

Tom,

One of my concerns would be the gas that was left behind in the delivery system between the fuel filter and the injectors and the return lines and relief valves.

The detergent qualitys in gas that meets the BMW test will eventually clean things up but that takes time and never seem to fix a stuxk or failed item.

As far as the injectors, When you pull them to replace the seals is when I would take them to my local Benz/Volvo/BMW/SAAB dealer. they will all have bench testers that will check the spray pattern, leak down and opening pressures, etc. Injectors for CIS runabout $30 each so you'll have to compare the $45-60 they'll charge for the 30 minutes it will take (although they tend to charge a minimum of an hour) to the cost of 6 new injectors. There's always the possiblity that some ofthe problem my originate in the dry injector seals (seen that one) and stuck or sticky injectors.

Don't give up.

J.R.

Thanks JR,
Appreciate the encouragement! I will try and see about spaying liberal amounts of cleaner into the fuel lines and then use an air compressor to blow it out. Out of curiosity, I went looking around the web for the best deal on injectors and one site had them for $23 but they were not Bosch brand. Would it be better to keep it all Bosch?? I have been using the '85 380se for parts comparison, but noticed the 280e from '81 seems to be a closer match with it's 110 engine. There is also a 300se but I cannot find what years they were available. Local parts houses have been no help, so am going through a local dealer, Rusty, and another lady who gets parts for my Bimmer. The story continues...

Tom

Tom,
Stick with Bosch parts. The cost saving with cheaper brands is minimal, and the quality is questionable. I once attempted to save a few bucks by putting a rebuilt master cylinder on my Volvo, and it lasted about a year before failing again. Should've bought a new factory part in the first place. Let us know how you are doing with the 280. (A friend of mine just bought an '85 euro 280SL. All of the euro stuff like the square lights and small bumpers are unaltered. What a neat car.)
Colin

Hi Colin,
Sounds like good advice to me. These Euro models are difficult to get the correct parts for, but they sure are attractive automobiles! I gave $500 for mine <snicker> and hope to be driving it soon, even though the wife will get it after that... :-(

Tom

Concur with staying with bosch. A few bucks more but worth the price. If this site has difficulty getting eurospec parts consider Europarts in SoCal. Husband-Wife operation that I've had good luck with for obscure parts (e.g. 280GE 110 parts). He only buys OEM or better. No junk.
Have your engine and chassis number handy.

Keep us posted. J.R.
http://www.europarts-sd.com/
(858) 451-0020
Steve and Janice