My 16 year old daughter has complained the '87 300E cuts out intermittently on her. I drive the car and it runs fine. After towing her off the road I noticed that it would run for about three minutes and then shut off. I changed the fuel filter and let it itdle for about a half hour. It seemed fine. I then drove it for about 20 minutes and I hailed my success at diagnosis! While going to the "father-daughter" dance last night, I got about 2 minutes from the house and while turning a corner and accelerating, the car simply stopped. It would not re-start for several minutes. After re-starting, I drove it back home and it again seemed fine. My daughter just started driving and this car only conks out with her either driving or in the car. You don't think it's a "negative aura" thing do you?

One thing you can be sure of in this case is that it isn't the overvoltage protection relay. The OVP relay powers the idle motor and the fuel management ECU. The KE-Jet system doesn't need electronic control once warm. It does a very good limp home without electronic control. While the loss of fuel control or idle motor can cause an idling car to stall, it will not keep a warm car from starting if you step on the gas.

A 300E that dies at anything but idle and won't restart is probably suffering from a bad fuel pump relay, crank sensor, ignition coil, fuel pump, or ignition rotor/dist cap.

One other unusual problem I have seen is the fuel pressure regulator sticking flooding the motor. And of course it could be something else (bg).


------------------
Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 03-14-2000).]

I am having the same problem with my 1988 300e did you solve your problem...

Can you elaborate on this? How does this cause flooding and how did you diagnose it?

Fuel pump relay is a common cause of this type of intermittent cutting out.

__________________
Mick J
'08 Chrysler 300CRD (MB OM 642 engine)
'95 E220 estate
'89 230TE (R.I.P.)

Steve's list is complete, but due to the circumstances above, I vote for fuel pump itself.

Next time it it cuts out, whack it with a blunt object, and see if it kicks in again.
If that works, you know the culprit.

Let us know. I love a diagnostic challenge.

Best of luck with that aura thing.

__________________
1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.