Big Problem. Tiny Budget. - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

CONRAD · #16 02-05-2004, 09:30 PM

Allo. the mb is still in the shop...5 months.
sure glad there is no rush. but i'm annoyed.
have replaced the fuel distrbutor. eha valve,
the 'brain box' . tomorrow will check the eha
valve again. note. after installing the 'brain box'
the car started up and ran for 5/7 seconds, then
died. will start up, but dies within 5/7 seconds.
parts guy said it could be the 'idle control valve'.

any ideas....?
pls advise.
realy annoyed with the guy who sold me this mess....

samiam4 · #17 02-07-2004, 09:39 PM

Sorry to hear about the problems Conrad,

Your in a bad spot! Honestly, it doesn't sound like the techs know how to diagnois a problem. If they've got FP gauge and a VTH, they should be able to fix it. Just replacing everything is very expensive.

Find a better shop whom know's benz's... especially K-jetronic.

Again, sorry to hear the problems....

I've always hear "a cheap benz will cost you a carpayment to keep running" and always buy the most pristine example you can find.. even if it's a few years older.

Michael

CONRAD · #18 02-07-2004, 09:55 PM

10-Q Michael .

I'm not a mech/tech & i don't know what a FP Gauge is
or a VTH from a 'high-speed-bumper bolt'...

I am in the Jackson/Ione area of northern calif.
Do you know of any competent mech/tech in the
area ? (It's near sacramento) the MB DEALER
wants $135/hr.
After 5 months, maybe, the dealer is the best bet,
now.
Is there an honet mech/tech in northern cal ?
if so, let me know.

Again, tks.

samiam4 · #19 02-07-2004, 10:05 PM

fuel pressure gauge
Volt ohm meter (multi meter)

I'm completely unknowlegeable about california repair shops. I would suggest, the mercedes digest has many ppl. There is a shop owner, George ... he's on the list. Many bay area ppl which could help you find a shop-or lend a hand.

I would repost all your information on the other list. It's not strictly a tech list. More "Mercedes and life" digest.

Michael

CONRAD · #20 02-12-2004, 11:20 PM

Allo michael.

a parts supplier/mb mech said my problem could be a
faulty ignition switch....
could it be possible ? again, i'm no tech/mech. but
for $28.00 i'd risk a chance of cranking up the champagne
'93 mb, 190e, 2.3, that i bought from the guy in virginia beach
who is a senior member. i spent $4000 on the car up-front
drove it to cleveland, it died. fixed it. drove to nebraska, it
died. fixed it. it's been in the shop 5 1/2 months & still won't idle....

not sure what an ign switch does. do you ?

pls advise.

fahrgewehr2 · #21 02-13-2004, 12:28 AM

Conrad.

You need to list and keep track of everything that is done to this car.

Have the shops done anything to narrow down the problem? Ignition or fuel problem?

What 'brain' did they replace? What are the details of the cars demise? Was this a sudden problem or something that happened gradualy?

I suggest you gather your receipts and post what has been done to this thread.

There are members of this site who can help you if you are even slightly mechanically inclined, but information is needed!

GRCBoca · #22 02-13-2004, 01:02 AM

Big Problem. Tiny Budget. = Bad Combination!

Search the Good MB Shops forum for one in your area.

Good luck!

cgoodwin · #23 02-13-2004, 04:00 AM

and yes I know caps is considered yelling.

Conrad, what is wrong with you? Clearly these guys have no idea what they are doing... Other than taking your money. Is it at Jiffy Tune or some other hack shop? At least post the name of the shop so that those among us who may suffer the misfortune of breaking down near this black hole in the world of proper diagnosis, will no better than to darken thier doorway. Perhaps you could just fill your 190 with concrete right in front of thier shop and paint bit "circle, slash, NO" symbols on the doors as a warning for other Benz drivers to stay away.

Look I run a shop and I would have either shipped the car out with a diagnosis and a death sentance or repaired it long since. Think about it, I have 6 to 8 cars arrive a day with similar problems (we live in a time when many people only go to the mechanic when they HAVE to rather than practicing preventative maintenance) and they are all diagnosed the same day, if ther is a problem with a particular car, we all get on it and find the problem. That way we can fix it and get it down the road.... Are you sure they are not just charging you storage???

The biggest problem you have now is that you have no idea where to start. Originally you had a car which had been running fine and developed a problem. No you will have to have a competent tech go over everything these shade-tree-parts-changers have messed with, who knows what is wrong now except that you say it will start and die in 5 to 7 seconds. WHY IS IT DIEING?? Does the fuel pressure drop? Is the ignition loosing power? Are you loosing injector signal? Ask the shade-tree guys these questions.

As Jackd said, go to a competent mechanic and agree to pay them for say 2 hours of diagnosis, anyone who knows which end of thier body to put a snickers in should be able to tell you something in 2 hours, even if only "these systems are working properly, and these ones are not" probably followed by " if you authorize another hour we will have an answer for you" Even then you will be far ahead financially of where you are by throwing money at it. Why not just take some of the cash you are spending on all these parts and labor and give it to someone without a snickers in thier shorts!

Actually why not just have it towed to my shop in Seattle, that will run you about $600 and I can promise you that I can store it for less than what you are paying now, or perhaps even repair it! Do these guys repair cars? Are you sure it is at a car repair shop and not an institution of some sort, perhaps hiring the otherwise unemployable?

Sorry about the ragging but it sounds to me like you need a good slap. Either you are being robbed or you are for some reason foolish enough to continue giving money to people who are clearly incapable or unwilling to repair your car. Assuming you are not one of those guys with a horrible piece of junk who wants it fixed for $1.49. You really need to get your car out of that place.

I have seen a 190 start and die from fouled plugs, shorting plug leads, plugged idle valve, bad gas, etc, etc. Don't simply replace everything in sight hoping you will stumble upon the fault. Test parts and systems and replace what you find to be defective, in a shop it is sometimes more efficient to replace a part with a "known good" part than to test it and shops keep parts for that reason - I have a box of test parts, if I think a problem points to the ECU and may swap it out for a know good one, if the car runs properly I call the client and tell them they need an ECU - it saves me having to pin out the entire ECU and I don't have to charge the client for 2 hours... Imagine that you have suddenly fallen and you can't get up, the doctor comes in with an entire pharmacy and gives you a pill and a bill for $400. The pill does nothing so he takes the next bottle of pills and gives you one and another bill...Still nothing changes, would you keep buying these pills if he told you that he intended to just keep giving you pills until he happened upon one thast worked?

GET YOUR CAR OUT OF THE SHOP.... 5 1/2 months Please!

rjcarrasquel · #24 02-13-2004, 01:50 PM

Conrad:

Recently I had a problem with the engine wire harness of my S320 1994. I think that you stop doing anything to the car and check the engine wire harness. It is a very common problem and before you do any damage to the car you should check this. Good luck!.

CONRAD · #25 02-25-2004, 01:01 AM

ALLO.......

The news is goooood. Finally. I yanked the sick MB190E,
1993 out of the old shop. The parts-yard referred me to a
skilled, competent & honest and reasonably priced mech/shop.
towed MB 65 miles. New Mech/owner said: a minium of 1 hr
maybe 2 to diagnosis the car. ($70/hr.)

Next day, he called me. It's running fine, now. so well, he
said, he'd drive it to the smog shop & have it smogged
for another $60.

Called me later that day. Car is purring. Passed the tuff
Calif smog. Total bill. $287.89.. total time in shop. 3 or 4 hrs.

1. Mixture adjustment out of range. 2. accelerator pedal
broken causing linkage to bind. replaced pedal @ $12.00
included in total cost.

Thank ya'll for the support & advice.

Now, with all the new parts in this champagne benz,
I ought to be able to drive it to the moon. and back !!!

:p

cgoodwin · #26 02-25-2004, 12:55 PM

Great news Conrad!

Why don't you post the contact info of the shop who did such good and honest work so others in your area will know where to go.

Hack shops make the industry look bad, personally, most of my clients are refferals so they come in the door with a good attitude but most "off the street" clients require a great deal of reassurance that they will get a fair shake. I often tell new clients that I will not charge them anything unless I can repair the problem and do it in a timely fashion. Many have had similar experiences as you have had and as a result do not trust mechanics.

Honestly the world of automotive repair has changed far more than most people know. The phrase "It's not your fathers car" could not be more accurate, and these days thier not your fathers mechanic either! Today a tech must have a good understanding of computer electronics, advanced electrical test equipment, emissions, liquid dynamics, feedback systems, etc, etc. Many of the "old school" mechanics have had to retire or limit themselves to older vehicles and many of the Mercedes mechanics I grew up learning from now only work on pre 1980's cars.

Regards,

Chris