it all started with a fuel leak....help!

[uptownjimmy]

Howdy.

My girl's '87 300E had a fuel leak in the hose that comes out of the fuel filter and goes towards the engine. I replaced that with no difficulty. However, I have a few problems:

1. The car still starts very reluctantly after sitting overnight. I have used that STP water treatment, but no improvement. Once I get the car started, it runs fine, restarts fine after even half an hour, idles fine (maybe the mildest hiccup here and there at idle).

2. Before we figured out about the fuel leak, she had a hard time starting the car for about a week. We thought it was just water vapor in our humid, schozophrenic climate here in GA. So she killed the battery, got the car jumped, came back home, whereupon I replaced the battery, but now the brake warning lights are on all the time, which is weird because the brake components are all new. Also, the Eclipse CD player is malfunctioning, as in not working at all.

3. On a probably unrelated note, there is a squeal to my main belt and pronounced rattling from the area around the water pump. It's not a loud rattling, but it seems to rev up with the engine.

I didn't find any info on my particular problem with a reasonably thorough search, so I decided to just post with my specific issues.

Thanks!
Jimmy
'87 300E
'89 300E

[gmercoleza]

Originally Posted by manny

If you don't give us the year & model of your car, we will take you in the torture chamber & beat it out of you.

I thought I noticed he said '87 300E above...

[manny]

Whoa........gotta slow down on my speed reading.

[psfred]

The hot starting problem is probably the accumlator leaking down. Takes a while to get the pressure back up. Could also be the pressure regulator in the engine compartment leaking down, you will need to attach a pressure gauge to determine which one it is.

The rattling is probably the water pump, figure 6 hr to replace and several hundred dollars (the belt tensioner is probably shot, too).

Peter

[G-Benz]

The electrical issues sound like either the alternator is on its way out, or the dreaded OVP is plaguing the system...

[uptownjimmy]

Originally Posted by psfred

The hot starting problem is probably the accumlator leaking down. Takes a while to get the pressure back up. Could also be the pressure regulator in the engine compartment leaking down, you will need to attach a pressure gauge to determine which one it is.

The rattling is probably the water pump, figure 6 hr to replace and several hundred dollars (the belt tensioner is probably shot, too).

Peter

Thanks to everybody who responded!

Are you saying that if I drive the car a few more miles the accumulator should get back up to pressure, assuming that's the problem?

And as for the water pump, is that a thing you wait on till it blows for good, or replace immediately for fear of permanent damage when it blows? I'm pretty sure I can handle the repairs...

Jimmy