I have a 1993 600SL that was runng fine until one day when I was washing it. I left it idling while I hosed it off. I did not wash the engine. When I got back in the oil pressure had dropped from normal to almost zero in about 5 minutes. After I shut it off it would not restart. The engine was flooded with gasoline to the extent that the engine had lost compression from the oil being washed from the cylinder walls and the oil in the crankcase had had been diluted.

Adding oil to the cylinders brought the compression back and it tests normal. After changing the oil the engine and attempting to restrt the engine imediately flooded with gasoline again.

What would be the most likely cause?

Can you say "wiring harness"?

Sorry, probably no place for humor.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Both engine wiring harnesses and all plug wires were replaced about two years ago with factory parts when the engine was runing very hot and going into limp mode. The local Mercedes shops were no help. It turned out the catalytic converters were both bad causing high back pressuer and extreme engine heat. Both wiring harnesses had started to crumble and I did the coils, caps, rotors and plug wires as I suspected the heat had gotten to them. Very expensive problem, but I can say the wires should not be an issue.