1980 280SE missing/poor idle help
 

hello.

i recently purchased a 1980 280SE euro. I have been working through the car trying to get all the issues solved, but a few remain.

the problem that worries me most is the poor idle, once the car has warmed up. after long periods of driving, it will idle very poorly (perhaps on 5 cylinders). The oil pressure gauge reads a little above 1 bar, which to me seems too low. however it runs fine while driving.

i have replaced adjusted the valves and changed plugs and wires with no change in performance. so the question is: is the engine worn (low oil pressure), or is it an ignition / fuel issue?

the odo reads 145k, but my guess is that it was switched when the car came to the US.

thanks for any help that you can provide.

Which fuel system does that car have?



Joe

i am not sure on that one. how can i check?

this is an early W126 with a 110 engine i believe. i am not all that familiar with the gas models, in the past i have only worked on the diesels.

is it worth pulling the injectors and having them tested for the spray pattern?

any other suggestions out there? i tried searching the forum for any common problem with the idle, but didnt come up with too much info.

thanks again.

just remembered something that might help diagnose the problem. it has a hot starting problem, and i have to pump the gas and crank for about 5 seconds to restart the car after highway driving.

could this be connected to the poor idle when hot?

i would really appreciate some help here, someone must have experienced a similar problem. thanks again.