cold start problems 1979 280E
 

starts and dies when cold.feed her ether and she will start.runs great warm,starts great warm.checked cold start valve,it's fine

I'm having this problem w/my '77 280E...so far here's where I'm at...

* - This past October, it appeared, initially, to be the fuel pump...didn't work out to be that, but rotten hosing to/from the pump to the engine...two tries and finally got the issue to "straighten out" and act right...I actually had power and mileage to spare...

Then...

* - December came and I went through almost a can of ether and one MB-dispatched jumper truck to get the unit home...I plan on having the dealership in Wausau look at it as soon as I can transport her to that location...I have to borrow a flatbed trailer and spend the afternoon driving over there...I'm feeling like it really is the fuel-pump and filter arrangement this time...32 years old...something's about to give...

It appears that I don't have enough fuel-pressure on the rail to get her started and keep her running 'til she's warm...but she's not leaking fuel or anything on that order...I can't hear the fuel pump and I can't get anyone to tell me if I should be hearing it when I just turn the key to the '1' position and not try to crank it over...

No. The fuel pump doesn't engage until cranking.

^^thats right.

I would remove the thermotime switch and use some 320 grit and clean off the sensor portion, I bet that will solve the problems.

I personally would bet on the warm-up regulator. Can you get your system and control pressure checked when the engine is cold? Not much point in going further without those numbers.