280CE Died While Driving, Now Won't Start - Need HELP Quick!

[Squabble]

indy put in the pick up assembly last night, didn't fix it. next up is the ignition control module but now i'm questioning my indys ideas.

at this point i'm thinking of going at it alone. back to the drawing board. i've ordered a new coil, i'm sourcing and buying the ICM. the problem is that any of the ideas i'm getting from people, i've never done before. i might start tackling all of these ideas but i'm going to need help with procedures.

i've got a new fuel filter to put in. guess i should look at the pump again.

crankshaft position sensor? i didn't think my car had one but maybe it does? anyone know where it's located so i can look at it? anyone know how to diagnose it and/or replace it?

now my wife's giving me sarcastic smiles, asking me if i want to track down my 300D and buy it back...

[mercmad6.3]

You should be able to get a switch box off ebay. Like i keep telling you it's nothing hi tech or difficult and if you can plug in a power lead you can change one those. IT DOES NOT USE CRANK SENSOR!!!
There is a crank sensor on the front hub but that is for tuning the engine and is simply connected to the diagnostic plug. it does ZIP for the running of the car.
Get your car to mechanic who works on mercedes and same time and money.

As Judge Judy would have it.."LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING!!."

Indy put in the pick up assembly last night, didn't fix it. next up is the ignition control module but now i'm questioning my indys ideas.

I did mention that the distributor will not have any effect on the running because there is nothing in there to break or wear out. Your 'indy' just cost you dollars for nothing.

[Squabble]

Originally Posted by mercmad6.3

Get your car to mechanic who works on mercedes and same time and money.

i know, i know...they're hard to come by in upstate ny. even the closest mercedes dealership was 45 minutes away. that went out of business and now the closest is over an hour away. the only guys who work on mercedes around here take great cars and set them up for veggie oil. that's the extent of their mercedes knowledge...

alright, ICM is next, a few people here PM'd me with used ones. they'll go in the car. IF that doesn't work, what's next? i need suggestions for plans of action because i need to: order parts and get them here, get my car out of my work lot, get this damn thing running! any other possible ideas to share?

i really appreciate this help! thank you everyone!

[mercmad6.3]

There is one simple rule all engines use to run. it consists of three things. 1/ Compression.. 2/ fuel.. 3/ ignition. When all three are present the engine will run. Sometimes badly ,most of the time properly. \So, lets go back to the beginning.
... get an old or new spark plug. Pull a lead from the first spark plug and put the loose spark plug into it. Place it on the cylinder head so you can see it from the drivers seat. Crank the starter .
Does it spark?
No? . the switch box Has failed .
yes? kick your mechanic up the backside and demand your money back.
You have no fuel reaching the engine.
Fuel problems are just that,Problems. it can be a myriad of problems ranging from water or diesel in the tank ,rust blocking the pump and filter.
Filter blocked with dirt. pump not working. Fuel pump fuse blown . fuel pump relay not working (rare on your model) . Without a fuel pressure diagnoses gauge you are in the dark completely. an examination of the fuel pressure tells a mechanic instantly what is wrong .
Cars are Cars and any mechanic not familiar with the above three requirements has no place working on a customers cars.

[Gerard]

Originally Posted by Squabble

i know, i know...they're hard to come by in upstate ny. even the closest mercedes dealership was 45 minutes away. that went out of business and now the closest is over an hour away. the only guys who work on mercedes around here take great cars and set them up for veggie oil. that's the extent of their mercedes knowledge...

alright, ICM is next, a few people here PM'd me with used ones. they'll go in the car. IF that doesn't work, what's next? i need suggestions for plans of action because i need to: order parts and get them here, get my car out of my work lot, get this damn thing running! any other possible ideas to share?

i really appreciate this help! thank you everyone!

Maybe post on this board or "search" for a good mechanic in your area.
Like MercMad says.......you gotta rule out what it is one by one.

A poorly removed alarm caused my 300CE to stop all of a sudden. It was hard to trace, but I got a wiring diagram and a multimeter, and started from the battery.... tracing where power is getting to. turned out the supply to the coil was interrupted due to the alarm being removed. To re-make the connection, the PO just twisted the bare wires around eachother. They corroded after a few years and eventually broke the connection to the coil, causing me grief!
Best of luck with finding the fault.
9/10 times its something simple.

[travismcgee]

Originally Posted by mercmad6.3

There is one simple rule all engines use to run. it consists of three things. 1/ Compression.. 2/ fuel.. 3/ ignition. When all three are present the engine will run. Sometimes badly ,most of the time properly. \So, lets go back to the beginning.
... get an old or new spark plug. Pull a lead from the first spark plug and put the loose spark plug into it. Place it on the cylinder head so you can see it from the drivers seat. Crank the starter .
Does it spark?
No? . the switch box Has failed .
yes? kick your mechanic up the backside and demand your money back.
You have no fuel reaching the engine.
Fuel problems are just that,Problems. it can be a myriad of problems ranging from water or diesel in the tank ,rust blocking the pump and filter.
Filter blocked with dirt. pump not working. Fuel pump fuse blown . fuel pump relay not working (rare on your model) . Without a fuel pressure diagnoses gauge you are in the dark completely. an examination of the fuel pressure tells a mechanic instantly what is wrong .
Cars are Cars and any mechanic not familiar with the above three requirements has no place working on a customers cars.

Just to add to mercmad6.3 comments about the fuel pump. You initially stated that the fuel pump "whirs" but does it still pump fuel? You really need to rule out a lack of fuel getting to the engine as one the causes of your problem. I'm not a Mercedes mechanic just an average one but the symptoms you described suggest a lack of fuel.

[meltedpanda]

lets go back to the beginning. Just died on the road.
Why do cars die - no fuel , no spark, both or one or the other, rule both out
Electrical - spark, coil - check and rule out
A loose battery cable, ground - make sure these are OK. There is a way to bypass icu, I will need to find my notes on that , but good info here, 1971 220
also make sure you have not shorted out the starter or coil pathways. I had a non start issue with a bare wire that was grounding on the distributor housing, and then one on the starter

Could be simple - good luck

[Squabble]

today i got my over-nighted ignition control module. i went with the updated technology, new fangled one for $60. the used ones were going for about the same money so i figured i'd go with new. popped it in and it started right up!!! indy said he couldn't believe that was the culprit since they typically last so long, that's why he went with the assembly first.

put in a new coil too, just to be safe.

i wanted to let people know about this little ICU. i know i'm not supposed to even mention competitors here but it's $60, NOT $250 so i feel it's necessary to pass it on. it's at auto house (german....) arizona. it's made by Hueco, it's tiny, and it appears to have a chip under the cover. it stated that it was for late models but it was just for fitment, not for actual use.

anyway, thanks everyone for the help, i have a much firmer grip on understanding gassers now. i really appreciate all the ideas and the help!!!