1975 Mercedes 230 Gasser not turning over when hot

[Pascucci]

Hey guys,
I have really been enjoying my w115 with the exception of one extremely strange issue I have been having. About 1/4 times I try to start it after I have driven it any real distance the car will refuse to turn over. The fuel pump comes on and all seems normal, though. Typically I can resolve this by waiting or, strangely, shaking the car. I learned this when it started after I closed the hood one day. I have yet to have been unable to get it started, but I'm afraid this embarrassment may turn into a problem. I haven't ruled out NSS yet, although that doesn't seem to explain it due to the fact it will always start cold in any position and don't believe it's the starter either, which was rebuilt not long before I bought the car. Any ideas?
thanks!

[vandor]

>don't believe it's the starter either, which was rebuilt not long before I >bought the car

Iit does not mean it was a good rebuild :-)
My first guess would be the starter, or a semi-loose connection.

Csaba

[meltedpanda]

do you mean it clicks does not turn over or turns over wont start?

if you mean it does not turn over , I would say you have a starter issue. Next time it happens try wacking the starter and see if it starts , if it does, you have a flat area on the armiture. Not all rebuils are created equal

If it is turning over and not starting look for vapor lock issues, poor compression

[Pooka]

Throw a voltmeter in the car and the next time it does this then test the battery. A dead cell will do this since when the battery gets hot the lead plates in the battery expand. If they expand too much, and all it takes is a little, you will get this problem.

I have had this take place with batteries that were new.

If the plates expand you will get no current flow through the battery and a fully charged battery will read zero volts. If they expand just a little you might still get some current, but not the 8 volts necessary to turn over the starter.

Yup, the starter will turn over with only 8 volts. The car will not start, but the starter will slowly turn the engine over.

[Coastal220]

I have a similar problem on my '70 220 gasser. I've mentioned it on the forum, and another poster reported the same problem... but no solutions. Some kind of ghost... I'll flip the key and absolutely nothing though I have power, not a verifiable 12v (haven't yet tested it during one of these episodes), but enough for everything but the starter to behave normally. Placing the car in 4th (it's a manual) and pushing it back a foot or so is the only thing that reliably "solves" the problem. Otherwise, waiting or "shaking" the car as you said have worked in the past. My car's previous owner reported all this to me as well--he could never figure it out.

Panda, did this occur on your 220 also?

[Volker]

^^^ this is just dead starter, hit the starter with a hammer next time you will see...