Hmmm all this time I thought the problem was the Cold Start System (either the valve or thermotime), but my cold starting problem last longer than 8 secs.

What happens is you start the car and it has a hard time continuing to run after you start it up, sometimes it stalls out and you gotta recrank it and then it'll run at idle (can't accelerate past idle without massive hesitation), sometimes it'll start up and then kick into a little higher idle; once the car is warm (Water Temp gauge starts climbing) you can drive it. The car runs normally and fine as long as the engine is warm.

I read the troubleshoot procedures for checking the "Auxilliary Air Valve" and my symptoms are similar to those of a faulty "Auxilliary Air Valve". The only problem I'm having is locating this on the Merc! This seems to be the only component that looks radically different than the ones on the VWs. Here's a pic -> http://www.***************/secure/PartImages/0280140037.jpg of what's available for the US 280Es, but I can't find anything that looks like that on Mine.

Does that sound possible? Is there no Aux Air Valve on the Euro 280Es? I really don't wanna spend the $$$ on a new Warm Up Regulator, and I have a BRAND NEW one for a 86 VW with CIS that I paid $250+ for and didn't end up using it (if need be could that work on the Merc?)

TIA