PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

Jeremy5848 · #3 10-29-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMAllison

With the hood up and door open, do you hear the *click* of the shutoff valve opening when the key hits pos #2?

My new car (1996 E300D) didn't want to start this morning. It was in the warm garage (about 60F) and unlocked. When I turned the key to position 1, I got the ABS light; position 2, I didn't see any of the additional lights, and the ABS light turned off as it is programmed to do.

I thought it was strange that there were no idiot lights but I'm new to this car and I thought that the glowplug light might have cycled off while I was putting on my seatbelt. So I turned the key through to position 3 and the engine cranked but did not fire. After 5 seconds of this I stopped, cycled the key, tried again, no joy. Several more attempts without success.

During one or more of the starting attempts I noticed that the "fasten seat belt" warning that the instrument cluster displays in place of the odometer/clock/outside temp was flickering and obviously in pain. No other idiot lights, no CEL. No flashing red/green lights on the mirror.

I lifted the hood, looked for obvious problems. Nothing found. Tried again. Eventually, on one of the tries, there was a 'click' from under the hood in key position 2, the idiot lights came on, the glow plug light cycled and I was able to start the engine.

This happened once again after I stopped at my mechanic to discuss another car (the W123 car has an a/c leak). Easier starting this time after two attempts, same symptoms. Rest of the day, many stops and starts, no problems starting.

Couple of instances when it acted (at low speeds, engine near idle while starting from a stop or rounding a corner) like it was going to stall, but recovered. Reminded me a lot of a carburetted gasser flooding due to fuel slop from the float chamber -- a hesitation sort of thing. Never actually stalled.

Since this is to be my wife's daily driver, I'd really prefer it to be reliable. I've read in some of the posts here and elsewhere about the K40 relay (whatever it is) and then this mention of the fuel cutoff. Since the idiot lights don't work, I suspect more than the fuel shutoff valve. There's no indication in the PO's extensive collection of service records of the K40 relay having ever been replaced.

Should I wait until it won't start at all? Replace K40 on general principles? Are there other symptoms to watch for?

Jeremy