Bought a 1965 190Dc to tool around in. Rebuilt engine, repaint, new seals, yadda, yadda. "Quick Glow" upgrade, hand pump upgrade.

When using the "choke" at cold idle, it runs great. Get it down to warm idle speed and it suddenly developed a problem... it would suddenly bog and die, just like running out of fuel. Will not restart without massive bleeding of the entire fuel system. Runs great on acceleration or at speed, too.

When it quits, it acts like it's completely out of fuel.

Day before yesterday, it did it and refused to draw fuel from the tank. Drained the tank, pulled the sending unit.. and discovered that the PO had used silicone sealer to seal the send unit to the tank. Bottom of the tank is filled with it. I remove the tank, and flush it with all orifices open. The suction line on the car to the engine was plugged, so I freed it with compressed air and flushed it.

Reassembled everything, primed it, it fired right up and ran better than ever! Drove it around, pulled back in and it started loping, then shut down.

Exact same issue.

I've since replaced the new hand pump, replaced the fuel lift pump with a known good one off another known good IP. double- checked the lines for blockage, and replaced both fuel filters, as well as replaced every rubber seal and copper crush gasket on the fuel system.

Fired it up, ran great, no stalling at low idle, all is good.

Wrong.

I let it sit for about 15 minutes, went to start it again and... Fuel system acts like it's bone dry. Primer pump draws fuel from the tank like there's no tomorrow. Filter is full, BUT I keep getting air out of the bleeder on the top every time I open it.

Just for fun, I even exchanged fuel filter canisters in case there was a little crack at the top, or something. Still no start.

Injection pump: Good
Drip timing : Dead on
Linkage: Adjusted exactly per repair manual
Nozzles: New
Compression: Excellent.

Definitely a fuel issue. But where?

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1968 230S Automatic, Elfenbein
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