I just purchased the above mentioned Benz with 110K miles on it to replace my '86 300E and it seems that this car is slower then the old one. It has 17 more horsepower (24 valve engine) a bit more weight, starts off in first gear yet I can't get the rear wheels spin (not that I am lead footed or anything however I noticed the absence of tire squeals at a particularly spirited take off from standstill, stock wheels and tires). I did the required tune-up after purchase, every conceivable fluid was changed, spark plugs, oil, airfilter etc.
One owner car, nice condition all the service records. What gives?
Anybody has similar experience? The car seems to take off very nicely above 3000 rpm though.
Thanks for your input.

Alex

I drove one a while ago and I remembered it was quicker than my then 1990 300E (second gear start).

The 260E 124 we have is quite sluggish too. I have in mind to replace the injectors sometime this week and hopefully I'd be able to tell you about it - more so in terms of performance.

I am beginning to suspect its the injectors as like you, I have done every conceivable act with the vain hope of restoring its glory.

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... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

well... im not sure what was up with your old car... but I have a 92 300E with first gear start... and its impossible to get the back tires to spin in a straight line. The only way to get them to lose traction is to take turns REALLY fast... and then floor it around the turn... and thats just not very safe... just my 2 cents...

if you do wide-open kickdown shifts you should get mid-low 8 second 0-60's. it's not a jackrabbit but it's not a dog either...

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joE
1993 300e-2.8 - gone now <sigh>
"Do not adjust your mind, it's reality that's malfunctioning"
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Your 2.8l is slower than your 3.0l??? Something sounds amiss. My wife and my previous cars were a '93 2.8 and a '90 3.0, respectively. We pitched them at about 145k. Now, I'm confident her 2.8 was notably more powerful than mine, and mine ran real nicely.

Especially noticable was how much quicker hers took off the line, and I'm well versed in how to do the 1st gear start in the older models. The 3.0 had more upper end power, the 2.8 seemed to have 2 'phases' of power. The 2nd came on strong again at about 4200 or so if I remember. Now, where my 3.0 smoked her car was top end. On a flat stretch of CT highway, the 3.0 saw 135.5 or so. Her 2.8 on the same flat was getting real winded somewhere around 124-126 and didn't feel it had much left.

So, to try and answer your question, I'd suspect you may have a tuning issue. Does yours 'surge' at all at idle in drive with foot on brake? The 2.8 is notorious for this, and requires a thorough going through of the carbon canister (?) and EGR (?), if I remember correctly (don't ask me the details, my tech didn't get overly deep with me on what he did). But it did help. I've got a MB tech's home # who does work on the side, email me and I'll get it to you, he'll give you the full scoop. Good luck!

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Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

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