I found a 1987 190e with a 2.3 but it does have smog issues. I figure with a new cat and some fine tuning the car should pass like any other. But I'm here to pic your brains and experience with this model. Are there any other issues that may have me running? The car has approx 160K miles. There is some oil in the coolant around the cap. Head gasket?

Suspension wows?
Climate control?
Cylinder heads/ gaskets?
Transmissions (auto)?


Thanks in advance

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1984 280SEL, 62,000 miles
Euro model in the USA
1983 300D (Totaled out 10/2004)
New Factory Mint Green paint
Palomino int
1982 240D (Steak dinner for two)

ASM or two speed no-load test?

Post the test results?

Duke

The oil is the head gasket, and smog issues with HC would indicate likely stem seals. Budget-in a valve job, but at this age, plan on replacing lots of stuff - rubber airpath and vacuum plumbing, all the coolant hoses (BAD oil!), probably airflow meter or pot, etc.

Steve

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'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

Sounds as if this one would not be worth the trip. Is the 190e a POS? Maybe I should hold out for a 300 D body. I have an excellent drive train for a turbo but finding a nice turbo body has not been easy. What I need is a clean body at a reasonable price. This has not been a good year.

__________________
1984 280SEL, 62,000 miles
Euro model in the USA
1983 300D (Totaled out 10/2004)
New Factory Mint Green paint
Palomino int
1982 240D (Steak dinner for two)

Save your money, donate your car and get a tax break this year. That's how my '89 2.6 continue to cause me to dig a deeper hole into my pocket. Failed smog at first test, rplc'd O2 sensor and converter; failed smog at second test with high HC at 15mph at 147ppm. Rplc'd most of the ignition components (roughly about $500.00 spent at this point) along with another converter (warranty), barely passed the third time with HC at 15mph at 114ppm (max.allowed). Thought I now can enjoy driving it for sometime with a new 2005 sticker on my plate, ehh..WRONG! It stalled on me while traveling 70mph in the left lane two days after it passed smog, everything just quit without warning! Fortunately I was able to coast to the right shoulder without mishap. Read my other posts, I'm still trying to get the engine to keep running longer than 15 minutes (numerous parts replaced..OVP relay, fuel pump relay, EZL module, coil, voltage regulator). Money I spent on this so far could have gone toward six monthly payments on a new Honda or Toyota. Just my opinion, good luck.

A common problem with emission test failures is that guys just start throwing expensive parts at the problem. This could be the owner or a mechanic.

M103 engines are typically at the ragged edge of the HC limit on the CA 15 MPH ASM test. It's the nature of the beast.

Troubleshooting should begin with analyzing the test result numbers, particularly the amount of O2. If it's more than a tenth or two percent, it means the converter was not hot enough. This can be mitigated by properly "managing" your test as I've posted a zillion times.

Any modern car can be a money pit if you just throw parts at it helter skelter, without doing diagnostics and analysis.

Duke

This is a pretty rough car to keep running without putting in a lot of time, both researching its systems ( Bosch K-Jetronic - Mechanical Fuel Injection ), and the rest of the time replacing suspected bad components. For every simple system on a Japanese or American car Merecedes has gone out of the way to design a Rube Goldberg style alternative. I love the car but I can't say its because of the way it has been engineered . Mine is in mint condition and has 58,500 original miles. If your looking for a full time hobby by a 190e. If your looking for dependable transportation, do yourself a favor and by a Honda, and if you can't do the work on the 190e yourself and require dealer intervention I hope your going to need very deep pockets. Good Luck.