A pre-test smog test here in California failed this car as a "gross polluter." HC's and NO were both *very* high.

Otherwise the car is in great physical shape inside and out (with a few nits to pick - blinker doesn't blink but signals illuminate, front left/rear right windows don't respond but will if relay is bypassed.)

Neighbor offered it to me for $500.

I don't know enough about emissions systems to know what could possibly make it fail so badly.

Any Tips?

What's a list of possible causes and any repair cost estimates?

Thanks in advance!
tjh

If you dont want it I do, I am in Northern California

__________________
Jerry

2004 SL500 Black 55K Miles
2002 s500 Black 90K Miles
1986 300E Gold 233K Miles
1966 Twin Cessna 320D
1989 Jeep Cherokee 233K Miles
1994 Ford Van E150 399K Miles

Not surprised it's labeled as a "gross polluter". I think all of the Benzs of the late 1980's in So. Cal. are catagorized as such.

There is no way to estimate the repair costs without knowing a bit more info, ie mileage, maintenance history, ect. It could be as simple as a tune up to something $$$$. Per Autotrader, 300e's of that vintage range from $1100 - $6900. If you are mechanically inclined, I say try to fix it for less than $600 and then cut your loses.

If you need help getting it to pass, use the search button.

Best of luck.

Tinker

The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), the agency that supervises the state's emission test program has labeled the M103 family as "high emitter profile". NOT "gross polluter"!

The HEP tag is because most M103s have higher than average emissions for their year group, and most owners are directed to "test only stations" for their bienniel emission test.

"Gross polluter" is a tag given to individual vehicles that have in excess of about double the allowable emissions for any of the three that are tested, and this tag is only bestowed upon individual vehicles, not the entire model group.

Duke

My advice is from my own experience - I bought a 1990 300E that was in good shape. It has remained a good car in my eyes (but not my wife's), needing only to have annoying oil leaks fixed and cosmetic touch-up. Fixing things like oil leaks is straightforward since oil can only come from just so many places. Not so emissions, An emissions system contains lots of expensive parts that have little or no diagnostics other than to replace them and hope for the best. The emissions computer will tell you what measurement is out of whack but then good luck choosing the correct part (one of usually seven choices). I know as I've spent the last year re-working the emissions system on an 83 Buick.
I would bet that after spending money to fix the emissions - considering your time, your original investment and the aggravation, you'll be missing your original $500. If it were cheap to fix, the existing owner would have already made the investment.

A bargain would be starting off with a good car and then driving the wheels off of it without it costing you a fortune. Don't start off already in-the-hole.

If you have a good set of tools, buy that thing and post it on the parts fourm.
Use the easy... and I do mean EASY... $1,500 you will make, to put a down payment on a finer example. You can start by sending me the fan clutch bearing bracket (for a nominal fee) as thanks for the advice.

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831799&postcount=13
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831807&postcount=14

Duke, the resident emissions expert, is correct. I got my gross and high emitter mixed up.

Correct me if I am wrong, but once a car has been labeled a "gross polluter" is it not subject to "test only" stations for the rest of its existence?

Tinker

[QUOTE=Tinker
Correct me if I am wrong, but once a car has been labeled a "gross polluter" is it not subject to "test only" stations for the rest of its existence?

Tinker[/QUOTE]

Don't know for sure if this is true, but even if it is - no big deal. Personally I find drive through test only stations to be the most convenient, and there is less chance that they will pull any shenanigans, since they don't repair cars.

The number of cars sent to test only stations is likely to increase with time. If fact, the day may come when virtually all are test only except for a relative handful of "gold star" stations that will be under close supervision of the BAR.

Duke

I was going to suggest buying it and parting it as well.... take all of the relays.... and other spare parts you THINK you may need in the future... sell off the drive train and interior and sheet metal, and you should be good to go..

as I say that I wish I had a spare tranny and torque converter in the basement.