Here's something to share with all MB owners. Recently I'd gone thru a frustrating experience with intermittent stalls, especially when the car is coming to a slow, say at a traffic junction or a bend, and it stalls. Subsequent starts then become more difficult, taking more cranks than usual. And at times, it stalls again right after it got fired up. I've gone thru practically all the threads in this forum (as well as other forums on other makes), and there are really a dozen of possible causes out there. Trust me. In cases like mine where the availability of good and proper diagnostic specialists and equipment is rare, this forum is where it matters. For my case, while my mechanic can only second-guess what causes the problem, at least I can reaffirm it. So guys, if you have a problem and you think you need second and third opinions, go do a search in this forum. Or at best, post a new topic.

Ok, lets get to the point. If you experience the above problems, start by checking these 2 parts:
1. Idle Control Valve/Idle Speed Stabilizer
2. Ignition Control Module

These are the parts that I replaced, and the stalling's gone. It aint really cheap, but they do look way past their time and I feel better changing them. The idle control valve especially, you should see the amount of deposits and gunk on it, its way disgusting!

The car feels like it has a fresh new life now.

Other very possible causes are:
3. Fuel Pump Relay (and perhaps other related relays)
4. Distributor Cap and Rotor (inexpensive replacement)
5. Ignition Coil (inexpensive replacement)
6. Vacumm hose clogged/leaked

My conclusion is that for stalling problems, usually it is either the ignition system or the idle control components, or both. I would advise that if you know your cap and rotors,plug wires, plugs, are old, change them first. And then further diagnose the problem. No point chasing after problems which could in fact be attributed by old parts which naturally could not perform due to wear-and-tear.

Of course there are other causes relating to a stalling problem, but those that I'd highlighted here are at best peculiar to my own. Hope the info is useful.

Mervyn
1983 W126 (280 SEL)

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Mervyn

1979 W123 (200/M) Midnight Blue
1983 W126 (280SEL) Dupont Deep Black (Previously Pristine Silver)

Mervyn - thanks alot for sharing your thoughts with us. Hopefully it will serve another soon.

Regards.

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Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

mervyn:

could you point out where exactly are
items 1,2, and 5 located? thanks

Joel,
Item 1 is located on the lower half of the throttle body on the driver's side (left-hand drive), slightly above the oil sump. It is more accessible from the underside than from the top. You might need to go under or jack up the car to remove this item.

Item 2's location may vary. Mine is located on driver's side, mounted on the mud-guard, about 10inches directly behind the headlamp unit. It is a small box-like unit measuring about 3inches long and 2 inches wide, with 2 cables connected to it. One cable goes to the ignition coil, which is Item 5, also located above the Item 2. The ignition coil is a cylindrical unit with a cap full of wires on top of it. There is only one other item that is cylindrical in the engine bay, and that is the distributor. The ignition coil is the smaller one, and further away from the throttle body.

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Mervyn

1979 W123 (200/M) Midnight Blue
1983 W126 (280SEL) Dupont Deep Black (Previously Pristine Silver)