w124 how to tell if timing chain broke
 

i thought i ran out of gas,but after purring 2 gallons of fuel it still wouldnt start 1992 300e

Simply pull the valve cover and look. What makes you think that this is your problem?

Good luck,

well i was low on fuel.put two gallons in and it still wouldnt start. Do i need to put more fuel in? The reason i thought it was the timing chain is because it wont start.

Valve cover off
 

valve cover off. what to look for? I see chain on sprocket.
Do i crank to see if chain or springs move?. If I had run out of gas, shouldnt 2 gallons be enough to start it? I was cruising about 30 mph when it stalled. it was really low on gas. what household products can i use as starting fluid?
my 92 w124 is outside waiting for your reply. thanks

how often do you run low on fuel as its bad for electric fuel pumps, a light spray of wd-40 might work, if the chain and sprocket rotate and you don't see any broken parts or metal shavings this is good news

Depending on how old the fuel filter is and how often you run it to vapors, your filter could be plugged. I don't believe I have ever heard of the timing chain breaking because of running out of fuel. Check out your fuel system.

I run low on fuel fequently.I always procrastinate when it comes to refueling. Chain and valve springs move when cranking.poured a little gas in throttle bodywhere air cleaner is but still wouldnt start. Where is gas filter (hope its not in tank)? Is there a fuse i should look for the fuel pump? Should i try to find a spark from plugs. Yesterday I just went to the corner store. On the way home the engine quit while traveling aprox. 30 M.P.H.. When i stopped to recrank it the first time it seemed there was a little fuel in the system, but on the second crank there was nothing.
I ve encountered broken timing chains and the engine had "that sound".

Get a can of starting fluid and spray in a 2 second shot. If it starts or seems to want to start a lot better than before you probably have a fuel system problem. Get a fuel system pressure test kit and make sure you have enough (or any) fuel pressure.

An other thing, does the car have a security system or remote keyless entry?

no keyless remote,car stalled while moving so i dont think its security related. I DID put some fuel in the throttle body and it didnt start.i didnt have any starting fluid. Is that ok?

yes
 

checking for spark is a good idea. it needs air fuel and spark to run. if the timing chain is broken it wont get air. ditto plugged air filt. if fuel pump is broken fuel lines broken or pinched ditto or fuel filter plugged. and finally if it has no spark or it is coming at the wrong time it wont run. if it died abruptly with no sputtering i suspect electrical. if it sputtered then fuel. if it stopped abruptly with mechanical crash i suspect timeing chain.

check ing spark is easy. ditto air filter. if timing is off but you have spark it might backfire out exhaust (retarded) or kick back (too advanced). checking fuel lines is easy. look for a wet spot.

the fuel pumps hardly ever cause problems. ditto fuel filters. so i would check there last.

tom w

i also read about some adapter or something that connect rotor to camshaft maybe?

Take your car to a local MB dealer or an independent shop that works on MB vehicles and has a good reputation. They should be able to diagnose your problem before you cause more damage by guessing what's wrong.

maybe your right

Fergetaboutit
 

My dear Mr. Mountainbiker: Your particular vehicle contains over 55 different relays, modules, systems and devices, where one or more could be causing your no run condition. Unless you were a very polished knowledable and experienced mechanic, dont do anything yourself, Im sorry. Just one electrical mistake can end up costing you thousands more to fix. You need a cracker jack mechanic right away....
Dave R....
32 years master mechanic....All the trades....