w124 died on highway. help? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

immunity · #1 09-14-2006, 01:44 AM

86 300e with 250K miles on it. I was on the sprain pkwy going north to upstate new york when suddenly there was a hiss and wierd knocking sound. I started pulling over and just as I did the car died. I checked the spark plugs, voltage regulator - brushes are fine...Couldnt visually see any wires disconnected, tested the battery it was fully charged but the thing jsut wouldnt start at all...it would turn and die. Had to get a tow truck (my first two experience ever...it was devastating) and he towed me to some random garage where the guy is going to wake up and find my car in his driveway...

Any ideas what the problem could be ? So I know what to expect tomorrow when i speak to this guy tomorrow. I hope this doesnt cost me a bundle.
I towed it here Y and J auto, 79Mc lean ave, yonkers, ny. Thanks.

#2 09-14-2006, 02:34 AM

Your motor needs three things in order to start and run:

1. Spark, easily checked by using a spark checker to replace spark plug.

2. Fuel

3. Compression, lack of this would signal serious problems, but I doubt this happened.

If I had to guess, because the car died suddenly and the engine still turns, you lack either spark or fuel.

One thing to check, since you mentioned a hissing sound, is for a large vacumm leak, the plastic line the supplies vacumm to the brake booster can break and result in a large enough vacumm leak so that the car will not start due to a leaned out fuel mixture. The knocking sound may have been detonation caused by the lean fuel mixture. The line takes a few minutes to change and costs around $50.00 or so. Most MB dealers stock the line or can get it overnight, you will need your vin number to order it.

Make sure you put a dollar limit on the work order before you sign it, say for a couple of hundred. That way the mechanic doesn't have a blank check for repairs without your approval.

Ferdman · #3 09-14-2006, 03:52 AM

sami, if the garage where your car was towed isn't trained to work on MB automobiles I would call 1-800-FOR-MERC and have MB Roadside Assistance evaluate your problem. If it's a simple vacuum leak the tech will probably use some duck tape to temporarily repair the leak so you can drive to a shop to replace a hose. In the future call them when you're stranded along the highway.

DRICHFL · #4 09-14-2006, 04:46 AM

I would first start with checking the fuel pumps. Turn the switch to the #2 position which is when the dash lights come on and listen for the hum of the fuel pumps. You should hear the fuel pumps humming and the sound will come from the rear under the car, below the passenger seat. No humming means fuel pumps may be shot

. If there is a humming then fuel pumps may either be creating pressure for the injectors and the fuel filter may be clog. Or the problem could be that the fuel pumps are create pressure but not enough for injectors to fire. Also check your OVP relay. Keep us posted.

yal · #5 09-14-2006, 09:58 AM

Didn't something like this happen to several people and it ended up being the Crank Position Sensor?
Also something similar happened to another guy but it was his rotor inside the distributer cap that had cracked and broken off.

richard28 · #6 09-14-2006, 11:01 AM

fuel pump relay. I keep spares in the glove compartment of my 87 300e and 88 300ce.

david s poole · #7 09-14-2006, 01:32 PM

sounds to me like first post is correct.if i understand you correctly you could start the car but it then dies immediately.fuel pump relay is first thought but the hissing sound points to broken main vacuum line to brake booster.half a roll of tape and you should be going.

immunity · #8 09-14-2006, 07:20 PM

thanks for the replies. the car hasnt been looked at yet. He'll take a look tomorrow morning. This way maybe im more educated than the mechanic and know if Im getting taken for a ride. Anyone know a good benz shop in yonkers.

p.s does the 1800 benz number apply to me since Imlike the 4th owner. Is there a charge for this service.

will keep yall updated. Any other ideas are welcome.

#9 09-14-2006, 11:10 PM

The 1-800 number can be used for any year MB, and it doesn't matter if the first or tenth owner is calling. However, unless the car is in warranty, they will charge very high labor rates if they send out the rescue tech from a dealership, many times they simply offer to tow the car via towing company to the closest dealer. I think they will still jump start, change flat tire, bring a fuel can, for free. I read that some time ago, things could have changed. IMHO, a cell phone and a phone book will serve better, unless the car is still under warranty and the tow is on their dime.

immunity · #10 09-15-2006, 09:29 PM

Anyone know any good benz shops in Yonkers, NY? For possible engine work/replacement/head gasket. The guy called me and said the issue was major(sounds $$$) and he will call me tomorrow to break it down. (sleepless night). In the interim im trying to find a decent shop around that area. Any recommendations would help.

Also rookie question: An engine rebuild/replacement would entail a new head gasket anyway right? Im willing to go all out and do an engine rebuild/replace/ but only if it solves all my issues sans transmission and minor electrical. Any idea about costs?

Heres an interesting titbit from wikipedia.

"
Head gasket
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Different kinds of gaskets, #4 indicating a V4 head gasketThe head gasket sits between the engine block and cylinder head in an internal combustion engine. Its purpose is to seal the cylinders to ensure maximum compression.

Occasionally, the compression in the cylinder may cause a leak to form in the gasket (a "blown" head gasket). This problem has been exacerbated by the use of aluminum rather than iron cylinder heads; while lighter than iron, aluminum has a much greater thermal expansion rate, which in turn causes a great deal more stress to be placed on the head gasket. Engine makers have responded to this by adding a non-stick coating such as Teflon to the surface of the head gasket.

If the gasket blows, a variety of problems can occur, from compression loss (leading to power reduction, or a rough engine), to exhaust gasses being forced into the cooling system, leading to the engine overheating and increased engine wear due to the motor oil being mixed by antifreeze (coolant). If a very large amount of coolant leaks into the cylinders, hydrolock can occur, causing extensive engine damage.
"

#11 09-16-2006, 12:47 AM

I would ask the guy how he diagnosed the head gasket, they don't blow out like a tire when you are driving down the road unless the engine had been overheated severly. I would ask if he has done a compression test of cylinder compression, and I would also ask if there is cross ontamination of the oil and coolant. These are some of the ways to diagnose a head gasket problem.

I would get a secon opinion before I start thinking about a new or rebuilt engine. Unless your engine was driven without water or oil and wasn't overheated it can probably be saved. The headgaskets on these cars tend to leak oil, not blow out and cause the car to die. It takes someone with experience to diagnose the fuel injection and ignition systems on these cars. It's far too easy to condemn the entire engine or head gasket. I once had a shop tell me that my 1971 Jeep needed a engine rebuild, I had it towed home and after replacing the ignition distributer it ran like new.

190E-Bpy · #12 09-16-2006, 04:37 PM

If you had a head gasket issue many problems would have ensued prior to failure.

1. white smoke blowing out the back

2. Coolant or oil looking like a frappachino

3. Overheating merely looking at your car funny, really. Your temp would have risen quickly and been pinned above 120

4. Tons of steam blowing from under the hood

5. No coolant left in resevoir, compression from the engine would "purge" the system

If none of these problems occurred hold on the head gasket job ($1800-2500 if done at a shop). When was the last time you had the head done or the PO had it done?

I'd have to think since it was so all of a sudden it was either spark or fuel. When you turn it over can you smell gas, more than normal? This may be lack of spark issue. Another quick diagnosis is to take off the air filter housing and push open the throttle body flap and sniff. If there's plenty of gas spark is the issue again. I've never tried it, but someone once suggested tossing a shot of gas in there and try starting (if dry) if this works then fuel relay, pump or vacuum line may be shot. But as someone pointed out listen for the hum.

keep us posted

Mark DiSilvestro · #13 09-17-2006, 12:05 AM

Assuming it's like the engine in my friend's '88 300SE, under the air filter housing (you'll need to remove the air filter housing to see it) facing towards the front, there's a rubber elbow connecting some sort of breather/air tube to a fitting on the fuel injection unit. On my friend's 300SE, this elbow rotted and pulled apart, causing a major vacuum leak. It would then try to start but die immediately. Check for that, or any other major vacuum leaks, before contemplating a head gasket or an engine overhaul.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Uncle Acky · #14 09-17-2006, 09:13 AM

As Yal stated,
I suggest the ignition distributor is checked first, focus on the rotor bracket that connects the rotor to the cam. The early ones were aluminum and tend to break. Symptoms are: no start, with intake puffing/backfire, as if timming out of whack. Replace with steel one from MB.

New torx bolt torqued to 16 Nm.

Hope this helps,
Acky