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HELP! W126 Won't Start - 380SE
1985 380SE approx. 132,000 miles. I drive it about 2,000 miles per month, has always run like a champ for the last year. Last driven on Tuesday evening, parked it until this morning (been working from home). Got in and it just cranked and cranked and cranked but did not start, not even one hint of wanting to start. Here is what I have found so far:
Spark from the ignition coil wire spark at plug wires plugs are newer and still look good plugs smell like fuel a shot of ether down the intake plate (just to be sure) did nothing cap & rotor about a year old and slightly worn, but nothing out of the ordinary coil primary measures about .4 ohms (within spec) coil secondary measures about 9 kohms (within spec) wires relatively new fuel pump relay about 9 months old (old one resoldered but failed again) jumpered between FPR terminals 7 and 8 just to be sure Even after all the above, can't get one sign of life out of it. The battery must be in excellent condition, since I have been cranking the life out of it and it is just now showing signs of slowing. FWIW, it has been raining heavily here for the last 3 days. I initially thought this was moisture related, but not even ether can elicit a kick out of it. I am stumped for now... Any other suggestions out there? Thanks in advance!
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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Bump
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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B U M P
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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spark
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OK, yesterday I was poking around under the hood. Took out the OVP, removed the fuse to inspect (it was fine), and reinserted everything. Tried to start the car, but it wouldn't. Then I wiggled the small plug with the green wire going to the ignition module and noticed it wasn't seated all the way. It was on there tight, just not seated all the way (maybe plugged in about halfway). I reseated it, then checked a couple other things (can't remember which). A minute or two later, I cranked it and the engine fired right up. With the car running, I went back and wiggled the small plug again, loosening it and tightening it, etc. playing with it to see if I could get the car to stall with it partially seated. The only way I could kill the car was by completely unplugging the small plug. Having it partially seated seemed to have no effect on the running engine.
I drove the car an hour to work today, and though it ran fine, I am scared. Could this be an intermittent problem? Will I be stranded when it's time to go home? I'm not fully convinced that reseating the small plug had anything to do with the car running now. Especially since the plug seals all the way around the socket, so I can't figure out how moisture could even get in there. Questions: * It was raining heavily when the car was originally parked - is it possible moisture got into the plug and caused a poor connection? Yesterday was in the 80s so it's conceivable that the moisture dried out. If moisture was the cause, wouldnt' the car have run poorly or stalled before I parked it? * Can this be a sign of the CPS going south? Should I get under there after work and take some measurements? How do I do so? * Has anyone ever experienced this? The car was running like a champ one day, dead as a doorpost the next, then running great again as of yesterday.
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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What is CPS?
- Peter.
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2021 Chevrolet Spark Formerly... 2000 GMC Sonoma 1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021 2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels 1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles. 1984 123 200 1979 116 280S 1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille 1971 108 280S |
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CPS = Crankshaft Position Sensor. Interestingly, though I have read that this car has one, I don't see any direct mention of where it is located and I don't see one listed for purchase in FastLane.
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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Replace the EZL (Ignition Control Unit) with one with the same part number and try to start the car.
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Master Computer Engineer, A+, Network+, MCP/MCSA/MCSE 4/2k/2k3 - Messaging, MCTS, MCITP, MCT, Brainbench, ICDL and starting Ph.D 380SE 1984 <------- Totaled by flipping accident 300SE 1988 <------- Sold Volvo S70 2000 <---- 4 family Opel Omega 2002 <-- 4 family 560SEC 1989 <------ Sold 560SEL 1990 <------ Sold 560SEL 1991 <------ 4 my mother 560SEL 1989 <------ Sold 600SEL 1992 <------ Current http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkhazenzcc |
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The EZL is only about a year old, was replaced by the PO. It connects to the small connector with green wire that I mentioned earlier (the one that wasn't seated all the way). The small connector is the one with a single pin and is round in shape. I wonder if moisture could have gotten into this connection if the plug wasn't completely seated? Would a helping of dielectric grease hurt?
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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You said you had spark but it would not start.
What color was the spark? The coil can break down and put out a weak yellow or reddish spark. It should be blue white. The weak spark will NOT start the car, even though you see a spark when you look for one. It the coil is going bad, you may have jostled it enough to get it working when you were pulling on the green wire.
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2012 E350 2006 Callaway SC560 |
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Quote:
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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Maybe there is a little break, or corrosion inside the wire itself.
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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles 2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed 2005 Toyota Sienna 2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible 1999 Toyota Tacoma |
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i think the single wire that you refer to goes to the pickup in the distributor.those engines did not have the pickup at the flywheel.that green wire has been known to fall apart at the distributor end and cause intermittent spark.check it out.
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David S Poole European Performance Dallas, TX 4696880422 "Fortune favors the prepared mind" 1987 Mercedes Benz 420SEL 1988 Mercedes Benz 300TE (With new evaporator) 2000 Mercedes Benz C280 http://www.w108.org/gallery/albums/A...1159.thumb.jpg |
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I have driven the car almost 200 miles now without a hitch. Though I want to remain suspicious of various electronic components under the hood, I think Occam's Razor dictates that my wiggling of the connector on the green wire has resolved the problem.
David and raymr, I will still be checking out the green wire per your suggestions, as I'd hate for a flaky wire to strand me somewhere. Thanks for the input!
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08 W251 R350 97 W210 E320 91 W124 300E 86 W126 560SEL 85 W126 380SE Silver 85 W126 380SE Cranberry 79 W123 250 78 W123 280E 75 W114 280 |
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But you did say you had spark when the engine wouldn't fire up. That would mean the green wire was carrying current.
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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles 2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed 2005 Toyota Sienna 2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible 1999 Toyota Tacoma |
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