Hello,

I have been a MB diesel fan for many years now. I have become quite the mechanic on the diesels but I am totally ignorant on the gassers. I have owned a few gas engine MB's over the past few years but never really had any major issues to fix on them. When I did have an issue I found what I needed here on the forum.

I have been searching for some info on a no start issue with an '87 300E 3.0. The car has 180,000 miles on it. What info I have found has not been conclusive enough to make any assumptions or diagnosis. The engine tries to fire and fuel is being pumped to the fuel distributor. In fact, the fuel pump clicks very loudly but moves the fuel nicely. After reading some other threads I am not so sure that the clicking I am hearing is the fuel pump. I hear this clicking directly underneath the fuel distributor when the ignition is turned on. It sounds like a fuel pump working but why underneath the distributor itself? This clicking does not stop after a few seconds. It continuously clicks. There is plenty of fuel coming through the pressure regulator. What symptoms would a faulty FPR give? I am totally ignorant on these gas engines but I do want to learn. At times the engine will "backfire" but will not start.

What sensors and their location would be interfering with the starting of this engine. How do I check the engine timing on this car? Where would you start with this car?

Kevin