Help! 88 300TE Won't Start!
 

Looking at buying a 1988 300TE in nice condition for only $1,000. However, it won't start. Owner states he parked it 2 weeks ago and it was fine. It turns over real strong and just barely catches but never catches fully. It's got fuel and seems to be getting spark. Any ideas if maybe the injectors might be a problem here? I have only done some limited work on my diesel cars so this gas engine is new to me.
Any info you can give would be a help.

Thanks in advance - Bert:o

Try spraying some fast start into the CIS intake. If it fires, you know you have a fuel issue.

CIS? Is that the air intake? And is fast start a starting fluid?

If the fluid lists "ether" as a component, then yes.

I need to put the car to sleep? :D

Are the injector lines operate similar to a diesel ie. crack each line to verify the presence of fuel?
How bout spark - can I remove a plug and try grounding it to the block while turning the engine to look for spark?

Yes to both

Sounds like the CIS relay. It is behind the battery, identical in shape to an adjacent relay labeled "KLIMA".

Last time me te' were actin up it were that darm ignition coil, you cant hit it with a happer to see if it turns, but you can check with a meter to see if it is getting juice there yet not to the distributor cap yeh

Check for a broken rotor or rotor carrier, they are common and happen suddenly.

Do the fuel pumps run when you crank? Right rear, under the rear seat, check from under the car.

Could also be a defective crank position sensor, in which case you will not have spark.

And look for a split boot between the air flow meter horn and the throttle body or a broken or badly split idle control valve hose (under the air filter housing).

Peter