Ok,

To start, I'm an ASE tech, but I specialize in domestic (US) & asian makes. I've never worked on a Benz before or anything with mechanical injection.

I got the car, no start. Fuel pump dead, so replaced pump & filter. No fuel from tank. Pulled tank & found in-tank filter 98% blocked & fuel level sender stuck. Replaced filter. Notched used screwdriver to dissassemble level sender, cleaned contacts, rod & re-soldered copper wire.

Re-assembled & re-installed tank with new main hose & return hose. Pump dead-heads due to high pressure. Removed supply line @ engine (leaving in-line filter attached to end of hose) and I have plenty of flow. Reconnect supply, run pump and no fuel out of return hose fitting.

I can get the engine to idle smoothly with a constant spray of starting fluid (and pump disconnected), so it's probably not timing or spark related, and spark line on scope looks strong.

Alldata, Mitchell & Autodata are no help. I've ordered a set of discs on ebay, but I was hoping for some insight from others since I have this weekend free and the CD's won't get here until next week. I would have ordered the factory manual on CD, but I didn't find this site until today.

I'm thinking a fuel varnishing problem, and that I should just start removing lines, injectors, etc... and letting them sit in acetone as well as removing jetronic module to clean up as well.

Like I said, though, I don't know anything about mechanical injection - I don't have so much as a decent diagram of anything, so I don't want to screw anything up because I'm impatient.

Any help or a direction to go while waiting on the CD's (I don't get many full weekends off) would be very much appreciated.

Welcome DH,
First, remove the fuel supply from the fuel distributor. Then remove the next fitting that the line was hooked to. Look inside the fuel distributor and you will find a screen wire filter. Clean it. This usually is the problem. If you find this screen plugged, then you need to flush the fuel line from the front to the rear. When the car sets for years, the fuel dries up in the lines and causes this problem.
Tell us more about the car. Mileage, condition, etc.

Paul

__________________
84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)

Yup.


Once you get that sorted, then on the the vacuum leaks (there will be plenty).

__________________
-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

Ahh...I did remove the supply & next fitting, but assumed the little brown thing inside the fitting was the filter - I didn't look inside the fuel distributor...

The car has 130K miles, no engine drips. The previous driver was literally a little old lady who put the majority of miles on the car, and her husband performed all scheduled maintenance with genuine MB parts. The interior is in excellent condition, with nary a crack in the original leather. Power everything, which all works except for the passenger rear window regulator. Until the engine runs, I won't know about the A/C or air distribution (I'm hoping it's vacuum driven).

Exterior is in very decent shape (needs clear coat polishing as it was used to store boxes) with a few small dings here and there. Rims in good shape as well as tires. Only undercar issue I see so far is sludge on the right rear side of the differential.

Underhood is relatively clean, but I'll be hitting it with a few cans of brake cleaner to remove built up grime on all the parts.

I was told that once it arrived in the U.S., a part was fitted underhood (bought by soldier overseas) which I haven't had a chance to look at.

The rear window may not need a regulator, it may just need a "sliding jaw" Do a search here. It's a bit of a pain to replace, but the part is dirt cheap.

__________________
-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

Ok, I just looked inside the fuel distributor after removing the supply line & fitting & there's no screen...

Again, I tested flow with the extra fitting attached to the supply hose and it flowed very well.

What are the symptoms of that? All of the windows move rather slowly - the passenger rear just doesn't move at all (and there are no motor noises coming from the door).

It's ALIVE!!!!

Apparently there is a check valve in the tank's fuel return. On a whim, I decided to disconnect the return from the fuel distributor and it fired up and kept running (and sprayed a good amount of gas everywhere).

I disconnected the return line at the tank at the steel line and blew 125 psi shop air (with the gas cap removed) until I could hear bubbling. Then to remove any crud, I fashioned a rubber tip that attached to the straw that comes with a bottle of brake kleen and blew about 1/4 can up there.

After only using the shop air, I got a small but steady stream of gas out of the return line at the tank. After using the brake kleen, however, no gas came out, which I'm assuming means a better seal on the valve.

Starts and runs normally now.

Now I just need to fix the odometer (speedo works), the air distribution, track down the freon leak & put in a new timing chain and she'll be all set!

__________________
A.S.E Tech A1,A6,A7,A8 & MVAC 609 + EPA 608

Unless stated otherwise, any question I ask is about my greymarket 1985 380SEL.

Awesome! Great work!

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

pictures?

380's are kind of nice, especially if its a euro, and an 85, as all the bugs had been fixed by then.

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

It was bought in germany and shipped here, but it doesn't seem to have euro style headlights, which is a bummer. I got it running yesterday and drove it about a mile before putting it back in the garage.

This was a "if you can get it running, great, if not just donate it" deal from one of my customers, so the car was basically free. I pick up the title today!

I just need to put some miles on it and get it on the highway (don't want to risk it with the stickers being out of date and not insured yet), then I'm getting the windows tinted. I live in South Texas, so clear windows really aren't an option.

__________________
A.S.E Tech A1,A6,A7,A8 & MVAC 609 + EPA 608

Unless stated otherwise, any question I ask is about my greymarket 1985 380SEL.

That is a euro market car... you can tell by the bumpers. Nice find! Re-fitting the proper headlamps is an easy job.

I'd also replace any rotten looking vacuum lines from the start... CIS is very sensitive to vacuum leaks.

-Jason

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Good news on the headlamps. Now I just need to find a pair!

I'm just wondering where I get clear vacuum line material. I'd like to keep it as close to a stock look as possible, so I don't want to use plain black vacuum lines.

__________________
A.S.E Tech A1,A6,A7,A8 & MVAC 609 + EPA 608

Unless stated otherwise, any question I ask is about my greymarket 1985 380SEL.

I've owned two '85 380SE cars, one was a euro. The euro runs great and still does 20+mpg. The US spec car was gutless and did good to return 18 mpg.

Attached Thumbnails

 

I know ******** sells all the appropriate vacuum lines, I'd guess that Peach Parts does too.

The hard lines are probably fine, but the short rubber bits that connect them probably need replacement.

-Jason