After talking to a MB guru about my 86 300E hard start problem a week ago, he informed me that it probably was the ICV also he said before he drives 3 hrs to his local shop (somewhat difficult to schedule.) I might want to try replacing it Or cleaning it up..

I am not 100% what this looks like or where it is even located. If someone can shoot me some pics I would appreciate it. (preferably under the hood where it is located.)

Also, we talked a little bit about a hose that is on the upper part of the air filter box. I see a whole about the size of a quarter on the top lid of the air filter box.. But, there is no hose insight.

Is there supposed to be a hose there? What does it look like? where does it connect? ( One side: on the top of the air filter box, The Other Side:_______)

I'm going to bring this 300E back to her former glory. 100%

1986 300E 129,998 original miles

That idle control valve is under the air box. 3 bolts to get the air box off. Under that right behind the water pump is a cylinder looking thing with two tubes coming off it. There is 2 10mm bolts that hold the clamp on. Check the tubes coming off it for cracks, if there bad replace them. If you clean the icv take a 9 volt battery and two wires and tap the wires onto the plug for icv while you spray wd40 in it. It should open when you apply power almost close with no power with no binding. That tube your tech is talking about is the tube that runs from the valve cover to the air box. There is a 1/8 inch hole in it that a tube plugs into. That tube runs to your fuel pressure regulator. Its designed that incase the thing fails it will flood the motor and shut off the car. Your cold start problem could be the icv incorrect lambda setting fouled up plugs or relay behind the battery could be getting weak.

Can you post pictures? I do not have the tube you are talking about at all.

Would this cause a problem?

That tube is for the pcv system. It shouldnt cause it but thats important for the pcv system. Im at work maybe later.

Okay, I would really appreciate it.

86 300E, when were the distributor cap, distributor rotor, spark plugs changed last? And are the ignition wires original? Routine maintenance of the ignition system results in easier starts and maximizes fuel economy.

__________________
Fred Hoelzle

Tonight I was on the phone with a local mechanic he said check spark and fuel like a few of you others did....

I have spark and I have fuel at the lines to the injectors.

I sat there and reved the engine and feathered it for about 20 mins until I was able to keep the rpms up to about 2-2500k for a few mins.

The Anti Lock light came on and the mechanic told me to check my OVP.

everything looked okay with the OVP but the fuse seemed to not be very tight.

I poped the top off of the relay, and squeezed the metal termanals down and re-assembled the relay.

The fuse I put back in was some what hard to insert and very firm to remove.

I put the OVP back into my 86 300e qnd it started better than it did before the problem started...

--------------------------------------- GUESS I GOT DAMN LUCKY -----

Thank you all for everything. I'm off to get some epoxy to make sure the top dosent pop off again.

The hose that goes on top of the air filter cover (quarter sized hole) is the last one on this page:

http://www.*********.com/catalog/1991/mercedes/300e/air_intake/breather_hose.html

ICV (underneath Air Filter Housing with black tubes attached on each end):

http://www.*********.com/catalog/1991/mercedes/300e/fuel_injection/idle_control_valve.html