W201 engine power loss help - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

e34 530 · #1 12-15-2011, 01:29 PM

Hey guys, looking for some help with my girlfriend's car. Car is an 87 MB 190e 2.3 with a 5 speed. She was driving on the parkway last Saturday night and called me in a panic saying the car shut off and all the dummy lights lit up on the dash. She tried to restart is several times on the side of the road but said it would start for second and then if she tried to put it in 1st gear the car would just die. So I get in my car and meet up with her at the tow lot where the car was brought. I initially thought she had thrown a belt but when I get there the belt is fine. I go to start the car to replicate the problem and the thing runs fine. I drove it around for a few minutes and here's the issue it seems to be having. Under acceleration (and it only happens randomly) the car goes fine, then all of a sudden it just seems to cut out, like it loses all power, then just as quick as it came it goes and the car returns to full power launching you forward. Any idea on what could be causing this problem? I need to fix it before Christmas so she can drive it home to Massachusetts.

Thanks, Andrew

d.delano · #2 12-15-2011, 02:35 PM

Sounds electrical in nature, like the over voltage protection relay(OVP) has faulted. While I'm not an expert on this, it's that all the dash warning lights came on at the same time that makes me suspect it. There aren't many things that make all the dash lights come on but I think the OVP is one of them.

You should find it behind the battery, a box about the size of a pack of cigarettes. May or may not look exactly like the image I have attached, but it's the only thing back there that has either one or two spade-type fuses on the top. Take it out and look and see if the fuses are blown; if so replace. If they blow again I would replace the unit.

That seems the most likely to me, given the information you have provided. It's the dash lights all going bonkers at once that makes me think so.

e34 530 · #3 12-15-2011, 03:22 PM

I'm assuming all the lights came on cause the engine turned off, similar to if you stall out, don't really think it was specific to the problem.

d.delano · #4 12-15-2011, 03:30 PM

^OK, but still it costs nothing to check and is easy to get to.

The one experience I had with my 190E quitting was due to old ignition parts. Original wires, plugs, distributor cap, etc. I don't think all the lights illuminated at once with that one however.

I was with you on the belt but read further and saw that the belt was fine. It's definitely something electrical. Is it a well-maintained car?

e34 530 · #5 12-15-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d.delano

^OK, but still it costs nothing to check and is easy to get to.

The one experience I had with my 190E quitting was due to old ignition parts. Original wires, plugs, distributor cap, etc. I don't think all the lights illuminated at once with that one however.

I was with you on the belt but read further and saw that the belt was fine. It's definitely something electrical. Is it a well-maintained car?

It's pretty decent, bought it from the original owner in June. I changed spark plug wires, plugs themselves, cap, rotor, along with some cooling system parts. Other than the coil the ignition system is new.

Adler · #6 12-16-2011, 02:51 AM

I would suggest a re- check of fuel pump relay. Initially the failure symptoms are quite similar to a intermittent ignitin fault

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my83300cd · #7 12-16-2011, 12:16 PM

Check the OVP as mentioned. The fuel pump relay is adjacent. Clean out any leaves and debris, make sure the relays plug back in tightly

Often cold solder joints in the FPR can cause issues. (You can either replace it or take it apart and go over each solder joint with a hot iron to reflow the solder, btdt)

Did you replace the wire from the coil to the distributor? Old wire might be worn and grounding out.

e34 530 · #8 12-20-2011, 10:31 AM

Yes I replaced the wire from the coil to the distributor. I was thinking fuel pump relay or something along those lines as when my 87 BMW 535iS starting having similar problems it wound up being the fuel pump fuse/relay.

e34 530 · #9 12-28-2011, 10:30 AM

So nmore weird problems, went home for Christmas and was driving the 190e around fine. I was driving it on Christmas Eve around town when suddenly it died out of nowhere, I cranked it while the car was still rolling and it went on its way fine. I went back to NYC for work yesterday night leaving the car at my parents house in Jersey. I get a call from my dad at 11:30 saying the alarm is going off and the lights are flashing. WTF? He cancelled the alarm and sure enough he called me 10 minutes again saying the same thing happened. I had him disconnect the battery until I can work on it again this weekend. Doe these symptoms reveal anything else to you guys?? OPbviosuly this is something electrical as previously mentioned.

mespe · #10 12-28-2011, 05:46 PM

The alarm can cause the car to not run,,, somewhere in the archives you can find a way to disable the alarm, it's more than just unplugging it.