1989 300ce.

the other day as I was pulling into the parking lot at work, my car stalled.

I honestly thought a slipping belt meant that the alternator wasn't charging the battery and the system shut down.. not so.

New belt and tensioner. No start.

Changed fuel pump relay. OVP is only 5 months old or so.

Here's what happens, I go to turn the car over and the starter engages and engine cranks for a few seconds and then the starter will cut out as if there is no power.. I can repeat that.

Don't know if it could be fuel pumps. Like I said... it just cut out on me as i was pulling into the parking lot.

A couple of years ago, we had an occasional no start problem, replaced the crank position sensor and all was well. At least then you would get a restart after the car cooled a bit.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

What's the battery voltage during this starting attempt?

What happens when you put a battery charger on the battery? Heavy charge?

i took the battery to interstate.. they said it needed a charge...and it was on the charger for 21 hours..

he said it had 500 cca after the charge.

i do not know what the voltage reads during a starting attempt. i will have my wife turn the car on tomorrow so i can listen and see if the fuel pumps engage.


i just wonder if the original problem.... the car just stalling out is a function of the pump going.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

I fail to see the connection to the fuel pumps if the battery is dead and the alternator has insufficient output to keep the spark going.

Your problem appears to be a failure to charge the battery.

My guess is that it will start just fine with the recharged battery, only to repeat the same problem if there is no alternator output.

I'm not really concerned with the starting voltage now that the battery is recharged. If the engine does start, check the battery voltage while it's running. My guess is that you'll find 12V or so.

i guess what i am trying to say is orginally the car just stalled out on me in a parking lot and wouldn't restart.

interstate recharged the battery.... and no luck starting... i figured it just isn't getting gas.

i will try to jump the car off tomorrow as well. i asked the guy at interstate if i needed a new battery...and he said this one is fine, but it is on its way out... he wasn't anxious at all to sell me a new one.... the battery says its rated for 700cca. I have owned the car for 5 years...so the battery is at least that old

i guess i could try to put the battery in the s320... and see what happens when i try to start it.... i could keep all the accessories off in the s320.... it only has the 104 engine.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

The possibility of two completely different problems.............a dead battery............and a bad fuel pump...........is practically nil.

So, apparently, the story must not be complete.

The car will stall if there is no alternator output and the battery dies. This problem will not, AFAIK, cause the demise of the fuel pump.

\\

UPDATE--- june 13th

well.... brian carlton wins...and i lose..but i lose again

got a new battery... it cranked and cranked... now it won't crank, but still have plenty of battery

had my wife turn the ignition switch on and I can hear the fuel pumps.... but it doesn't seem like its getting fuel.

i will take a look at the cap and new rotor this weekend... but it looks like it may have to go into the shop and face a 1k bill... this would be a first.. but I am about out of ideas.

.... i don't think there is such a thing as weak fuel pump. i guess i could try to put starter fluid in the intake to see if i can get it started... maybe that would be an indication.

very frustrated

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Well, apparently, by some mystery that is beyond me, you have two simultaneous problems...........and you have now solved one.

You have also successfully concluded that the fuel pumps run and that fuel is probably not your issue.

This leaves spark........without it........the engine won't start. Getting it to start on ether solves nothing...........just lets the engine run for a few seconds.

Now, personally, I know very little about this engine, having owned it for less than one year, so be careful with my advice from this point forward.

But, I might take off one of the plug boots and see if I can get a good spark from the plug wire to a ground. If not, you have now proceeded toward the solution.

thanks Brian...i can do that.... something doesn't add up.... i will try a few things....

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

If you spray ether and the car turns over, then it is likely you have a fueling problem. Otherwise, pull a plug like Brian said and check for spark..

First, look at anything that you touched while dealing with your dead battery. It's likely you. May have unplugged something.

__________________
Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2

gas getting to fuel distributor no probelms there.


1. Car stalls out in parking lot. Belt had been slipping so I think alternator did not charge battery . Car dies

Replace bad belt and tensioner. Tensioner did not look bad but did it.

2. Car does not start, battery dies. Get battery charged, but it really did not hold much of a charge. Replace battery. No start.

3. Fuel pumps work. gas at distributor. No start, now starter does not engage will check connections at battery. Don't think this is an issue.

4. So I guess I am down to spark. I have a spare coil, so I will probably do that and report back. 96 out today, so will do it in the morning.

5. Last resort: SHOP oh, new rotor and plugs in January.


Still can't figure out why the car just died in the parking lot. That's the answer.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Replaced coil with my spare. nothing.

Still wont crank ....checked battery grounds... good battery.

something like this happened to me a couple of years ago..and I replaced the crankshaft position sensor... then all was well...

i just didn't think this could be an issue... I hate to throw a part at it...but i know the second it goes in a shopp... i will be looking at big bucks.....

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Apparently, you still have two different problems.

The first is the failure to crank. If you have a brand new battery and it still won't turn the engine fast enough to start, you must look at all of your cables and your connections.

You've got two battery connections and a connection at the starter and a connection at the body. All must be cleaned and reinstalled.

As I once asked early in the thread:

What is the battery voltage during cranking?

You may also want to look at the ignition switch and the connector behind it...
Can cause all the erratic problems discussed...

__________________
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...c/GOWIDE-1.jpg
1971 280SL ROADSTER
1988 300CE TWIN TURBO WIDEBODY
1994 E320 CABRIOLET
1999 C43 AMG
2005 G55K AMG
2008 CLK63 AMG BLACK SERIES

I just wanted to update everyone on this..

the starter was shot.... it must have been on its last legs.. and trying to start again...burned it up.

still, a weak spark..... i replaced the coil and got good spark.... no start

replaced the distributor cap... i thought i had done that in January with the rotor...did not..


started right up.....

i think if i hadn't burned up the starter ( i believe it was original) it boiled down to a weakening coil ...and a cap that had marks on it...

thanks.. I learned a lot this time.... i am just used to un-bolt and re-bolt.

one of our un-named members was very patient with me in private messages....

he taught me the value of the x27. .... and upstream and downstream tests....

i don't know how people with the newer models do it...with all the electronics....

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]