Have an 87 300e that hasn’t run in 20-22 years. It ran when I bought it, but extremely poorly and misfired. Fuel starved, it would respond and run better with starting fluid.

Long story short:
New fuel pumps
New tank screen
Full tuneup with the correct plugs. Dist. Cap, rotor, wires
Old fuel drained, new fuel. Inspected the tank
Fresh fuel filter.

No improvements. Long cranks and won’t start without fluid and shortly dies right after.

I suspect the fuel distributor has went bad from sitting. I did get the car around the block for about a mile a few months ago but after that it went back to running like trash.

Anything else I should test? And how do you test these distributors?

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Maybe you will get lucky with this:
Inside the fuel inlet fitting at the fuel distributor is a fine mesh screen.
Fish it out and clean it.

Hey Jake, I've had great luck with real strong injector cleaner for cars that had sat for 7 plus years. The few cars I did this with were running very poorly but that curred them after ideling for 20 minutes.

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

Convert it to full sequential EFI and u will have a car that will first time, start every time��

Thanks guys for the responses. I’ll give it a shot with the screen. I’m also gonna check the pump relay too

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Do the fuel pumps run? With the key in the run position does any fuel spray from any injector if you push the round plate down under the air cleaner?

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

The metering piston in the fuel plate housing is probably stuck closed due to varnish, its a really irritating tear down but can be done.

I recently did a similar job but on a BMW, the metering piston needed to be soaked for a couple of days to let go.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

After you go through the fuel system suggestions. Swap out the OVP ( next to engine "brain'-two fuses on top )relay with one from a known functioning car. Or get a used one from a junk yard or anything but a POC URO or other junk. Siemens is the best but often you can re work the solder joints in your unit.

Between my son and I we have had (and still have 3 124's) many MB's and this has fixed many !

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92 300e 205 k miles decent -wife's ride
91 300 TE many upgrades and very clean-Junk yard rescue ( son's "hot rod")
68 250 s Low rust great shape
91 300e 236k ( rear ended and sheared metal subframe mounts /sway bar )
85 300TD 310k

Below have moved on
77 300d 36k miles one elderly owner! Now in Ca fully restored
79 300 sd 49k miles( time capsule clean )sold and still in ohio
66 230s new at factory "das boot" gone.
93 190e 2.6 crunched-hard no injuries
69 220d rusted away

I literally just went through this. Buy new injectors. Period.http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/415132-m103-fuel-distributor-fuel-pump.html

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1990 190E 3.0L

Thanks guys!!! I sprayed some starting fluid on one of the injectors and the idle came back and ran good. It must have an air leak through the o rings on injectors. I’m getting new injectors o rings distributor screen and main fuel filter. I removed two injectors to clean them with brake clean and put them back car wouldn’t start. I guess all the o rings are wasted. Some of the hard lines from the distributor are seized to the injectors. I soaked them in PB blaster. Any suggestion to remove them?

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Clean the pipe/nut the best you can with a brass brush, then repeatedly soak it with penetrant over a few days if possible. Tap on each tube nut just after each soak.

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer