190e loss of power - maybe fuel flow? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jrbnc · #1 03-11-2004, 04:57 PM

Hello,

On my 190e I have had some random occasions lately where when i am driving the car suddenly will not respond to the gas pedal. Things I have noticed are:

1. When it stops responding the rpms stay where they are until the car stalls about 10 seconds later.
2. When i am pressing and depressing the gas pedal the vaccum gauge moves as expected.
3. After stalling it seams to take around 1 minute or more to get the car running again.

My question naturally is what could be the cause of this?

My suspicions are that it is fuel related, since i dont lose any electrical power. And the car runs for a short time after i loose the pedal response. It almost seems like its just using up the remaining gas in the lines.

I could think of the following:

1. fuel pump
2. clog in fuel line - doubt as i think the problem would be more frequent.
3. fuel filter - doubt as it was replaced less than a year ago
4. fuel injectors - doubt as if it was one injector I would think the car would stumble but still run.
5. fuel pressure regulator
6. fuel distributor
7. fuel pump relay

If anyone has encountered this before please let me know what you found, or if any one has any ideas on where i should start please let me know.

Many Thanks,

Josh

jdc1244 · #2 03-13-2004, 09:28 PM

May be a place to start….

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=24219&highlight=190e+loss+of+power

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=7260&highlight=190e+loss+of+power

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=4459&highlight=190e+loss+of+power

rbort · #3 03-13-2004, 11:46 PM

I am by no means an expert, but I have been really getting into my Benz this year. I found this forum and I have been working on finding nuisance problems and fixing them. I've managed a couple of things, and I feel a little more informed about the car now that I did before - a great feeling!

To answer your question, here are my thoughts:

a) fuel pump - possible that it could be failing.
b) clog in fuel line, doesn't seem likely.
c) fuel filter, same as b) doesn't seem likely either.
d) fuel injectors, impossible. Car will run with dirty or clogged injectors, and really they can't clog all the way and all 4 at the same time.

e) Not sure about what this guy does, I got one for mine from a junk yard, replaced it and see no difference (I have a "hard to start" problem especially when hot and sitting for a while). Its a cylinder with a vacuum hose hooked to it. I doubt that you will suddenly lose power like that with it.
f) fuel distributer, no knowledge about this guy.
g) fuel pump relay. I found mine recently. Its under a black cover the size of a cigarette box. Its a relay. If you pull it off, fuel pump will not run. Without fuel pump, car will run for 1 second and die. Not likely this is it as if your fuel pump was losing power, your car will die almost instantly. There is no such thing as using up fuel in the lines, the system needs pressure from the pump to operate the injectors, and with no pressure, no fuel will flow. Eliminate this one as the cause. You can unplug yours and see what happens when you try to start the car without it to confirm.

How often does this happen? Can you test it in your garage? What I'm thinking is that if and when it happens, if you remove the air cleaner and spray some quick start in the air intake, will the engine run? If it will, then its a fuel issue for sure. Can you explain number 1. again in your problem discription? I am trying to think about the solution for you but maybe more info would help. Is your car automatic or manual?

Oh yeah the vacuum guage will move even if you turn the ignition off while driving (I have a manual transmission so the engine still turns with the wheels). Its just a vacuum sensor and as you throttle up, you lose suction as throttle body is taking in air. So its only a mechanical guage and means nothing (its going to move always with the engine turning running or not).

What does number 3 mean? Crank crank crank for a minute to go or wait 1 minute, click crank for a second and its running like normal?

Let us know and maybe more info will help us here give you a better answer!

Good luck!

-=>Raja.

xp190 · #4 03-14-2004, 10:19 AM

The fuel pump relay or fuel pump might be two things to consider for starters. Did you notice the pump buzzing louder then normal? if so, this wold be a clue.

Try jumping the fuel pump relay and see if the same thing happens. My 190E did the same on me, but it totally shut down, turned out the fuel pump relay was overheating from the current. The car would not restart for a while either. Same scenario as yours, although I don't remember 10 seconds until the engien shut down.... It would just drop to 0, but how long it took would depend on the speed of the car and rpms.

xp

jrbnc · #5 03-14-2004, 05:42 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I will try to check out the fuel pump relay.

I will try to explain further the problem. First off, the car is an automatic.

This has only happened 5 times and it seems to be around a week in between occurances. I will be driving either highway or non highway and all of a sudden i notice that the car is no longer responding to the gas pedal. The car does not stumble or run rough and when I look at the guages, the car is still running. Gas guage ok, oil pressure ok, temp ok, vaccum responds to depressing the pedal as normal, RPM guage looks normal.

The car stays this way while i am coasting for around 10 seconds or so, then the engine quits. And the idiot lights come on and guages go to off position. On one occasion i was pumping the gas pedal and then i gained my power back again, but this only happened once.

I havent noticed a change in pitch of the fuel pump.

Thanks again folks.

Best Regards,
Josh

haasman · #6 03-14-2004, 06:14 PM

Josh

sounds like moisture in your fuel tank. Try running dry gas or some treatment that eliminates moisture.

Any correlation to fuel level?

Haasman

papadude21 · #7 03-14-2004, 07:11 PM

I just had a similar problem with my 87'300e. I conversed with many people on what the problem was. I checked the voltage to o2 sensor and it was only .3-.36 I changed the o2 sensor 3 days ago and my problem seems to be gone. Not saying its the same as yours but it's worth checking
Vin

xp190 · #8 03-14-2004, 09:33 PM

I still say fuel pump relay, it's exactly what happened to my car.

Just try jumping it and drive like that see if it happens, of course drive carefully, and once you jump it, the pump will go on and stay on as long as the relay is jumped.

also crack open the relay and check for any burn marks, clear indication.

xp

jrbnc · #9 03-16-2004, 08:58 AM

Checked fuel pump relay, no bad solder joints or burn marks that i could find. No corrosion on the pins either. I guess i will just wait until it happens again and then try jumping the pins on the relay to see if that starts the car right up or not.

Is it pin 15 and 87 on the relay?

Also put some dry gas in there as Haasman suggested.