Is it normal for the engine to take a few seconds to "catch"? The manual says 4 seconds is normal. My friend tells it's normal, but my car is an '88 300E with only 23K miles. I have a Peugeot 505 with CIS-E and it fires immediately. Seems a bit odd, but everything checks out and the car is like new. My first Benz, so I don't know. Help?

I believe it's normal.
Mine also takes about 4-5 seconds when engine is cold. If warm, it fires up instantly.

Freestyler

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Never criticize someone until you've walked a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do, you're a mile away -and you have his shoes!


'86 300E optically converted to '95 E300 (Sold)
-Blauschwarz on silver
-Black leather
-17" AMG & 15" AMG for winter

Hot or cold it takes a bit of cranking. Never fires immediately. Always starts but sometimes makes you wonder....

FYI: New injectors fixed the problem and it starts instantly.

My 300E varies but it always starts within 3-5 seconds. Hot starts are immediate.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

If everything is spot on the engine starts are always instant;hot or cold at the turn of the key.

Rarely, on a very hot summer day one does gets a couple of seconds uneven running .Fuel vaporization/percolation?
mak
300se

The fuel accumulator plays a significant role in how well the car starts after being off for a while. When I swapped my bad one with a better one (used) it improved starts significantly. Though lately it has been taking longer again. I'll probably just buy a new one eventually.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Is that located near the fuel dist? or is it under the car?

__________________
Eugene

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

My car has always started instantly cold, and warm too. But I always have 2-3 seconds of idle instability (misfiring?) when warm starting, then it goes to normal ~500rpm idle.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

The fuel accumulator and/or a leaking fuel injector will cause pressure loss after sitting a while. My problem was the injector(s), once it fired it ran very rough/rich like a flooding conditon until it cleared itself.