It starts fine when cold.
Sound like it runs smooth, but not quite (intermittent slight sputter,
hardly detectable). Drives fine, maybe lacking a little spunk.
Once it warms up it barely makes it up a hill or stalls. When trying
to re start, it cranks and and won't fire. while cranking sometimes
even the cranking stalls for a second.
IF I let it sit until cold it will start right away and repeat the
cycle.
Doe anybody have an idea, what M 103 / 300E engines are notorious for?
car has approx 130k.
Tiger - 14 Jul 2009 15:01 GMT
Check your main wiring harness... make sure the insulations are not falling
apart that bare metal touch other wires.
sales@rayhennig.com - 21 Jul 2009 13:56 GMT
Shouldn't be a failing harness on an '89 car. That problem started croppping
up with the later 3.2 engine with it's biodegradable wiring.
Start with the simple, low cost items first.
RayH
sales@rayhennig.com - 19 Jul 2009 13:57 GMT
I would suspect distributor rotor arm - I had exactly these symptoms and
that was the answer.
I would stress that you should replace it with a genuine MB rotor arm ( it
gets hot up there). The one that failed was a Bremi replacement and it
failed after 18 months. New MB version working fine.
Good luck.
RayH