"T.G. Lambach" <tlambach@comcast.net> wrote in news:jqydnRSCHJgbbEreRVn-
jw@comcast.com:

When it starts, it somethimes starts quickly, other times a few seconds,
and sometimes I can try 4 or 5 times and then it starts.  One thing I do
hear is some kind of clunk in the engine compartment just before it starts.  

My wife had owned a 1990 300CE which had the same engine as yours.  Her car
would often stall within a couple of  miles when stopping for stop sign.
This was within a few miles from the house.  Only seemed to happen for her
in the morning, on the way to work.  The car would begin to shake violently
and then stall. Restarting was hit or miss.  There was never an issue with
the initial start-up in the garage.

I once ran the car at high speed on an interstate, during this period.  When
I came to a stop, at the exit ramp,  the car shook and stalled. It took me
close to an hour to restart. It seemed to want to start, but wouldn't.   The
car was dropped at an independent MB shop that in the past has done
excellent work.  They could not find the problem, it didn't stall.

After the problem persistent, the car  was taken to the dealer, which was NO
HELP.  It actually stalled on dealer mechanics in town and needed to be
towed.  The dealer couldn't find the problem, essentially gave up.

It wasn't until the car went to another independent MB shop for a water pump
replacement that the problem was fixed.  At least it never happened again.
I had mentioned the stalling problem to them at the time the car was dropped
at the shop for the water pump.  The plugs were real bad and were replaced.
But, I never heard if they found something else.  We later traded the car
but never had a stalling problem again, for several years.

I recently bought a 1991, 300SL, again with the same engine. It has about
97,000 miles.  The previous owner mentioned a starting problem with the car.
It was taken to the shop that repaired our 300CE.  They found no problem
after having the cars for several weeks in which the parts man drove the car
daily.  This car has a manual transmission. The clutch must be depressed for
the starter to run.  After not being able to diagnose the problem, the shop
is assuming the clutch was not being fully depressed when the problem
occurred.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a problem starting the 300SL.  It is garaged.
I didn't have time to spend trying to get it running, so it sat for a day.
The next day, I had to crank the engine several times, long duration, before
it finally ran.  No problem since, but I'm not confident the problem won't
return.  I may have depressed the gas peddle the day it won't start and
maybe flooded it, was a very damp day.  But that is likely a long shot,
because the way the car did start, was when I just held the gas peddle to
the floor and cranked until the car started.

Good Luck,

John

PS. The mechanics in the independent shops had all worked for the local MB
dealer or other MB shops, so they are familiar with the brand.

Thanks for all who replied.  It's not a hot or cold problem.  It can be the
first start of the day or trying to get out of a parking lot after 10
minutes.  So I'll try to listen for the fuel pump relay that TG suggested.  

I looked at old records from previous owner, and they had the crank
positioning sensor and the neutral safety switch replaced.  Both were a
result of not starting.  Another question.. are you suppose to be able to
put the car in neutral and start the car?  I can start it in neutral.