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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / November 2006

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Ignition problems on 1995 E200 estate petrol

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J_Burden - 04 Nov 2006 15:26 GMT
Hi
I have real problems on my 1995 E200 petrol estate at the moment.  My
garage are struggling too and are suggesting I try a very expensive part
after having checked all plugs, leads and the 2 coils.  Is there a common
diagnosis for this problem?  Any advice appreciated.  Many thanks
Jonathan
Tiger - 04 Nov 2006 16:17 GMT
You probably got a W124... I would change the overload protection relay
first. I am assuming you just cannot start the car... only cranking works.
J_Burden - 04 Nov 2006 17:05 GMT
Yes, the old shape big estate.  The car will start if the accelerator pedal
is depressed and you keep the engine revving.  i guess the cylinders that
work have enough power to turn the crank and the non-firing cylinders like
this.  Will try what you suggest.  Many thanks.  Jonathan
T.G. Lambach - 05 Nov 2006 01:47 GMT
Fully describe the problem. At cold start? At hot start. Anytime?

What exactly happens other than the engine struggling - how long does it
struggle and then????
J_Burden - 05 Nov 2006 09:57 GMT
T G Lambach
Okay, it started as hunting when idling at lights.  Later that day it was
actually difficult to keep running - I was afraid to let it idle so kept
revs high all the time.  On the couple of occasions when I did let her
stall she was difficult to start and needed lots of throttle.  She lacked
power to the extent some of the hills round where I live had to be tackled
in 1sr gear or 2nd gear.  The garage has now said they are actually
struggling to get her going now.

It will struggle for somewhere between 10 seconds and 30 seconds on idle
before stalling

She also sounded very clattery when hunting and struggling at low revs.
She is not massively high mileage (150k) and has always been serviced
regularly

Jonathan
Tiger - 05 Nov 2006 17:20 GMT
With this description, I suspect your timing chain has slipped and you need
to change out the timing chain and reset the timing marks.
T.G. Lambach - 05 Nov 2006 19:38 GMT
Two things come to mind:

Could be a large vacuum leak (from the power brake booster) that's so
diluting the air / fuel mixture that the engine is actually starved for
fuel (needs about 14.5 (air) to 1 (fuel) to run well). A vacuum leak
could raise this to, say, 17:1 - much higher and it would not run at
all. This hypothesis is supported by the motor's inability to idle but
marginal ability to run at higher rpms - a vacuum leak is constant so
its effect is greatest at low rpms vs. high rpm when the absolute air
volume entering the motor is higher making the leak's percentage of the
total less.

A workshop may not think "vacuum leak" because they're so focused on the
motor's components and may roll their eyes at the suggestion. Don't be
surprised. Temporarily disconnecting and plugging the vacuum line to the
brake booster will easily prove or disprove this suggestion.

Or, as Tiger suggests, discontinuity between the engine's crankshaft and
camshaft timing or that the crank position sensor is sending bad data to
the computer and the spark timing is very much retarded.
Jens - 04 Nov 2006 17:28 GMT
> Hi
> I have real problems on my 1995 E200 petrol estate at the moment.  My
> garage are struggling too and are suggesting I try a very expensive part
> after having checked all plugs, leads and the 2 coils.  Is there a common
> diagnosis for this problem?  Any advice appreciated.  Many thanks
> Jonathan

I assume that the "very expensive part" is the ECU of the ME-SFI
injection system.

Has your mechanic read the diagnostics codes from the ECU (If not, I am
not sure, whether he knows what he is doing)?

If yes, what does the information tell?

Of course, if the ECU does not work at all, you cannot read out
diagnostics codes, but then you wouldn't mess around with plugs, leads
and coils. And if it does not work at all, has the power supply to it
been verified then?

Maybe the dealer is expensiver, but he will have the right equipment
and qualifications, and that may turn out to be cheaper in the end.
Jens - 04 Nov 2006 17:28 GMT
> Hi
> I have real problems on my 1995 E200 petrol estate at the moment.  My
> garage are struggling too and are suggesting I try a very expensive part
> after having checked all plugs, leads and the 2 coils.  Is there a common
> diagnosis for this problem?  Any advice appreciated.  Many thanks
> Jonathan

I assume that the "very expensive part" is the ECU of the ME-SFI
injection system.

Has your mechanic read the diagnostics codes from the ECU (If not, I am
not sure, whether he knows what he is doing)?

If yes, what does the information tell?

Of course, if the ECU does not work at all, you cannot read out
diagnostics codes, but then you wouldn't mess around with plugs, leads
and coils. And if it does not work at all, has the power supply to it
been verified then?

Maybe the dealer is expensiver, but he will have the right equipment
and qualifications, and that may turn out to be cheaper in the end.
Jens - 04 Nov 2006 17:39 GMT
Sorry for double answer.

And I can see on your crossing answer, that some of the cylinders do
work.

Then the ECU must be operating, and then it should be possible to
extract the diagnostics codes.
 
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