Sorry, should have been "A few 300CE Questions"

(Already posted once, but with an incorrect subject. Should have read "A few 300 CE Questions"

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My 1990 24v 300CE with 190,000 is having some problems. Comments about any would be most welcome.

  1. For the last few seasons, when the heat comes on, there is a smell from the system reminiscent of dry cleaning fluid. I am reasonably certain it is not antifreeze since it doesn't smell like it, and the windows do not fog. When the AC is on, no smell. With the heat on, the smell is pronounced.

  1. I have a warm start problem. When the car is cold, it starts with no problem at all. After driving, if the car sits for 15 minutes or so, it restarts fine. However, if it sits for 30 or more minutes, it takes multiple attempts to restart, as in no fuel in the system. I don't think it's the accumulator or pump. It's been suggested that the fuel distributor may be leaking down and needs to be replaced. Does this sound reasonable, and what might be a good check for this?

3 Is it necessary to disconnect the speedo cable from the transmission before removing the instrument cluster? A bulb needs to be replaced, but the cluster will not withdraw.

4 The small, plastic auxiliary, firewall-mounted water pump is leaking a bit., Tightening the screws has not helped. Would it be sufficient to disassemble it and apply new sealer to the parts and reasonable, or is a new one indicated.

I realize it is difficult to diagnose from afar, and therefore I only ask for best guesses on any of these.

Many thanks,

OG

(responses to the list, please)

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Reply to
Oneguy
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Perhaps you need to clean your heater core with foaming cleaner designed for this specific purpose... it also cleans your evaporator. It is probably mold you are smelling and all the gunks that is stuck there.

I believe your car has electronic fuel injection not CIS fuel distributor type... It can be two thing... bad fue injection temperature sensor or leaky fuel injector.

No it shouldn't be necessary. They do leave enough so you can get the cluster partially out.

You should check into it like you said... repair it or replace it.

Reply to
Tiger

ITEM #1

How does one go about cleaning the heater core with the foam? Does it have to be removed first? Is it difficult to access it?

I bought my 89' 300E back in 97', and it has always had a bad smell inside (it hasn't gotten better or worse). When I get in, I always open the windows for a few minutes... It's always that same characteristic foul smell...possibly the same one that Oneguy is experiencing. I checked under all of the carpets, and there is no mold under there. Are there any other common causes of foul odor in the Mercedes from the 89'era?

Reply to
News Groups

More Information = More Help

Can you describe the smell in a bit more detail than 'foul'?

Rotten eggs, fish, garlic, shit, wet carpet, compost, bananas... sorry these weren't suggestions, it's my extra toppings list for my pizza order ;o) Mike

Reply to
Just Mike

Hot starting problems may be caused by any pressure leak in the fuel injector system. Diagnose with high-pressure fuel pressure gauge (not cheapy from local auto store -

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has onefor Mercedes) and a clamp to shut off flow in rubber hoses. Get afuel system diagram from your service manual and locate all the placesfuel is. It probably will not be a big leak, but a tiny leak cancause the pressure to drop and allow the fuel in the system to boilinto vapor, which will have to be purged through the injectors whenyou crank it until liquid fuel gets to the injectors and it starts. Probably it is not a leak to the outside of the system but rather fromthe high pressure side to the low. If not the fuel accumulator, mightbe the check valve or pressure regulator in fuel distributor or any ofthe little other regulators, valves, adjustors, or compensators in thesystem. Any place where there is high-pressure fuel is a potentialpressure leak.

A leaky injector is always a possibility. You might want to go a couple of tanks with good injector cleaner in the fuel before you start anything else. Of course, one of the temperature sensors on the engine may be defective.

Diagnose before you replace - you will run out of money before they run out of parts. Fortunately, most of these things are easy to replace and not really expensive (at least, not expensive for Mercedes).

Reply to
Michael Davis

"..... Diagnose before you replace - you will run out of money before they run out of parts. ...."

You ever run modified stocks on the dirt tracks in the Carolina's ? You just quoted The Scripture of amateur racing.

Larry In the back yard, under the oak.

Reply to
Central Florida

The foam cleaner is supposed to be injected from the drain plug by the evaporator... Anyway you can squirt the whole bottle in is fine.

It cleans by the fan blowing the foam cleaner through the heater core and evaporator... later condenses into liquid and drains out.

Do a search for air conditioner evaporator cleaner and you should run into any company... I bought my bottle for $12 each... whereas alot of people wants $30 or $50 per bottle.

Reply to
Tiger

1.- Yes. a smoker driver ruins the car with the nicotine smell embedded throughout.
Reply to
Rookie

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