marosa53

help! I have a 90K 1996 e300d that deosn't start sometimes and the dealer cannot find what is wrong. The car goes through the glow phase of the starting sequence and on occasion will not turn over when the glow-worm goes off. Mutliple tries later the engine will start fine. Then the problem will not appear again for several days or weeks. Twice I have been stuck in the morning without able to start the car at all. Twice the car had to be towed to the dealer and when it arrives there there is no starting problems. Have The dealer recommended to change the battery (I did though I doubted this as the cause) Still wtih the same issue.

Any idea where I should focus my attention?

EClassBenz

just a quick question-is your cruise control working properly?

EdzBenz

My response will be based on a few preliminary assumptions:
-Your starter is "turning" over properly
-You have new Pre and regular fuel filters

Here's what I'd do: check your fuel lines for air leaks. The seals and the plastic lines tend to go bad. Look for weeping along the lines.

uteoat

Check all your ground connections. Sounds like one might be corroded or loose and allowing current through only sometimes.
uteoat

190E-Boy

When you say it won't turn over, is it cranking? If I would check a few things as the fuel line issue isn't obvious. If the fuel tank is lower than 3/4 full the problem is more consistent (not starting or starting for 1-2 seconds and then shutting down). If this happens keep cranking for 20-30-40 seconds and it should start - this is priming the fuel lines again. Smell under the hood, again if it's just starting to happen the problem is air getting in the line and not much fuel leaking out yet. Try parking the car nose down on an incline, the prob should be less frequent and if the leak is there you may actually see a spot in the driveway. From the 5 lines I had1 bad one. It was fixed and all is well. I wanted them all done but my indy mechanic seems to want to fix problems as they occur and goes by the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" Personally i like PM (preventative maintenence).

My guess is the fuel lines.

Does it hesitate a little while driving and you punch the pedal? This startedd to happen when the problem got worse. I drove like this for 3 months ~ 15K miles until it finally got to the point where I had to crank every other morning for 30 seconds or so.

keep us posted

Yacht Master

Dose the condition happen when the engine is cold or hot?

If it happens in a cold condition, I would check the starter Bendix this is the small cylinder on your starter motor, it has the main contacts for your starter motor, and acts like a large relay. What happens over time rust forms inside between the moving parts and cause it to bind up. As the Bendix warms from engine heat it expands the Bendix operates normally. I am sure you have heard of tapping on a starter to get it to turn over.

If it has this condition hot most likely a connection problem.