Dear All,

Some comments about the 1991 300CE-24 Sportline 5 speed automatic.

1. Starting needs a few seconds of cranking - I am 80% sure this is a faulty fual accumulator

as it bears all the hallmarks of fuel starvation until the engine fires. Thereafter, it

idles, accelerates and, generally, runs like a dream.

I have a fual accumulator from an earlier 300 TE 4-matic (Bosch 0438170035, as opposed to the

correct 0438170055) and intend to try that. If it makes a favourable difference, I'll get the

correct one.

Does anyone know if they are in any way interchangeable?

2. The suspension. I want and have convinced myself that I need, at least, new dampers. I am

thinking about:

a Bilstein B12 kit
Bilstein B8 dampers _ Eibach/H&R springs
Bilstein B8 dampers + original Mercedes Sportline springs.

Any comments about that would be welcomed. Has anyone had any experience of the Bilstein B12

kit.

Which springs do Bilstein use in these kits?

Interestingly, on our drive this morning, I parked by a step and my wife carefully opened the

door OVER the step to get out. When we got back to the car, she noticed that she was unable

to open the door - the car has sunk in the 20 minutes we were away. I imagine this must be

something to do with the gas in the dampers cooling and compressing.

3. The Auto Gearbox. I was having some fun this morning on the country lanes, driving it like

a manual. For the first 15 KMs, the gearbox behaved strangely:

Imagine travelling at 100 KPH in 5th. Then drag the gearlever to position 3 - this should

bring the box down to 3rd, giving strong engine braking. It didn't.

I then noticed that I wasn't geting any engine braking at all. Whenever I eased off the

accelerator, the revs would drop to 1000 and the car would just coast.

The car would accelerate strongly but, once up to speed, it was as if the gearbox simply "let

go of the engine".

Then, with no warning, when I selected 3rd from 4th, engine braking and normal responses

returned. From that point onward, I was able to use the box like a manual box and have some

fun.

So, something changed, but WHAT?

4. Having got home, with the last 2 KMS being spent in 3rd at around 5000 revs and enjoying

the sound, I left it to idle as I wanted to measure the voltage at the battery. It was idling

smoothly as I got out of the car to open the bonnet and, briefly, the revs rose to, I guess,

about 1200 and then fell away to resume the normal 750 ish RPM. Thereafter, smooth idling.

There are other issues but I've probably lost the audience by this point!

Anyone with similar experiences?

All the very best all all and their MBs.

RayH