Please help-- 1986 300E will not start.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 66
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From: San Diego
German Taxi (1987 300E)
Please help-- 1986 300E will not start.
I started to notice a problem a few days ago. As I'm driving, it looked like the lights on the dashboard and the instrument panel would flicker as I'm coming to a stop. However, when I press the gas pedal, they would suddenly light up again. When I owned a 450SEL, this occurred, and it turned out to be an alternator problem. However, that was another beast altogether...
Last night, as I was driving home, not only did the lights on my instrument panel seem to get weaker, the car itself started to lose power. I made it home, and when I turned the engine off, I waited a few minutes before attempting to turn it on again. Nothing. The indicator lights lit up, but the engine did not turn over.
This morning, I changed out the OVP relay, to see if that was the problem, and it started up right after I did this--but I waited thirty minutes (before I had to leave for work), and we were back to square one...the car not starting.
Could this be the alternator? Or another problem altogether?
Last night, as I was driving home, not only did the lights on my instrument panel seem to get weaker, the car itself started to lose power. I made it home, and when I turned the engine off, I waited a few minutes before attempting to turn it on again. Nothing. The indicator lights lit up, but the engine did not turn over.
This morning, I changed out the OVP relay, to see if that was the problem, and it started up right after I did this--but I waited thirty minutes (before I had to leave for work), and we were back to square one...the car not starting.
Could this be the alternator? Or another problem altogether?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,297
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From: Connecticut, New Haven
95' AMG SeeThreeSix
OVP would have been my first guess as well! If you can confirm it is not your alternator by disconnecting the leads of your battery while the car is running then check your voltage regulator. It is located on the alternator itself, if I remember correctly its two screws and a electrical connector and your done. Take a peek at it and clean it up before putting it back in.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
German Taxi (1987 300E)
OVP would have been my first guess as well! If you can confirm it is not your alternator by disconnecting the leads of your battery while the car is running then check your voltage regulator. It is located on the alternator itself, if I remember correctly its two screws and a electrical connector and your done. Take a peek at it and clean it up before putting it back in.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 405
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From: Forethill, Ca Northcal
85 euro w124 300d non turbo black on black......coming soon hx35 turbo intercooler
Whats ur voltage at the battery? Then check fuses then starter. To do a quick check take a screw driver and touch ur 2 terminals on ur solenoid see if starter kicks. if u touch the positive. switch and negative itll kick ur starter and try to start car. means starter is good. If u touch all 3 and starter turns over but wont turn engine over bad solenoid. If u get spark and no nothing bad starter.
