1983 230 CE Choking/Loss of Power (HELP...!)

[tdinis]

Hello all!

I´m posting here for the first time as I am beginning to get desperate with an unknown issue with my 1983 230 CE.

The car is in its final stage of a total ground-up restoration and is looking like new, saddly there is a problem which i for sure do not know how to resolve but also my usual mechanic is having some issues with.

Basically it goes like this: I start the car, seems fine. I drive a little bit and it sputters ocasionally, once I get into the motorway it starts to fail. Transmission does the kick-down, I start loosing speed, press the gas and nothing happens, put on my really sad face, turn the blinkers on, pull on the side of the road. I then turn off the car, turn on again, and its fine...for a couple of kilometers. Then the nightmare starts again!

It does have a new fuel distributor (reconditioned), new spark plugs, new mass regulator (?), and the mechanic said the issue was resolved. Only..it´s not.

I would really appreciate your comments and/or help as this will be my daily driver from now on and I just spent quite a bit of money putting it in top condition but saddly...I have no confidence whatsoever in the car.

Guys...please help your fellow Portuguese Mercedista!

Thank you very much in advance.
Tiago

 

[jaymanek]

I would say its a fuel issue... either pumps, relay or fuel distributor (and or associated parts).

 

[tdinis]

I would say its a fuel issue... either pumps, relay or fuel distributor (and or associated parts).

Thank you for the reply.

The distributor is new, or newish, so probably the fault will be from somewhere else. My mechanic was saying that he needs to measure the fuel pressure. What do you guys make of that?

If I could get more opinions, or perhaps if someone who had or knows of a similar problem could help me out...I would greatly appreciate it.

Its very frustrating to have the car in almost brand new condition but...only able to drive it for 3 kilometers at a time

Thank you all.

Regards

 

[grober]

Perhaps one way is to get the car on a rolling road and monitor the fuel pressure. Have you checked the fuel pump/filter and the tank outlet filter. One way to do this is to rig up a temporary fuel supply to feed the pump.Other thing to check is there isn't a vacuum forming in the tank because its not vented- just run it with the cap loose. When it slows down and stops is there a smell of petrol--- which might point to an ignition problem - you could remove one of the plugs when it happens - if its wet with fuel --its possibly ignition if the plugs are dry/ white/overheated then its fuel starvation. With a car that age its either fuel or ignition --once you have isolated which one it should be easy to track it down.

 

[tdinis]

Perhaps one way is to get the car on a rolling road and monitor the fuel pressure. Have you checked the fuel pump/filter and the tank outlet filter. One way to do this is to rig up a temporary fuel supply to feed the pump.Other thing to check is there isn't a vacuum forming in the tank because its not vented- just run it with the cap loose. When it slows down and stops is there a smell of petrol--- which might point to an ignition problem - you could remove one of the plugs when it happens - if its wet with fuel --its possibly ignition if the plugs are dry/ white/overheated then its fuel starvation. With a car that age its either fuel or ignition --once you have isolated which one it should be easy to track it down.

Thank you. Monitoring the fuel pressure is actually what the mechanic said was going to do next. I hope its the right direction to get Bronson back on the road again!

Does anyone have any other opinions or similar experiences that can help me out? Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all.

Cheers. Tiago