300SE W126 stalls at traffic lights

[Catman]

Just lately my 1988 300SE has started to stall at traffic lights or roundabouts. It will start again immediately when I put it in to drive.
When it is in drive it idles at about 6500, but drops when I put it in to drive. I manage to drive it by accelerating slightly with my other foot on the brake (my car is an automatic) whenever I have to stop at lights etc. I changed the rotor arm and distributor cap for Bosch ones in June 2011. I fitted a new ABS relay soon after, which cured the original fault, as the ABS light was on. I changed the spark plugs to Denso IT20 in August 2010.
An ABS relay has been dispatched to me from Germany, I should get it within a couple of weeks. I have searched for an answer to my problem, but there are so many suggestions - the ABS relay being one of them. What are the suggestions from any members? Also, I read that the platinum tipped spark plugs are not really an improvement for the 103 engine - so which are the best and proper spark plugs for this engine (it is petrol)?

 

[ray_hennig]

- so which are the best and proper spark plugs for this engine (it is petrol)?

Basic, cheap, copper, non-resistor (that's enough adjectives) plugs from Beru, Bosch, NGK, all of which I've used with good results. And don't necessarily trust what MB tells you; they sold me 100 Euro worth of plugs which were utter poo and were replaced with 20 Euro worth of Beru. All fine after that.

I can't give you a part number as mine's an M104 engine and they're different.

Bonne chance.

RayH

PS: Don't understand your ABS relay issue but a similar stalling on mine was due to the OVP relay. Only buy genuine MB.

PPS: Can't resist being a cocky b@st@rd, "Your car is NOT idling at 6500!"

 

[donubenz]

I had a similar intermittent problem on mine(1988 300 SE 6 cylinder) that took ages to find. The ECU unit under the passenger seat floor had a loose connection on the circuit board. It started and ran fine when the car was cold but when hot after starting the car stalled from tick over. As you may imagine it was a nightmare in the Summer. It ran fine once you were underway. The problem was that as the board warmed up the expansion caused a component to loose connection. Only took 12 months to sort this one out! Replaced virtually everything on the electrics including £500 high voltage pack. The ECU was sent to a company who refurbish the units but as it was about 15 years ago I forget who the Bosch agent sent it to. MB had passed it on to them since the car always seemed OK when they had it and could not find the fault.
Always fit quality distributor caps and leads as I also had a misfire problem that the RAC sorted by fitting a cheap set that was all they could get hold of at the time. Another year on and it was just as bad.
Good luck.

 

[ray_hennig]

Always fit quality distributor caps and leads as I also had a misfire problem that the RAC sorted by fitting a cheap set that was all they could get hold of at the time. Another year on and it was just as bad.
Good luck.

Yes, yes and, er, yes again.

And rotor arm too, MB original for this as it has a resistor in it and this can fail with cheap ones.

R