will my luck ever return

[toddy]

hi
this a bit of a sob sorty to start, but would like some help with the larst piece of unluck.

this year has been such a bad year for me, first of all layed off wile still an aprentice(got all my papers so now i am finished) then my car went and got a mate to tow me back, after inspections we think we could repair it, ordered the parts and still after a month they still dont have them . so i got another car. a nice mercedes C200 1994, a nice clean one for only £800 so i thourght my luck is chainging, boy i was wrong, so driving home yesterday it cut out and now wont start, so i had to get towed back. so at the mo i have 2 cars that dont work.

now any help with getting the mercedes working again would be very help full.
and now the battrey is flat from me and a friend trying to identify the problem.

so shot what you think could be the problem.

and yes there is fuel there. i had fulled up that morning

 

[the snooper]

well its quite simple really you need to check the first 3 main things ie fuel reaching the cylinders, compresion, and ignition one of those will have failed once you identify which you are on your way.
what happened exactly any noise rattles bangs ?

 

[toddy]

i hurd nout,
and i get compression,
im not too sure about the fuel or ignition
i am thinking it is the ignition, but need to get a car battrey charger now.

as it is an auto. i was driving along, over taking on a dual, and when i looked at the rev counter i saw it had died on me, no noises nouthing

 

[malcolm]

Is it diesel? I had one cut out shortly after refuelling and it was down to water in the fuel. Might be worth checking the fuel filter drain.

 

[the snooper]

there is also the possibility that the fuel station had the wrong fuel in the tanks ie petrol in the diesel or the other way round its happened a few times

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I was going to suggest misfuelling too.....

 

[toddy]

it is petrol. but it is worth a cheack,

 

[Charred fingers]

Hi mate the fact the rev counter wasn't showing anything says its electrical assuming these mercs use a crankshaft position sensor to drive the ignition, that would be the first thing to have a look at

 

[hotrodder]

Crank position sensor on these is at the flywheel end. Start with the basics once the battery's charged as suggested. If you've got no fuel or spark then it's time to look at the crank sensor (ecu won't provide either if thinks the engine isn't turning). My money's on the fuel pump relay

 

[engybenjy]

As suggested above, my moneys on Crank sensor. I know BMW's are known for it except with them its usually just a total ''fail to start'' one morning - ask me how I know

 

[toddy]

ok
how would i cheack the crank sharft sensor?
and we cheacked the fuel pump relay today and that sounds fine(clicking away)(it is the green one in the boot? as that is the only one we could identify as possible.)

and thanks for all the help

 

[the snooper]

charge the battery take out a spark plug connect it to the lead rest it on the engine and have someone crank the engine you should see the plug spark

 

[toddy]

i did that and i didnt see any spark, and i did this to another spark plug and same, no spark.
i will get onto the sensor first thing tomorrow.
all i need to do is find some one with a battrey charger. i havnt got one yet(should have really)

 

[engybenjy]

Have a search on T'interweb and you should be able to find out what sort of resistance the sensor should have ( in Ohms ) Try Haynes book of lies OR AutoData OR Bentley Manuals.
IIRC for BMW its 1200Ohm give or take, anything below 800 is kaput
HTH

 

[toddy]

well that is all good, but i dont have a multi meter
but ill look at getting one.

is there any other way of telling if it is working or not?

 

[toddy]

i have got it out now.
and now the fun can start, there isnt any replacments on ebay, and the only place i have found is a forren web site.

it is a 0031534928

 

[engybenjy]

Toddy, Please dont buy from Egay! Lots of cheap crap that either wont last or wont work properly in the first place, there are lots of threads about it on various car forums.
Go to either the Dealer or ECP/GSF. If you go into ECP and have a word with the staff. Just tell them your a home mechanic and not just Joe Public and they might just give you a bit more discount or set up an account for you. They did for me, made over 100 quid difference on a radiator
HTH

 

[toddy]

well that may be some fun.
ECP and GSF dont seam to have the part, or ebay.
so even more fun

 

[hotrodder]

Phone 'em tomorrow, part not being on the website doesn't mean they don't do 'em. Any car parts counter or Bosch service centre should be able to get you a crank sensor. Main dealer would be worth a call too- sometimes they're competitive on prices, cheaper than ecp and gsf on some parts but i doubt they would be for a bosch sensor

A couple of mercedes parts specialists... http://cart.euromercmercedesparts.co.uk/index.php?p=home and http://www.starpartz.co.uk/. Euromerc have a mixed reputation (mostly good)... one man band, no phone number, need to know part # in many cases and if you make an order mistake it has become a bit of a nightmare for some people. Neither website the best to use but for some parts both can have some good deals.

Is the crank sensor definately dead then?

There's also a free epc here. Russian but still usable

 

[toddy]

well it is a little bit of different to most of the sensors that i have looked at. this one has the cable molded onto it.
and i will ring around tomorrow.

and i have no way to cheack at the mo. ive been trying to find some one i know who has a multi meter