W123 Fuel lines DONE!

Its been a long time coming, mainly down to me not getting out and working on the car enough, but with some help from the awesome viewers of this channel I think ithe fuel lines are done. Now will it start at last?
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[@1985230ce]

When my 230CE wouldn’t run it was because the return to tank line was plugged keeping the fuel pressure regulator from working. Remove the line at the fuel distributor for inspection.

[@joaofarinha7953]

I gotta say you don't lack of determination! Kudos to you 👍💪

[@CagedPaps]

I want this sodding thing to start more than... Well I want it to start.

[@furiousdriving]

Not as much as me Im sure :-)

[@germanyplays2564]

Oh no... it was so promising at the beginning :D Hopefully it‘ll start soon. Maybe you use some sort of cold start spray(?) that could help

[@furiousdriving]

A big can of Startyabastard could well be in order!

[@TheFakeRussian]

Thank you for the shout out and I'm glad you got it sorted. Now I did say a leak would give you a clue and the air line trick gave you the leak you needed. I'm sat smiling at the grin you had when the fuel shot out of the injector rail. Hmmm the cranking and cranking suggests to me there's no spark but getting a good spark at the plug leaves me at a bit of a loss. Compression test maybe? Or try taking the injectors out one at a time to see if they're spraying fuel? That plug did look very dry when you tested it so I think the problem has to be electrical - Either the injectors aren't working, the immobiliser isn't turning off or there's a wiring problem somewhere.

[@furiousdriving]

No problem, you've been along for the ride for ages now, you're becoming part of the story! I did a compression test a long time ago and it was OK, dont think it has an immobiliser, its got new injectors, so maybe the fuel distribution block is gummed up?

[@alanbellwood3902]

@@furiousdriving no worries a lot had them retrofitted in the 80's and I thought in an early vid I spotted a sticker or similar. Worth checking for condensation in the Dizzy as it has been stood a while. Also when you fitted new plugs never trust the gap if they were pre gapped.

[@TheFakeRussian]

@@furiousdriving I know it's had new injectors but that doesn't mean they're working. If there's any sort of signal failure the injector won't fire and that plug you removed to check the spark was very dry. I think I'd check the rail first by taking off the injector pipe at the end of the rail and seeing if fuel is getting to there. If it flows out the end injector it has to be fueling all the others as it's just a rail that pressurises with fuel. If fuel is getting to/through the rail OK I'd be thinking is fuel getting to the cylinders via the injector. After that, well I'd be wondering if there's a stuck valve or some other mechanical problem as with fuel, air and ignition that engine should at least cough but it's doing nothing. The only route after that is electrical. You have spark so the coil, dizzy cap, HT leads and plugs are good. Possible timing is out or the dizzy has been excessively retarded at some point? Failing that I'd be looking at some sort of immobilser which could well be after market rather than standard. Or a failed fuse/relay in the injector circuit?

[@iliaslamari7315]

*Well, you are getting there!* Did you try to spray some cold start spray in the intake? If it fires then it's still a fuel problem. I would also check if the sparkplugs are wet. If so your getting fuel in the cylinders, so an ignition problem. Clean the air filter and check or replace the sparkplugs anyway, or at least make sure the gaps are right. The engine cranks solid, so it gets no fuel, no spark or the timing is off.

[@furiousdriving]

I was out of start spray but thats next, its got new plugs, rotor arm and dizzy cap and the air filter is off it must be fuel or timing now

[@alanbellwood3902]

Is it the park isolater switch on the autobox? Or now that lines are connected stale fuel pulling from the tank? It did have a retro immobilizer and alarm by the looks as well. Also possible vaccum leak from perished or collapsed pipe. Try starting in Neutral and not Park.

[@furiousdriving]

Id think if it was the gear shift isolator it wouldn't crank, but worth a try though. I dont think it has an immobiliser, its a bit old for that but a perished vacuum line is a real possibility

[@corolla_wagon_]

So close mate. Compelling viewing 👍

[@furiousdriving]

Next time...maybe!

[@hibbs79]

This is tense lol. So close now. 👍👍

[@furiousdriving]

Nearly...

[@jamescross2229]

So close! Glad I could be of help. My car's in pieces for a restoration so I can enjoy your W123 vicariously! Here`s my thoughts. The spark looked good. Are the spark plugs wet? Agree with the Fake Russian that I would like to see fuel get all the way to the cylinders. I also think some start spray might be worth a go - see if you get a few kicks of life from the engine and verify the ignition timing. Not sure how familiar you are with the Bosh Jetronic stuff so forgive me if I`m teaching you to suck eggs here.. What you can do is crack the fuel lines on the distributor going to one of the injectors and verify that fuel is getting to the injector from the fuel distributor. There`s 4 injector lines plus a cold start injector if I recall correctly so 5 in total. There`s no electrical connection to the 4 main injectors themselves on the K Jetronic - they are simply dumb jets. K Jetronic is fundamentally a mechanical injection system with a couple of electrically operated tweaks for cold starting and warm up. The Cold start injector is electrically controlled - with a bimetallic strip "thermo time switch" that allows to to run for a finite time after first cranking. There is also a warm-up-regulator (WUR) attached to the passenger side of the cylinder head near the front which adjusts the "control pressure' to the fuel distributor according to engine temperature. Effectively the WUR sets the peak fuel pressure that the distributor can then meter according to the throttle position If this fails it could be that the engine is being fed 'hot-engine' fuel levels which might prevent it starting. However, I would at least expect a few spits and half-starts if this failure had occurred so I wouldn`t rush to this conclusion. If you crank it with one of the main injector lines disconnected you should get a fairly healthy amount of fuel out of the line as you press down on the air metering plate. The fuel pressure should be something like 30 - 40 PSI. I think to test the fuel pressure (without actually running the starter motor) you would need to jump the fuel pump relay, as the pump only runs for a short time if the engine is not spinning. Quote from the Bosch manual " The electric fuel pump starts to operate immediately when the ignition and starting switches are operated and remains switched on continuously after the engine has started. A safety circuit is incorporated to stop the pump running and, thus, to prevent fuel being delivered if the ignition is switched on but the engine has stopped turning (for instance in the case of an accident)." Good luck -I`m itching to see it spring to life.

[@furiousdriving]

That info on which pipe is which was invaluable, thanks again. When I got this I thought Id make it start then flip it for a profit, meaning it would be on the drive for a week or 2, but handnt realised how much was wrong. Now I want to get it on the road but leave it looking just as it is, a luxury Q car as the chassis and interior are great despite the appearance, and I just want to hear it run! Ive never driven one but have wanted one for years. Ive read up about the K Tronic so have a slight idea, and the workshop manual Ive got is quite detailed on that area. The loose injector on #1 was very wet after cranking so I think some fuel is getting through, but I need to test how much. I think the next basic steps will be top up the tank incase its just drained too low and get some cold start spray, then check the injectors one by one

[@sumo1756]

Maybe flooded? How about: fully charged battery, remove fuel pump relay and turn it over with the throttle down for a good 30 seconds, couple of times doing that then try again with the relay back in. Good luck👍

[@jasoncornell1579]

Well done Mycroft😀😀😀

[@furiousdriving]

If you rule out the impossible...

[@dj_efk]

Have you done a compression test? Start with the basics if not - As you know if it has compression, sparks and fuel coming together at the right time then it will run no matter what - hence once done double check the cams are turning as they should, then after both of these are ticked off, if no change then as ignition / timing are already ruled out then the issue almost certainly lies within the fuel system.

[@furiousdriving]

Did one a while back. More fresh fuel and timing check next, with what Ive learnt about these now I suspect the K Tronic distribution block after that

[@mickles1975]

The enthusiasm on display by your assistant wasn't up to much. LOL

[@furiousdriving]

It tore him away from precious iPad time...

[@terryatkinson3182]

If the spark plug is not wet work back from there. Dirty injectors or Maybe theres a fuel cut off switch/valve somewhere. Personally I'd get some mechanic to have a quick look as it can save alot of frustration. Been there before myself. Usually turns out to be something simple. Is there enough petrol in the tank....

[@furiousdriving]

Its got new injectors but having dropped so much fuel on the floor it could be too low again! My next stop will be the fuel distribution block, or as you suggest, get a mechanic to take a look and get past this road block!

[@jacquestaulard3088]

Question: I have to change the brake hose lines from the calipers to the main line. However, there is a small, metal line connecting the hoses with the main lines. I ma having a problem finding replacements for those. I have the hoses. If I try to remove the metal hose parts, they may break and then I am without replacements! Do you know the best place to get replacements parts for my 1984 300D turbo ?

[@furiousdriving]

Hi Jaques, Ive been struggling to find parts as well. Ive got a lot from eBay but you have to be careful as there are differences between models. Ive searched on partssearch.mercedes-benz-classic.com which is the official Mercedes Classic site and they have a lot of parts

[@furiousdriving]

Have you seen the Mercedes Source channel? A Merc specialist called Kent in America who does how to guides and supplies a lot of repair kits

[@GREYHOUND1874]

if the merc don't start by may 21st , cause i'm off to portugal and when i get back i'm having it towed away when your sleeping, the hubnut can say 'on this video sponsered by no one, George the cat gets a new luxary home to sleep in... cheers for the video

[@furiousdriving]

Are you sponsored by my wife? She wants it towed away but as its not insured I prefer it wasn't!

[@GREYHOUND1874]

@@furiousdriving best of luck mate....i wouldn't lose my wife over a car though..car or wife..both have issues lol but the wife wins..Just..

[@furiousdriving]

Luckily she's very patient...as long as I hoover and feed the dogs I can get away with it!

[@eimajish]

Can't you do what that bloke I always thought was David Niven (it wasnt) did to 'clean out the carburettor(?!)' in "Flight of the Phoenix"?

[@gosportjamie]

It's probably a daft question, but have you checked that the camshaft is turning when you're turning the engine over? The timing chains on these engines can wear out "about every 100,000 miles or so" according to a lot of Merc specialists, so if this one is tired it could have broken or got so loose that it's jumping teeth on the camshaft rather than turning it as the gears on the cam and crankshafts do tend to wear along with the chain. It's something worth checking as the basics do sometimes get overlooked. I suspect your issue probably has more to do with the injector pup head as they are pretty well-known for developing issues on vehicles that have been out of use for a long time, but there has to be a reason why the car ended up sat in the barn and it could be that it has suffered a mechanical malady when it was in use...

[@furiousdriving]

Good tip, I hadn't considered the cam timing. I suspect you're on the right track with the injection system. Id assumed it was dumped after being involved in something illegal!

[@gosportjamie]

@@furiousdriving It could be, it's not unusual for dodgy cars to get dumped in barns in the middle of nowhere, but most barn owners would have called the police and the car would have been taken away if it had been involved in something nefarious. Most cars get put into barns by the owner as they intend to sort it out "later" and then decades pass and the keys disappear into the mists of time. If the keys had been left in the car then the vandals probably nicked them. I believe there are people in the UK who can rebuild the injector head as it's very similar to one used on the Golf GTI, and I believe new ones are still available if you have deep pockets...

[@furiousdriving]

Its something of a mystery, we dont know if it was vandalised and so dumped here, or dumped and then parts robbed. It was a teenage car when it was left, so as low as its value was ever going to be. It could have had mechanical issues but my car whisperer spider-sense doesn't feel like it. One thing my pockets aren't for this car are deep - I'm already in way to deep in parts on something I was meant flip in a week!

[@gosportjamie]

@@furiousdriving Yes, in the '90s you could buy a decent W123 for a few hundred quid so even a minor issue could have been enough to see it off the road. It also, to me, has a touch of the feeling of the last owner being quite elderly so it might have been driven into retirement when they became unable to drive or passed away. If it was dumped in the barn by others than its owner there could be ownership issues as it could be an outstanding vehicle in terms of theft or something so technically it would belong to the insurance company that paid out on it. There is no statute of limitations on that sort of thing, as people have found out to their cost...

[@Phil-1969]

Chuck a match under it , your wife said that not me 😂

[@furiousdriving]

I thought Id edited that out :-)

[@garyl1980]

Have you found where the water leak is coming from?

[@furiousdriving]

No water - just petrol and oil! Petrol is sorted, oil I think is a gasket but the Alfas going to an Italian specialist for a check over as soon as I have time

[@190mex]

Check this boot: ibb.co/q0zbZ5r if it crack too much you don't have a vacuum and you never start the car.

[@furiousdriving]

Thanks, Ill take a look at that