1999 C230 turns over, won't start.

[vegastud]

So here is the ongoing saga of the problem I have yet to fix. About a month ago my wife's C230 stopped running in the middle of traffic. When I came to pick her up about a half hour later, the car started right up. This episode happened again a week later.

The odor of gas was heavy in the car and outside the car. I changed the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and fuel pump relay. I then started the car drove it around the neighborhood and no problem, the smell of gas has gone away. We decided we were going to go to dinner about 15 minutes later and the car wouldnt start. Three hours later i went to start up the car and it fired right up.

I have repeated this process of starting the car up, driving around the neighborhood (about 5 miles), shutting the car down, and having the car fail to start up. It turns over yet won't start up unless it has been three or more hours since I have run the car.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Vegas

[nhmercracer]

Crankshaft and/or camshaft position sensor(s).

[hvmercy]

Was your CEL on? If so, did you scan the codes?
Get them and report back so we can collectively give you an idea what's the issue.


So here is the ongoing saga of the problem I have yet to fix. About a month ago my wife's C230 stopped running in the middle of traffic. When I came to pick her up about a half hour later, the car started right up. This episode happened again a week later.

The odor of gas was heavy in the car and outside the car. I changed the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and fuel pump relay. I then started the car drove it around the neighborhood and no problem, the smell of gas has gone away. We decided we were going to go to dinner about 15 minutes later and the car wouldnt start. Three hours later i went to start up the car and it fired right up.

I have repeated this process of starting the car up, driving around the neighborhood (about 5 miles), shutting the car down, and having the car fail to start up. It turns over yet won't start up unless it has been three or more hours since I have run the car.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Vegas

[vegastud]

Thanks for the response. I just ordered a crankshaft sensor from Autohausaz. Should be here in a few days. Fingers crossed! I will report back with the results.

[michaelmrbenzy]

yeah wow that's seriously odd. Have you tried starting it about 5 minutes after it won't start? I have a similar issue and it usually starts right after. Another thing is when you start you car are your doors locked as the car thinks you are trying to steal the car. Sometimes my alarm goes off other times it doesn't do anything. Also earlier you were saying that after you changed your fuel pump the car stopped smelling like gas? If so I wonder why my car smells that way because I just changed the fuel pump. Maybe I need to change the fuel filter?