sorry if this has been covered. 95 c220 cranks, but no start. have fuel, have spark...

[95c220]

purchased this car after it sat untouched for 2+ years. i drained the tank, replaced the fuel pump (verified it was toast), and the fuel filter, and once i tapped on the OVP (over voltage protection relay), the car fired right up (used a jumper box, but the battery is fine now). it ran just fine, and after it warmed up for 10 minutes, i drove it 15 minutes home. a little bit of hesitation on occasion, i'm guessing from some traces of the old gas. engine ran for about 40 minutes total.

now, this weekend, the car cranks, but won't start. it runs fine if we spray any fuel-type item into the throttle body (just to verify).

i have definite spark and fuel at the fuel rail when cranking. i don't have a fuel pressure gauge onhand.

the only obvious issue with the car is a bad sending unit. low fuel light is on, gauge doesn't move, 6+ gallons of gas are in the tank.

all fuses are good as of right now. since it drove home fine, what are the possibilities of a bad crank sensor? a bad cam sensor? i've replaced the OVP and know the 1 in there now is good (all 3 internal switches close when the key is turned on).

oh. no engine codes, and 39,900 miles on it. thanks in advance...

[Sulaco]

wow, very low miles! car must be in great shape. good find!

could very well be crankshaft position sensor, but I had weird experience with my fuel level sending unit.

the tank in the w202 has an odd shape. if I recall correctly it has two different low spots where the fuel sits when the tank is low, with a vacuum controlled pump system to keep the 2 sides level. on my 94 C280 I had an electrical system bug that caused this pump to stop behaving. the car still measured 1/8 tank but would crank but no start. my pump was fine, filter was new. what happens is the sending unit was measuring from one side of the tank while the engine pulls fuel from the other side. my pump was not leveling them and running it had drained all the fuel from one side but not the other. I dumped in 3 gallons of fresh fuel and it started right up. the strangest part was that the issue immediately fixed itself and never happened again...

[Sulaco]

wow, very low miles! car must be in great shape. good find!

could very well be crankshaft position sensor, but I had weird experience with my fuel level sending unit.

the tank in the w202 has an odd shape. if I recall correctly it has two different low spots where the fuel sits when the tank is low, with a vacuum controlled pump system to keep the 2 sides level. on my 94 C280 I had an electrical system bug that caused this pump to stop behaving. the car still measured 1/8 tank but would crank but no start. my pump was fine, filter was new. what happens is the sending unit was measuring from one side of the tank while the engine pulls fuel from the other side. my pump was not leveling them and running it had drained all the fuel from one side but not the other. I dumped in 3 gallons of fresh fuel and it started right up. the strangest part was that the issue immediately fixed itself and never happened again...

[95c220]

cool. thanks for ideas...i know it's a weird tank, after reading several posts where one side of the tank could have gas, and the 2nd side could be dry. it would be pretty hard to pour in 4 gallons and still show empty, with an occasional 2 second idle, then stall, but usually just a straight crank and crank with no start? if not, i'll happily pour another 4 gallons in. when i changed the filter and pump, the gauge showed empty, with no orange "Low Fuel" light. now, i actually get that light to light up when i turn the key on. gauge never moves...also, fuel input and the fuel pump are both on the passenger side, so i figured it had to be picking up the fuel. especially since 4 gallons were added after it was successfully parked.
i'd be willing to put the parts in, but the damm car ran fine for 40 minutes...lol. i thought i had a bad OVP relay, but now, not sure if it just started out of pure luck.

fuel injectors work and put out equal amounts of a spray, from a visual test only. something was stopping it from starting at the shop i was working on it at...then, tap the OVP, and bam...she's running.

i was going to hit our junkyard to grab a Cam sensor, a Crank sensor, a mass air flow sensor, and a fuel rail...although, in my gut, none of those are probably my issue.

here's a picture, she's nice except for some rust spots from sitting near the ocean. i have no idea why they left it undriven for years.

[vaspen]

musta ran outa air then :P lol did you get this fixed yet ?
btw can you take a pik of the console I wana know what all the BUTTONS DOOOOO :3

[95c220]

musta ran outa air then :P lol did you get this fixed yet ?
btw can you take a pik of the console I wana know what all the BUTTONS DOOOOO :3

lots of buttons...lol.

i've neglected the car with our bad weather. will work on it thursday or this weekend, i'm going to pull the fuel rail again and make sure all 4 injectors fire in sequence correctly.

can anyone verify if this Over Protection Relay is correct for my car? it's the only difference between me driving the car home, and how it currently sits. i'm using part number 3.901.320, which replaced the questionable original, which was 000 540 67 45

[95c220]

nothing yet. i have spark and fuel at the injectors. i'm guessing i have to blindly replace the crank angle sensor, but looking back there, i still can't find it's location.

should i change spark plugs?

with spark and fuel, is that all that would prevent the car from starting? could it be a bad cam positioning sensor, or a bad mass air flow sensor? symptons are it cranks and sputters, but doesn't run. previously, the car drove home fine after sitting for 2 years, with a new fuel pump and fuel filter already done on it. backed it in, now no start.

[Sulaco]

That car looks in good shape and is a nice save! I know this problem is frustrating but it will eventually prove to be something simple and cheap. Sorry I can't be more help, but I look forward to hearing the good news that you got it going again.

[95c220]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8MTXQg55oc

pretty much does this. sometimes may idle for another second or two.

the spark plugs i pulled out were gapped wide. recommended is .32 (which is what the new ones are at now), the ones i pulled out were all gapped around .47. didn't change the issue, though. compression good in all cylinders.

also tested, i am getting spark at the spark plug wire end...actually, i may have to test 3 and 4. i've tested 1 and 2, just a visual with a screwdriver test.

i am getting fuel from all 4 injectors.

i have the cover off the overload relay. all 3 relays power on when the key is turned on, so that's working.

i'm down to probables - probably crank angle sensor (what a beeotch to get to), mass airflow sensor, and last, the easiest, the cam positioning sensor. no engine codes, not sure if i've driven far enough since the new battery to throw any. basically drove 13 miles once i got it started up at my buddy's shop.

[95c220]

it's an old battery (2009). holds a full charge, and cranks just fine...i shouldn't worry about something dumb like that, right?

[vaidlookman]

i am having same issues. please update if ur issues are resolved. in addition, i can't play ur youtube video. can u send me permissions to play it. thx.

[95c220]

fixed the video. whoops on the private setting, don't know how i clicked that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8MTXQg55oc

i'm working on a jet ski with the same symptons as the c220...lol. "when it rains..."

it's a hot summer, so have not spent much time on it this week. i'm going to hit the junkyard, and try to get the crank, cam, and mass air flow sensors...

still don't get how it drove fine from my buddy's shop...but then again, it took quite a lot to get it started up there as well (stock battery and 2 jump boxes, and with me tapping the overvoltage protection relay, the car finally started up). so i thought the OVP relay was my questionable issue, but after swapping it out with 2 others, and watching one installed with no cover on it (to see the internal relays actually making contact with the key on), who knows...

[taz069]

It sounds like sulaco covered alot! Have you cleaned the maf(mass air flow sensor), for one. Now the crank position sensor is a booger to get to. On my 96 c280 i have to use a 24" 3/8 extension with the meteric allen on the end(sorry cannot remember the size). And run it down by the master brake cylinder. It be a Booger!!! Do you have a vacum leak. I know you stated it ran for 40 min, just enough to finish off old air lines that hold vacumm. I had to replace all of mine. Chimchong from this sight had his lil merc tbone and i got majority of my parts off him. Check the maf, replace the ovp(fupabox has a vid on repairing), crank positon sensor and cam position sensor. hope some of this helps

[Vetruck]

Looks like my car when I bought it- We have/had almost identical twins. Mine is a 94 C220.

I am 99% positive I know what your problem is. Biodegradable wire harness on the TB. It will look perfect on the outside...nice shiny black housing. But trust me, cut it open and the individual wire insulation on the inside wites will fall out like sand. The wires are all exposed and touching eachother. Look for my old post on buying a new VDO TB. Took care of my "would not stay running" issue.

[Dearlove]

mine had the throttle body issue, but it still ran, doesnt sound like it could be that

[Vetruck]

mine had the throttle body issue, but it still ran, doesnt sound like it could be that

When mine first started acting up it would stumble and hesitate on throttle movements, but was doing fairly well at idle and at steady throttle....

...then it progressively got worse. It would start but I had to keep it revved to keep it running, all the while it was stumbling and hesitating on power and got so bad I had to have it towed home. It would start but then die.

[95c220]

Looks like my car when I bought it- We have/had almost identical twins. Mine is a 94 C220.

I am 99% positive I know what your problem is. Biodegradable wire harness on the TB. It will look perfect on the outside...nice shiny black housing. But trust me, cut it open and the individual wire insulation on the inside wites will fall out like sand. The wires are all exposed and touching eachother. Look for my old post on buying a new VDO TB. Took care of my "would not stay running" issue.

the organic wire harness used in this model is one reason i'll be selling it. but, it did run and drive fine, so kind of hard to believe the harness let loose after backing the car up, but who knows?

mine won't really even idle, unless you count the 1 to 2 seconds...lol.

still working on it, but no really new updates since last time...been spending time working on streetbikes, which are more user friendly.

[Vetruck]

It will take all of about 10 minutes to find a sharp razor knife and cut a 3" long slice into the TB wire black housing and spread it open- you will be amazed to see the sand fall out and all the wires touching. When you drove it the wires probably jiggled enough that the critical ones were not touching , then upon restart the sand (insulation that fell off) shifted and now they are touching again. I will bet big money this is why the previous owner just left the car to sit because it was an intermittent problem that was building.

I was feeling the same way about the wiring a year ago, but after dropping $600 on a new VDO TB I must say the car runs like new and has been wonderful. THis is one reason why these cars resale values go into the toilet because of crap like this. Once the little stuff like this is fixed the cars are bullet proof. People relying on MB dealership to do repairs go way over their heads in cost. DIY and you find a car for cheap and get a wonderful car. What else are you going to buy for $600 plus god knowd how little you get for selling a non-running w202. Spend the money and drive it for years., or sell it for peanuts and find something else with problems for the aprx $1200 you have to work with from the sell.

ps- contact me if you are serious about letting it go.

[95c220]

...What else are you going to buy for $600 plus god knowd how little you get for selling a non-running w202. Spend the money and drive it for years., or sell it for peanuts and find something else with problems for the aprx $1200 you have to work with from the sell.

i wish i had $600.00 in this. cars get sold for $600.00 just as scrap value down here. i have a lot more vested, but it had offers of $2500 and $2600 on eBay, so at least it will move even not-running. still working on it, though, not giving in yet.

i cut the harness cover open months ago in various places to inspect for degradation. no issue, no "sand", insulation there and solid on the wires inspected. but today, i just found one spot where the insulation degraded, and 2 wires were touching. it was on some weird sensor, should be located clipped to the harness plastic guard, roughly underneath the throttle body. it had been worked on before (tape), but i didn't see it, as it was tucked underneath the intake. i fixed the wires. the insulation only was bad 2 inches from the sensor into the cover. i cut another 6 inches down to inspect, no issue. not to say one won't come up, but from all accounts, the upgraded Benz harness is installed in my car: 202 540 3832. i imagine the Benz dealership did this in 2011 when they sold the car.

what is the part number on the original wire harness vs the Benz updated version (202 540 3832)?

i also installed a brand new battery a couple of weeks ago to remove that from question. same issue.

thanks, group.

[95c220]

well, after all of the chasing, she lives again.

seems i was fighting a couple of problems. i have 1 bad OverVoltage Protection Relay (out of 3 onhand), so i'm sure that was in the loop during my troubleshooting. i took the cover off of another OVP, so i could watch all 3 relay switches engage when i turned the key on.

ended up being as simple as just a clogged fuel pump. attached a hose to it, and turned it on with 12 volts. gas just trickled out, no pressure. so I removed it, and a LOT of tank soot/dirt came out of the pumps little screen once I started cleaning it all out. kind of sucks, as the c220 has tank, then pump, THEN filter...so the pump gets everything unfiltered out of the tank...

thanks for all the hints.