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86 420SEL non-start opinions needed

863 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  spanners 
#1 ·
I have found a 1986 MB 420SEL that I might be interested in. It has aroudn 230K miles and has been maintained extremely well over the yeaars. Timing belt change about 50K miles ago. The problem is it will not start. I haven't checked everythign yet; hwoever, before I go look it over this week I wanted some ideas.Here is the story:

The gentleman said he had been driving it everyday for the past several years and the MB dealer had been doing all the regular maintenance. About 6 months ago he came home form work and parked the car - ran great, no problems. When he went to start it the next morning, it would not start. It would turn over and try to crank but would never fire off as if it was out of gas. He said he tried it several times and finally quit. He hasn't had it checked out and just wants to sell it to someone who will take it as a project.

Is it possible that the car jumped time? I have never heard of one jumping time like that but then again I do not conisder myself a top notch mechanic !!

Any ideas?

Thanks

Bob
 
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#2 ·
My car has been parked for over a year with allmost no fuel.

So the first time the car started and went as it should..

But after we had driven it for a while, we parked the car in a buslot. When we tried to start it, it wouldnt start. The engine was warm and usualy a car will start quite fast with a warm engine.

So i contacted one of the ppl in the MB shop/garage and they told me that i could pull the car with another car up to 50km/h and put it in Drive.

So we dit this, and the car started!

The mecanic said that it must have been some old fuel or some dirt/water or something like that in the reserve fueltank
 
#4 ·
It sounds to me like the fuel pump relay has gone bad.

Turn the ignition on and listen for a buzzing from the fuel pump situated underneath near the back. It buzzes for about 2 seconds everytime you turn the ignition on as it primes the system.

If there is no buzzing, it is probably the fuel pump relay which is situated behind the battery.
 
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