[LauraS]

For those forum members who tolerated my seemingly endless thread on the cold start problem I have been having with my 1990 190E and especially to those who offered advice and helpful comments you have my sincerest gratitude. You know who you are in this regard.
The used ECM was installed just yesterday as the weather reached a balmy -3C (just barely 1/10 of how low it has been for more than 2 weeks).
After saying a prayer to my creator I turned the ignition key and VOILA! the engine barely hesitated before settling into a nice smooth high idle which slowly and then slowly lowered to 750rpm.
I checked the X11 and the reading was 49.9 and then as the O2 sensor kicked in the needle began to bounce between about 48-53%. I havent taken it for a drive yet as the roads are so heavily salted after the snowfall last night but I will when they become dry. After all the testing and frustration the final diagnosis that the ECM was the faulty component was correct. Again thanks to all. I am sure that I will be back to entertain you when trouble erupts but hopefully not for a while.

 

[H.D.]

You know who you are in this regard.

You bet! …

Congratulations, LauraS, for following my broad hint in posts 82 & 93 in This Other Thread Of Yours. …

 

[dolucasi]

Very glad your car is doing much better today Laura!

Happy Motoring!

 

[LauraS]

Thanks, I hope that it will start as well once this warm snap ends and Mr. Winter returns.

 

[355190E26]

Kudos to you Laura, I think it's great that Dolucasi was able to help you troubleshoot your car from so far away!

 

[LauraS]

Kudos to you Laura, I think it's great that Dolucasi was able to help you troubleshoot your car from so far away!

Dolucasi is an angel for helping me through this and I learned so much. I now know how to check the EHA signal and error codes with my homemade harness and code reader and a whole lot more. Thanks also to others like you who offered help and support.

 

[w201fan]

Hallelujah! Thanks be to God! I'm thrilled that this most baffling mystery has finally been solved! Kudos Laura for all of your hard work. Kind of surprised that an ECM would fail at such a low mileage. I can't help but wonder if the bitter cold might have played a role and even though MB tests it's cars in the artic. Some food for thought. A good highway run, maybe an hour or so, is a good idea once the roads are clear of the damaging salt. No need to tempt the dreaded r word with such a nice target as your 190. Stomp on the throttle hard during the run as well to blow out any carbon build up that may or may not also be going on.

 

[dolucasi]

Nice group effort on this mystery folks. Dave's EHA current vs coolant temp graph helped quite a bit here. I knew there is a strong function to coolant temp but I did not know that EHA current reaches nearly 140mA in arctic temps. My CA car never goes above 25mA or so but that is only close to freezing temps.

Thank you especially to Laura for her tenacity and perseverance to expose us to what can happen in arctic temps. Our friends in Finland, Norway, Iceland should appreciate the effort here.

- Cheers!

 

[LauraS]

A good highway run is in the cards as soon as the roads clear. The lane out to the highway is a rutted muddy mess right now with this unusual warm weather. The frost goes 2-3 feet deep with so little snow cover to insulate the ground. My grandson is pestering me to give him the car now that it is running. He is a pretty sharp kid and mechanical like his grandpa and wants to be a bush pilot also. I will see......

 

[dolucasi]

Great to hear your grandson is interested in the W201 Laura. My son would not be interested a year ago now he takes it out for a drive once in a while. So there is hope ....

 

[w201fan]

A good highway run is in the cards as soon as the roads clear. The lane out to the highway is a rutted muddy mess right now with this unusual warm weather. The frost goes 2-3 feet deep with so little snow cover to insulate the ground. My grandson is pestering me to give him the car now that it is running. He is a pretty sharp kid and mechanical like his grandpa and wants to be a bush pilot also. I will see......

I totally understand the roads issue Laura. I would never drive my W201 in such conditions either so I'm totally sympathetic to your view. I think you should keep your W201 and reap the reward for a successful but long hard fought victory to get it back to running properly. Just my 2 cents.

 

[LauraS]

I totally understand the roads issue Laura. I would never drive my W201 in such conditions either so I'm totally sympathetic to your view. I think you should keep your W201 and reap the reward for a successful but long hard fought victory to get it back to running properly. Just my 2 cents.

w201, There are times when I have to use the old PowerWagon to reach the highway. The 190E would up to the axles in mud and it has happened. I always have a laugh when 190E want to LOWER their chassis. I wish mine was 6" higher and 4 wheel drive. I am looking for a true 4wheel drive vehicle not some wimpy all wheel drive but I dont want a truck. I would like to find a Toyota FJ, FJ40 or FJ62 or similar. The 190E was a learning experience and very frustrating but now maybe time to move on to something more practical for this environment. I will still keep the BMW 635CSi for summer tripping. The 190E will always be in the family as long as I am also.

 

[w201fan]

Good luck with whatever you decide Laura.

 

[LauraS]

My grandson and his mother dropped by today and is he ever excited about possibly getting the car. I let him take it for a drive but just around the yard. Its going to be hard to say no!

 

[dolucasi]

Well, he has a fantastic mechanic, and you get to see your grandson more often in the near future!

 

[w201fan]

Laura, tell your grandson that if he doesn't take good care of your 190 you'll take it back from him.