280SE left behind at the lights

[tartan]

Can someone please try and help me diagnose the problem with my nearly graceful 1982 280SE Auto?

When the engine is cold there is terrible lag on the throttle from sitting still. When I depress the throttle the car just drifts for a few seconds and all of a sudden just shoots away, quite often with a wheel spin. It's ok once it gets into higher gears but when I come to rest again
the car gets stuck. The throttle delay period reduces as the en gine warms until it appears fine when at correct operating temperature although the idle is quite lumpy.
I have recently discovered that when I rev the car from 'park' position it moves away better but will lag again after I slow down.
This is becoming quite dangerous as I find myself stuck at junctions and sometimes in the way of oncoming traffic as I cannot move.

I would like to buy a CD maintenance manual for SE 126series. It covers
all SE models apart from the 280. Is it that different?

Anyway, enough questions. Here's hoping somebody is wearing their
workshop cap.

Thankyou, Mark.

 

[TimN]

It may have something to do with a lack of automatic transmission fuid in the torque converter. Check the dipstick with the engine running. I am assuming that the engine operates normally in neural. It may be that if insufficient or incorrect fluid the pressure in the torque convertor is taking time to build up. When putting into gear the engine revs should dip indicating that it is under load.

 

[kid-jensen]

It's incredibly difficult to diagnose this kind of behaviour without actually driving the car, but here goes.............

It sounds like the engine is getting a weak mixture. This would explain why it's ok when warmed-up.

As I know SFA about your model, I can only suggest:

If it's injection, check the resistance of the ECU temperature sensor.
Check the fuel rail pressure.

If it's carb, check that the choke butterfly is closing sufficiently. Remove, clean and blow-through all the jets.

Good luck!

 

[tartan]

Thank's for the advice guys, I'l try and have a look at it this weekend. Will probably have to take it to a garage but I've bought transmission oil and will mention that it sounds like a weak mixture. Will keep you posted.

Regards, Mark

 

[tartan]

Well, it looks like I have been running on 5 cylinders for 3 months. I've had the car that long and didn't think I would need to service it after all the time the owner spent getting it ready. One of the unbranded spark plugs from somewhere out of Poland was fried. They have all been replaced and it goes like a rocket now but I need a new idle control valve. I can't believe the guy I got the car from didn't pick this up - he restores Mercedes.

Mark