300 sel using too much fuel!

[youngil006]

Hi
I have a 1988 300 sel mercedes benz, and it uses way too much fuel. It used to get 400 or so miles to the tank...now it goes about half or less. These are the symptoms:
1-start to engine with no need to push down the gas pedel
2-put in drive, push down gas pedel no respose until i push it down all the way to the floor... car hesitates, then engine revs hi then i get pushed back into my seat, the the car takes off like a bat out of hell, black smoke leaves the pipes. when on high way car runs ok, but has very strong gas smell.
3-when in idel car economy meter stays in the middle, never gets lower until i put it in park.
is there anyone out there with some mercedes knowldege?? my wallet is getting lighter every day paying for gas.
thanks
*young006

 

[mlc]

You are describing an engine that is running too rich. could be lots of things but my first check would be the air filter and the air intake. Is the filter dirty or have you picked up something that is blocking the intake pipe. If you are not sure about the filter try running the car around the block without the filter installed and see if it makes any differrence.

Mark.