Merc E300TE 24 ignition problems

[Jonny2tanx]

My girlfriends 1992 Mercedes E300TE 24 estate car failed to start after I had put £50 worth of fuel in it 5 miles from home as we were going on our holidays to Italy this year (really handy - NOT). I thought it was the shock of having a full tank of fuel, but the Mercedes specialist garage that has had the car ever since says its cos there is no spark.

They have replaced the sensors and distributor cap which they have got on sale or return, without success. The only 2 items that they haven't changed are the transistor pack (whatever that is - it sits on the left inner wing and has 4 cables and a vacuum pipe going to it, part number 012 545 21 32) and the ECU, but as these parts aren't available on sale or return, and cost an arm and a leg (or both arms and both legs, with a bit of torso thrown in) we haven't asked the garage to try replacing them yet.

Does anyone have any experience of a similar problem that could be attributed to these parts? And now, to be really cheeky, does anyone have a similar car within a reasonable distance of Harpenden, Herts, that we could try our suspect parts on before we shell out our hard-earned? We both want to get this car back in running order - it's too young to die.

 

[Terminator]

Have they checked the engine wiring harness which is prone to degrading, causing the coating to come off the wires in the harness and the inevitable short circuits occuring?

 

[Richard Moakes]

ECU's rarely fail, same is true for the ignition amplifier.

Sensors are the usual culprit, get your man to test the crank rotation sensor.

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[Jonny2tanx]

Thanks for the suggestions. The garage has changed the crank and the cam sensor and they made no difference, and checked the loom throughout and cannot find a short anywhere. The amplifier and the ECU are the only parts they have not been able to exchange or check.

I carry these parts around with me in my car in the hope of being able to ambush someone with the same car and test them out before we spend any more money. Maybe my girlfriend should carry them around with her instead of me in her, dare I say it?, ahem, Peugeot (hopefully) temporary replacement, as she is far more attractive and persuasive than I am.