W123 280TE advice needed

[kjservices]

HELP PLEASE.
My 280 has been running fine appart from some times, the tickover is not fast enough for it to pull away, and it stalls the engine. No real problem, but I have just had this happen, and the stall came with quite a jerk, and the car will now not start at all.
Engine turning ok, plenty of fuel, electrics seem ok, but will not fire.
Is there maybe some sensor that has been set which stops the fuel ???. I say this, as to me, the engine sounds as if no fuel getting through.

This has only just happened and I use the vehicle as as working car, it carries all my tools for the work I do, and is indespensible. This is the busy time of year and I need to try some quick fix solutions. HELP

 

[TimN]

Are you getting a spark? To check remove the king lead from the distributer place the lead so that the exposed metal terminal is about 6mm from an earthed point such as the rocker cover and turn the engine over. Nobody must hold the lead or they risk a shot. Should see nice healthy sparks. If not then there is a problem with spark amplifier/coil.

Then replace the king lead and do each HT lead the same way removing then from the spark plug. Again healthy sparks should be seen.

You could turn the engine over at night just to see if there is any tracking on the outside of the HT leads which will be witnessed blue traces on the outside of the leads.

There is more than a reasonable chance that you have corrosion on the terminals of the fuel pump which can be found tucked behind the off side rear wheel. To check use a multi meter to establish any voltage whilst the key is turned. You should be able to here any activity from the pump. If not then clean with wire brush and WD40 and run a couple of wires from the battery. I have a long speaker cable with two sets of crocodile clips which are useful for things like this. Ensure that you clip them on the right way. The positive on the fuel pump has a rubber cover and I think it is the bigger of the two. If the engine now starts then you have narrowed it down to corrosion on the fuel pump leads or earthing point or failure of the fuel pump relay or corrsion/failure at the fuse. Visually check the fuse and rotate in its clips (again a meter is useful to establish electrical continuity) I have posted an item on repairs to the fuel pump relay recently so if it is this then do a search. The relay has a protection cercuit in it to stop the engine from over reving which can go wrong.