W124 1993 E280 cutting out

[mjtray]

Travelling down the M40 yesterday, can had been running fine for over an hour, when suddenly in slow moving traffic the engine started to stutter, ie lots of flat spots followed by normal power followed by a series of flat spots.

This carried on for a couple of miles and then eventually the car lost all power. As I pulled onto the hard shoulder all of the warning lights came on by which time engine was completely dead.

Tried to start the car, but it wouldn't fire. Left it for five minutes and bingo, car started and has been absolutely fine ever since.

Car has done this once in the past, in similar circumstances, ie after travelling at speed and then joining slow moving stop start traffic the car died and then started almost immediately and ran perfectly.

Anybody got any ideas???????????????????

 

[john.clarke]

Hi ....MJ.......just a shot in the dark......I have suffered very mysterious happenings over time, and eventually found the Fuse holders on the W124 suffer from oxidisation at weird times, resulting in relay drop-out, chattering etc.

It is a good maintenance habit anyway......just wipe a smeer (more like a film really) of Electrolube or such product on all the fuse nipples every 6 months and many "funnies" will disappear.

My apprenticeship taught me decades ago that a dirty tin contact is better than clean copper. The spring fuse holders are....yep ...copper plate.

.......try it....and have a wonderful weekend ....have a Guiness for me !

Tyke in Africa