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'86 230GE Cold Idle Problem
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Posted 7/9/2007 3:24 PM
Decorhaus

Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
'86 230GE Cold Idle Problem

History: 1986 230GE with low mileage that idles rough when cold, but runs smooth once the engine is warm. (Distributor cap and wires and condenser are new).

Took it to the local MB dealer #1 for a check-up and he replaced the sparkplugs, but there was no noticeable improvement in the cold idle problem. Shortly thereafter on a morning following a day-long drive in heavy rain, the car was very difficult to start. Considerable backfiring, wouldn’t idle, but after repeated attempts to restart was able to drive to MB dealer #2.

Dealer #2 examines the car and makes some adjustments to the fuel injectors, but reports that the reason the car is rough to idle is a problem with the ‘Lambdasteuerung” which is part of the ‘Catalysator’. I say replace the bad parts, he says the ‘Lambdasteuerung ’ was not original to the vehicle and was added sometime later, and he would need to locate the part from the market, and after replacing would then trouble shoot the rest of the ‘Catalysator’ system. His adjustments made the car run better, but the cold idle problem is still present. He recommended removing these 'Catalysator' parts to get the car back to the original condition, which I presume would mean it would run better. He thought the ‘Catalysator’ parts were added to obtain a lower road tax due to the resulting better vehicle emissions (Austria).

So some questions:

1) The ‘Lambdasteuerung’ is mounted inside the cab below the glove box. The markings are: ‘Lambdasteuerung, ST24 fur Fahrzeuge mit KE-Jetronik’
Katalysator Teknik Greywotz GmbH. What does this beast do and do I need it?

Below is a picture of a probe which mounts to the exhaust pipe just downstream of the exhaust manifold - evidently it is part of the 'Catalysator' system.

Can I remove these connections and will this improve the operating performance and get rid of the cold idle problem?

2) He also noted some capped vacuum tubes – pics of these are below as well. Were these originally capped or were the caps part of the ‘Catalysator’ modification?





Attachments
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Attachments 230GE Pics.pdf (129KB - 18 downloads)
#81636
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Author
Posted 7/9/2007 3:43 PM
Fenalaar
Elite Veteran


Date registered: May 2006
Location: Narvik, Norway
Vehicle(s): 2001 ML270CDI, Polaris 400L Big Boss
Posts: 826
500
Re: '86 230GE Cold Idle Problem

The lambda sensor with its control electronics is used to ensure that the engine is always running on a correct oxygen/fuel mixture. If the oxygen/fuel mixture is too lean (i.e. more oxygen than needed), the catalytic converter can overheat and malfunction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_sensor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

If the system is unoriginal, I'd say get rid of it. You'll experience more power and probably less consumption.

Here's a very good article, detailing what problems the lambda sensor can create: http://www.picotech.com/auto/lambda_sensor.html

Johan-kr

Edited by Fenalaar 7/9/2007 3:48 PM
#81640 - in reply to #81636
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Author
Posted 7/9/2007 4:51 PM
Decorhaus

Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
RE: '86 230GE Cold Idle Problem

Thanks Johan-kr.

Good info in the links. Maybe I have a bad Lambda Sensor. That might explain the bad fuel consumption and rough idle.

Do you think this equipment was added to improve fuel economy? Or help the emmissions? If I remove it will I have a problem with the annual emmisions check?


#81643 - in reply to #81636
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Author
Posted 7/9/2007 5:34 PM
Fenalaar
Elite Veteran


Date registered: May 2006
Location: Narvik, Norway
Vehicle(s): 2001 ML270CDI, Polaris 400L Big Boss
Posts: 826
500
Re: '86 230GE Cold Idle Problem

Definitely not to help fuel economy. This is emmissions only.

As long as the engine is properly adjusted, it should be able topass the emissions check even without the cat, unless Austria has very strict emissions standards that also applies to old cars. You might want to check that out with dealer #2, that seems to have more knowledge than #1...

Johan-Kr
#81649 - in reply to #81636
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