I have a 94 E320 (w124 chassis) and it wont start, u turn the key...hear a click..then a woosh sound which i thought was the fuel pump and thats all....the battery is good, the alternator is good and i took the starter off and tested it and it was also good. COuld it be a relay of some type, or is it just loose connections. and help is greatly appreciated.


--1994 E320--3.2 liter Inline 6---4 speed auto

 

won't crank?

then it's battery.

turn on headlamps and obseve if it dims while cranking.

 

no its not battery....headlights dont dim and all dashboard lights are fine in fact i can run ac and radio and sunroof at full power but car just wont start.

 

the engine is stuck?

the starter won't engage?

what else do you feel?

 

Hi,
How do you test the starter? Maybe, a starter solenoid? Check all the fuses and relays.

 

i thought you already have tested it.

i mean...can you feel the starter overrunning clutch or gear engaging? can you hear that loud clack?

if you do, do you hear the starter working or just whinning?

could it be that the flywheel starter ring gear is worn?

 

Try 'N" .. you could have a bad NSS [ Neutral saftey switch.. very common on 124.032 chassis]
Also, K38 relay

 

actually i took the starter off and went to a local autozone and had it texted...they said it was good.....however this is wat i think...since i went home and put it on and the car started...yet this morning when i went to start it...the car wouldnt start...all u hear is a click and no starter engagement engine wont crank etc.....i did however bang the starter a bit and had my friend try to continue starting it and it finally cranked.....with each banging i heard more and more clicks...so im thinking its just a bad starter and the only reason it worked at the auto shop was because during travel to there it got banged around and the gear got loosened again.....but wat do you guys think....and thanks for all the help.

 

that means you got signal for terminal 50 for starting.

my only guess is a poor battery connection, bad battery, worn out starter carbon brush, or defective starter solenoid.

but you got to eliminate the doubt on battery first by cleaning/checking the terminals including the ground. then try jump starting from another battery.

if you are fully covinced it's good, then it will be the starter.

 

There is a test point on your car to isolate the NSS and relay feed from the starter .
Looking at the brake booster, to the left, on the wall seperating the engine from the booster area, there is a 3 wire connector. [ just above the brake fluid res tank] Unplug that and jumper a wire from the battery positive + to the CENTER wire [ make sure in "P" and key OFF]
This is the feed to starter circuit 50. If the starter spins , the problem is feed from the Neutral switch or Alarm safty relay interupt [ K-38]
Try that and post results.
If starter spins with jumper , go to this post and read through it, as I just did one of these on a group that I write on. This will give you a step by step diagnosis on tha chassis. [ and save me a lot of typing]
http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu....php3?t=114319

PS
SW is correct on the possibility of bad terminals on baterry or bad pull -in coil on starter. If this is the case it should show up with your jumper, so try the jumper wire several times.
Also , if it only does this intermiitently, next time it does it, look for 12v. at this center test terminal.. [ have a person inside car attemp to start car] If V there , problem is at starter, if not, it is back at NSS or Relay as described in my other text...