I am thankful that when I had this issue, mine was just the accumulator. I really enjoy this car when it works, but mine is always needing something. Fun to watch this journey of fixing yours up. Thanks.

I’ve enjoyed your videos. I had the exact hard start problem when my engine was hot on my 1984 380SL. Your diagnosis is correct about checking pressure by pushing on the plate on the air intake. I will say that the problem with the valve you replaced is usually the small O-ring. It’s exposed to gasoline so it deteriorated. I pulled out the valve and only replaced the O-ring. It’s a specific size and of course Mercedes and the other parts dealers only want to sell you the whole valve assembly for over 200 bucks. I went to harbor freight and bought a box of assorted O-rings in mm size and found 4 of the ones I needed. Cost me 9.99! It’s relatively easy to pull out the valve from the back of the fuel distributor. Just don’t lose the shims. If people have this hot hard start problem check your O-ring first.

Great! This regulator is specific to the 3.8L & 5.0L fuel distributors. This part was eliminated in the 4.2L & 5.6L engines and integrated into the EHA Valve. Thank you for sharing this info!

replacing the accumulator fixed my hot start problem, thanks for the video.

Hey thanks for the video! Working through similar issues with my 380slc, so every little lead is a huge help! Of course I rebuilt everything in back EXCEPT for the accumulator... Best of luck with the continuing renovation, beautiful car!

Thanks for the heads up and good information on the video. Mine cranks but does not start so I’m looking at the accumulator. Hoping that’s all it is.

Im having some issues with cranking and no start at all when cold. Two suggestions for you. (1) Think about removing those aftermarket chrome fender bling - moisture gets trapped under there and can rust out your car, and (2) CHECK you front subframe for cracks....MBZ issued a recall but did not include the 380 series. Your wheels can fall off at any moment.

I read in the user manual how to start warm engine!! Press the gas pedal then crank once the engine starts take your foot off the gas.. works with me..

Ummm, the NEW injectors shouldn't leak... Mine don't and I tested them on my New tester, prior to install

Hi, just wanted to inform you that I had the same Hot Start Issue and I copied you in replacing the Fuel Accumulator and all went good :). I did change the Fuel Pump, Fuel Filter and the Fuel Hoses as well. So now my system is new like your system except that i changed the Main Hose that goes to the car that you have not replaced (you only bought hhahhaha).

That part there is called the primary-pressure regulator which is incorporated in the fuel distributor housing. When the engine is running it maintains the pressure in fuel system constant. After the engine has been switched off, the fuel pump also stops running and the pressure regulator closes the return-flow port back to the fuel tank and prevents pressure reduction in the fuel system to facilitate restarting, particularly when the engine is hot.

The warm up regulator creates this problem too. I’m currently replacing mine too.

Love the video, it brought to light another possibility on my 85 MB 500sel, if that fix is the same on my car. Actuator has been replaced recently (1yr), but I am going to check for leak just to be sure. Last "mechanic" I used did an expensive crap job, so as usual I rely on my own abilities, to a point. I've put up my MB for sell, so I want to get her starting like she use to, no pedal and little bump to start. Luckily I have a 64 Pontiac Bonneville wagon that has been reliable for over 40 years.

Still have my MB long shaft torx driver, to go through the breather, and adjust the fuel distributor.

Sir. I have a 1972 350 sl Eu model great car your videos are just great, thanks living in Denmark, have a great day and THANSK, ARTHUR

Thank you from France 😊

Thanks mate for the video. I'm looking at your other videos too. I have a '76 350SL 107 and have the same hot start issue. And the engine won't even start from yesterday. But i'm going to replace the weak fuel pump first, then look at the accumulator. As far as I know, most 107 123 116 fuel pump does make a hissing sound when idling. Mine can't start at all so I connected pump directly to a battery and it works ever so slightly, with faint vibration felt when holding it. Hence why I'm replacing the pump first. One more thing, when I checked for 12V there was no current supply with key switched on. But when cranking, there was 12V supply. Is this how it's suppose to be?

I don’t recall if you have a fuel pressure gauge yet from watching your other videos, if not, I own this gauge Tool Aid 38000 and it has everything you will ever need plus some and has the needed separate shutoffs to be able to safely test control pressure. On the fuel distributor, these are a source of many issues over time and need regular rebuild as these cars often sat for years (hence lower mileage and still around) with old gas and the diaphragm and it’s tiny holes get gummed up. For a fuel distributor rebuild, often the part you had an issue with is not touched as it is frequently not the issue. Yours may have been gummed-up. You can rebuild a fuel distributor yourself or get one rebuilt. Quixtarstp on eBay did mine most recently (I bought a rebuilt one and kept my old one) as I didn’t want to do it, he did a good job. Removing and installing the fuel distributor is well within your abilities if needed in future. You may need to use a screw extractor and a hand (manual) impact hammer to get existing mounting screws out and thus you may need new screws, quixtarstp sells those also. Buy a copper washer assortment for any fittings. The fuel distributor can cause a huge range of issues including rough idle. It is often overlooked as a cause of rough idle. My car has an exceptionally smooth and quiet engine after a fuel distributor rebuild. Failure of fuel distributors is correlated with failure of the accumulator and similar items- old sitting gas. For example, as you may recall I’ve had my 380sl for 30 years. 15 years ago I installed a rebuilt fuel distributor. Very little mileage since then but distributor began degrading about 5 years ago (rougher idle) and progressively delivered very rough idle and rich running until I changed it again this past year. I recommend getting a rebuilt fuel distributor and keeping your old one with another purchased rebuild kit in your stock for future, the gasket kits are still readily available today. After 30 years I have had the habit of keeping extra parts and this has helped me quite a bit over the years. For example, years ago the vacuum idle controller was readily available but today very expensive and only available used typically. I also saw your reference to vacuum in another video. Despite what’s written online, often this is not the cause of all woes. Good vacuum is still valuable. I became tired of worrying about door lock, trunk, and ac vacuum leaks. I plugged the vacuum lines to these at the firewall and that is also where I measure standard vacuum. Plugging this gave me a nice vacuum improvement and cost me nothing as I couldn’t care less about power door locks etc. one final note, note there are two types of vacuum: ported and what I call standard. One vacuum increases as you depress the accelerator, the other decreases. In contrast to many incorrect posts online, the truth is you will get different vacuum readings around the car based on where you measure, type of vacuum, and proximity to leak. At idle you want to see 15hg plus typically or better. Measuring while driving, interesting but not always required, will show you how your vacuum decreases and recovers. Again though micro-analyzing vacuum and fuel pressure or using an oscilloscope to measure the fuel injector frequency valve pulses all can consume a good deal of time when, in the end, the culprit was the need to rebuild the fuel distributor.

same issue, found to be the starter/ ignition relay in the fuse box under the hood.

The fuel accumulator was my hot start issue. I used a little starting fluid to get it started until I figured out the issue

my 76 450 got a new MSD ignition system and all new aftermarket EFI........ Bye Bosch !

I don’t have a warm or hot start issue. But I do have an overheating issue. And also my oil smells of gasoline. Still haven’t figured out that issue. I’m at a loss. I changed the oil the day before yesterday. And it’s back to smelling like gasoline. So I wasted $80 in oil…

When you say push on the plate to test the pressure, where is that plate exactly? Appreciate all the videos. Very helpful! Thanks

Hello! Can you please tell me where the fuel pump relay is located? Thank you.

I"m having an issue where the car will want to start when cold. Then it will flood. Pretty much the whole fuel system has been changed from pump, distributor, injectors and warm up regulator. Which mechanic did you go to?

Do some body know what is wrong with my 380sl 1985? I changed the timing chain, I know I done a good job on it, according to the repair book, it overflowed and do not crank at all, I found gas in the muffler, to much, it was dripping from, thanks in advance to y'all guys.

0:40 EXACTLY what mine just started doing!!! Hurry!!! How did you fix it?!?! I’m so excited!! (back to the video)

Where are you ordering your parts? Thanks. Great videos!

hi are the wheels original, if not where did you order the wheels from?

Can you send me to kods of you change of parts please 🙏

High fuel pressure when outside temperature is hot!!

Is this valve sitting inside fuel distributor? What is the location to change this part?

Ethenol fuel kills them fast

This is what a video looks like when it’s made by someone who doesn’t work on cars, but can regurgitate what the mechanic told them an hour ago, and can’t even do that well.

Good vid, I subscribed

Thank you!! Off to check my accumulator! What went bad on that circuit pressure regulator? Can you remove it and see if it’s bad by looking at it?

These Mercedes are so packed with crap it’s amazing. What happened to a fuel pump moving gas through a line from your gas tank to a filter to your carb and out your exhaust?