Hello, everyone. I have been (knock on wood) fortunate in not having to post a problem for discussion here... until now. Yesterday morning morning on the way to work, my '75 164e stalled twice when idling in gear. In both cases, it restarted after a couple of minutes and ran fine. The ambient temps were about -9C at the time, and it was very damp (snowstorm, actually).

As the tank was below 1/4 full, and we had recently had very cold weather, I surmised I had some water from condensation in the fuel tank. I filled the tank and added gasoline antifreeze.

Further details: I took some time and deliberately tested the car today to assess the problem (yesterday I was just trying to get the work, then home!!).

Pattern:

- under load will run fine at any ambient temp (today we swung between -25C and -12C).
- off load, will die in approx. one to two minutes, no matter what the idle speed.
- cut out is quite abrupt, minimal or no stumbling beforehand. Like it's run out of fuel.
- VERY strong smell of raw (unburned) fuel when it cuts out.
- restarts in 30 seconds to one minute, then runs perfectly and does not die again at idle afterwards (not within five minutes, anyway).
- needs about five to fifteen seconds of continuous cranking to restart, and restart is gradual not abrupt (consistent with a flooded car cleaning itself out).

Other than the stalling, it runs flawlessly and fuel mileage seems to be consistent with the extreme cold.

I have used the car before in extreme cold (that is usually the only winter use it ever sees) and this has never happened before.

The only two suggestions I have so far are the coil (which to me does not explain the prompt restart, or the running fine under load) and possibly the charcoal evaporative canister being plugged or frozen.

Any other ideas? I am going to cross-post this to the brickboard as well. I just wrote off my 740 Turbo a month or so ago, and my old Mercedes turbodiesel just ate its transmission, so this is my only transport right now. I usually have at least one backup car during the winter months....

Cheers,

Steve