# 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL - Cranks, but won't fire

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mercedes-benz\
**Created:** [April 9, 2024, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686 "2024-04-09T02:34:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rickce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@Rickce](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rickce)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/1 "2024-04-09T02:34:33Z")

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need service on 1971 mercedes 280s  
cranks, but won’t fire up

looking for tech in orange county, NY

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/2 "2024-04-09T12:48:59Z")

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Google is your friend… Google and check with other old MB owners to see where they take theirs for service as well as ask friends, co-workers, family, church members etc etc, look for classic car clubs around you and ask them… I would look for a classic MB specialist, not the dealer… Nashville has a few, I’m sure you should have some in your area also… If price scares you, then you bought the wrong vehicle… lol

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/3 "2024-04-09T19:39:51Z")

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What @davesmopar said. Attend a classic car club meeting, ask around. And this is the 280SL (fuel injected), correct? Not the 280S (carburetor).

Maybe this?  
[Orange County Antique Auto Club: The Oldest, the Largest & Most Family Oriented Car Club in New York (ocantiqueautoclub.com)](http://ocantiqueautoclub.com/index.html)

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/4 "2024-04-09T21:31:35Z")

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The first step is to determine if the cranks-but-doesn’t-start is fuel or spark. If your mechanic starts by making a guess, find another mechanic.

If your engine uses the Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system, pretty good chance this is a fuel problem, likely the fuel pump has failed.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/5 "2024-04-09T21:32:15Z")

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This one’s not close, but works on old MBs:  
[Contact our Shop in New Canaan, CT Today At (203) 966-2681 or Online (ncforeigncar.com)](https://www.ncforeigncar.com/contact)

Have you joined online MB forums?

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1971-mercedes-benz-280sl-cranks-but-wont-fire/194686/6 "2024-04-10T01:36:52Z")

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I think this car is so old, that it probably predates K-Jetronic