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lukasraven17

CLK cold start problems

My 2003 Mercedes CLK with a gasoline engine is exhibiting poor running characteristics during cold starts at 169528 km The engine is difficult to start I suspect the cold start injector is at fault What insights can you offer before I commit to an expensive repair My preliminary estimate is 515€

4 comment(s)

svensilver1

Hard starting on a CLK eh Sounds familiar I had similar symptoms with mine Rough running when cold difficult to fire up first thing Have you considered getting the fuel injection system checked Could be a blockage or a faulty injector Try an injector test Are you familiar with how fuel injection works Basically fuel is sprayed into the engine cylinders under pressure If an injector is clogged or not spraying correctly you'll get poor combustion especially when the engine is cold It's worth looking into before you start replacing parts A faulty fuel rail pressure regulator can also cause hard starting

lukasraven17 (Author)

Thank you for the swift response Could you elaborate on the injector test procedure you mentioned I am familiar with the principles of fuel injection but less so with diagnostic procedures And if the injector is faulty is injector cleaning a viable option or is replacement generally recommended

svensilver1

Sure thing An injector test usually involves checking the spray pattern and fuel volume delivered by each injector A mechanic will use specialized equipment to do this either on or off the vehicle They might also check the electrical resistance of the injectors As for cleaning vs replacement it depends on the severity of the issue Sometimes injector cleaning can restore proper function especially if the problem is just a buildup of deposits However if the injector is internally damaged or malfunctioning replacement is usually the best option for a reliable fix Given the symptoms and your initial thoughts I would advise visiting a workshop It will be faster

lukasraven17 (Author)

I appreciate the detailed explanation I shall arrange for a professional diagnosis specifically requesting the injector test procedure you described Based on the results I will determine whether injector cleaning or replacement is the more appropriate course of action Thank you again for your assistance After diagnosis it turned out to be a defective injector

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