i already own and drive 280SE Coupes for 30 years, and the only serious problem I had with them was fuel supply, specifically the fuel delivery pump.
Mercedes replaced the original tall dry motor pump with a shorter type , claiming that it was an improvement. I claim that this was just a recall, and they were forced to improve the tall pump after numerous vapour lock claims. I actually had this problem with three different cars, and it always turned out that the old
original tall pump with still installed. The new design short pump has a bypass connecting back to the return line and to the tank. This gets the developing bubbles in the fuel out of the impeller chamber, so it does not "lock" the flow of the fuel to the injection pump. Vapour lock develops on higher elevations, warm weather and low fuel level in the tank, this all when accelerating fast for passing or sporty driving.
I recently bought a 230SL 1966 with a 280SL engine. When checking the car I noticed that the old tall fuel pump was still in, and the previous owner
drove the car 500km/year around town and very slow, so never noticed problems. I do not have the car yet at home, but what is the experience with 280SL's
and old type fuel pumps? I was curious if I have to buy another pump (very expensive)because the position of the gastank and fuel line length tank/pump also influences the development of vapour lock. The set up for this in the SL's is different from the Coupes.
