Starting the car from engine bay - is it possible?

[Micky]

Hi,

Just found your forum And have registerEd. Looks great.

I have a 91 500e that I brought over from Japan last year. It is actually a car first sold in Hamburg Germany and taken to Japan aged about 3. It is in great order. Can someone tell me please if I can start the vehicle from the engine compartment without accessing the boot where the battery is. Thank you.

 

[gsxr]

You can engage the starter from the engine compartment, using a remote switch wired to the appropriate connectors. This is shown in the FSM as part of the procedure for compression testing with the key/ignition off.

I am pretty sure you cannot start the engine from the engine compartment, because the ignition switch must be turned to the run position. I've never done it, but MAYBE the switch could be turned briefly to start (position 3) and then left in run (position 2), and maybe if the starter was engaged manually from the engine compartment the engine may re-start? Not sure though.

Might help if you explained what you are trying to accomplish?

BTW, welcome to the forum!

 

[gerryvz]

I don't know that you can start the engine from within the engine compartment with a V-8 model, but I've definitely done it with a simple piece of wire with the six-cylinder W124 models.

 

[gsxr]

See my post above, Gerry. Depends if you want to crank the engine, or actually start it up and have it running.

 

[RicardoD]

How about a photo of your car!

 

[Micky]

You can engage the starter from the engine compartment, using a remote switch wired to the appropriate connectors. This is shown in the FSM as part of the procedure for compression testing with the key/ignition off.

I am pretty sure you cannot start the engine from the engine compartment, because the ignition switch must be turned to the run position. I've never done it, but MAYBE the switch could be turned briefly to start (position 3) and then left in run (position 2), and maybe if the starter was engaged manually from the engine compartment the engine may re-start? Not sure though.

Might help if you explained what you are trying to accomplish?

BTW, welcome to the forum!

Hi sorry I was not clear. I can open the car but the battery is flat and I can’t open the boot. Usually rear battery cars have a a connection in the engine to jump start the vehicle. Any thoughts? I can use the ignition key in the usual way.

thanks

 

[Micky]

95622[/ATTACH]780, member: 672"]

How about a photo of your car!
hTayy

 

[RicardoD]

94 model, silver, BBS wheels, super cool car

 

[gsxr]

Hi sorry I was not clear. I can open the car but the battery is flat and I can’t open the boot. Usually rear battery cars have a a connection in the engine to jump start the vehicle. Any thoughts? I can use the ignition key in the usual way.

I'm confused. You can unlock the boot with the metal key, to access the battery. Is the lock or latch broken?

 

[Micky]

Strangely the key which works for ignitions and doors will not open the boot. I have tried !

 

[TerryA]

Hi Mickey,

WELCOME ABOARD!!

Great looking car! Silver is one of my favorite colors on an E500E. I’ll leave the start problem to our technical wizards. With Dave / gsxr and GerryVS you have two of the best on top of it already.

With your terminology “boot” and that “Brown Stone” home in the background you must be in the UK. Where are you located?

Stick around, tell us about yourself. You obviously have good taste in cars.

 

[gerryvz]

If your trunk lock is not working by inserting the key, then I think you should have a locksmith open the boot with their methods. Once opened, I'd then tape the lock's latch so that it can't be closed/locked again. There's not enough battery power to unlock the trunk along with the doors?

One question: is the key you are using a "round head" key, or the "square head" key? The round head key (valet key) I believe will not unlock the trunk. The square head keys will unlock ALL locks on the car. If you don't have a square head key, then you should order a new key from MB.

I believe there is an existing ("remote") positive terminal under the hood (bonnet) that you can connect a battery to (either a booster/starter battery, or a spare main battery) to provide power to start the car.

Attached are a set of W124 keys. The square head key is the primary key that will unlock everything. The round-head key will unlock the doors and start the car, but will NOT access the compartment lock between the front seats, nor open the trunk.

 

[gerryvz]

Please see this thread:

Jump start under hood | Electrical, CAN and Wiring

Hey guys I got in a pickle here didn't start the 500e for over 3 months been sitting in a storage , heated storage , I don't know how old is the battery but it run out of power so today she. I wanted to start it it wouldn't start , but the problem I have as well is the key does not fifth the...

www.500eboard.co

 

[gerryvz]

I'm confused. You can unlock the boot with the metal key, to access the battery. Is the lock or latch broken?

I think he was saying that he CAN'T unlock the boot with the key.......

 

[gsxr]

I believe there is an existing ("remote") positive terminal under the hood (bonnet) that you can connect a battery to (either a booster/starter battery, or a spare main battery) to provide power to start the car.

I think he was saying that he CAN'T unlock the boot with the key.......

Right - got that now! Link you posted above should help. I'd attach a trickle charger to the terminals under the hood overnight, then unlock from a front door and hope the boot unlocks.

 

[gerryvz]

Or as @alabbasi said in the linked thread, one could connect a trickle charger through the cigarette lighter socket to charge things.

If it were me, I'd connect a trickle charger using ring terminals, to the terminal underhood over night. As you said.

I'm still wondering, though, if he has (or is using) the correct key.

 

[gsxr]

Or as @alabbasi said in the linked thread, one could connect a trickle charger through the cigarette lighter socket to charge things.

I forget if the cigarette lighter is active in ignition position 1 or not. If so this may work, if the load from other items activated in position 1 is lower than the output of the charger.

If the cigarette lighter is only active in ignition position 2, this will not work.

 

[alabbasi]

Or as @alabbasi said in the linked thread, one could connect a trickle charger through the cigarette lighter socket to charge things.

If it were me, I'd connect a trickle charger using ring terminals, to the terminal underhood over night. As you said.

I'm still wondering, though, if he has (or is using) the correct key.

Yep, the trickle charger might be a fused connection that will is only active with the ignition on. If so, it won't work.

 

[JC220]

I would go to the vacuum pump under the seat and jumper the simple connections to it with a power probe.

That will trigger the locking pump and the vacuum should open the boot lock for you If the locking system is in working order.

 

[JC220]

This is me testing my hoard pumps 7 pumps spare at last count

 

[gerryvz]

You have me beat -- I've only five (they are the same for the E500E and 560SEC) spares.

 

[alabbasi]

I'm not sure about the 500E, but on the 560's there are two wires that run across the firewall that can be jumped at the connector to start the car up. Be careful though, they bypass the neutral safety switch

 

[gerryvz]

I'm not sure about the 500E, but on the 560's there are two wires that run across the firewall that can be jumped at the connector to start the car up. Be careful though, they bypass the neutral safety switch

Yes, this is the same on the 6-cylinder W124s. I am not sure about the V-8 W124s, though.

 

[gsxr]

Yes, this is the same on the 6-cylinder W124s. I am not sure about the V-8 W124s, though.

It's documented in the FSM for both 4/5/6-cyl and V8 W124's how to manually engage the starter by applying +12v to the appropriate connector terminal, under the hood. The .034 and .036 are different from each other, and from the 4/5/6-cyl vehicles. Again, this is intended for compression testing.

The OP is trying to charge a dead battery without opening the boot lid, or finding a way to open the boot lid remotely due to the key not working. Totally different than what the thread title implies.

 

[alabbasi]

big starter motor cable should go straight to the battery

 

[gsxr]

big starter motor cable should go straight to the battery

Yes, and if you click Gerry's link in post #13, there's a photo showing where it's located.

 

[alabbasi]

Well....i posted to that thread too. I might be suffering from flopper memory loss too

 

[Micky]

Hi everyone. Thanks.

So last night I spent 30 minutes looking around the engine room for some form of battery terminal. I took off the rear seat (right) and found the vacuum pump. Also saw the main battery lead running through the space. I figured it probably came out in the engine room on the same side.

The battery is on the right of the car (the front passenger side). My main fuses in engine bay are on the driver’s side. There is no battery lead terminal in my fuse box or behind it as per pictures sent. I found a plastic box with a lid on the passenger side on the rear corner.

I removed the lid and there it was, the red cable terminal from the battery on a bar with several other linked cables. I keep an older style car charger, which is not a smart charger which do not work with completely flat batteries, which has smaller clips. I attached the charger with the black lead on an engine component. I left the charger on overnight and hey presto. Today we started up and went for a short drive.

Thanks guys. Back in action - felt good.

Speak soon.