Hello,

This is my first post and need a little help trying to fix my parents car. The car is a 1988 240 DL with about 160,000 miles on it. My parents went to the store and came back to their car couldn't get the car to start in which it towed back to their house. I checked it out and finallygot it to start after mutiple attempts with hold my foot on the gas, but it would die during idle unless I kept myfoot on the gas to keep it revving.

A little history about the car, the fuel relay was changed not to long ago. The air mass relay was also changed. The car would not even start when the air mass relay went out, but when changedwith another used one the car ranfine. Could it be the fuel pump? Can a fuel pump semi work not providing enough fuel? Or maybe distributor? I have basic diagnostic skills not surewhat to check and how to check. I most likelycan fixanything on the car if I know the problem. Ifanyone can help I would most appreciate it.

 

Sounds like the classic syptoms of a bad MAF or a huge vac leak. Replacing relays is a good start. But check the actual MAF sensor too, clean it up a bit.

 

For a cold start, where you have to put your foot on the gas all the time, it could be the cold start injector and/or thermo time switch. But, if the engine is warm and you still have to put the foot on the gas . . . I don't know.