1986 Mercedes-Benz 190e 2.3-16, 5-speed manual gearbox, track-prepped project

1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E E 2.3-16

This tastefully modified 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 is stripped of frills and is well on its way to being the ultimate canyon-carving, racetrack-shredding, daily driving machine.

This car has the iconic Cosworth 2.3-liter, 16-valve, inline-four-cylinder engine and dogleg five-speed manual transmission. The car runs strong, accelerates quickly and smoothly, and stops on a dime. It’s handling is tight and precise. Performed a compression test on January 5, 2024, and confirmed that each of the four cylinders has full compression. That test showed the following healthy compression figures: Cylinder 1—150 PSI; Cylinder 2—153 PSI;Cylinder 3—160 PSI; Cylinder 4—160 PSI.
It has developed an intermittent unsteady idle, where revs will jump from 900rpm to around 3,000 rpm, hold, then drop back down. The issue presents itself most commonly after warm starts, or after twenty or so minutes of driving.Under throttle no fuel-air delivery issues are present (no throttle surge). But after the engine is warm, sometimes the revs become inconsistent after stopping and idling. I have a video of this available upon request.

The unrestored smoke-silver paint is in fair condition, and none of the clear coat has begun to peel. The body is entirely rust free.The subframe and suspension components are in great shape. The dashboard does not have a single crack or blemish. This W201 has been modified with Koni sport shocks, H&Rsport springs, new Strömung exhaust system, Compomotive TH 1781motorsport 17”black wheels, Pirelli P-Zero Nero Tires (205/40 ZR 17), Recaro Pole Position seats (and Recaro fixed mounting brackets), Momo steering wheel (with quick release), K&N air and oil filters, and various other small upgrades.

Since this car was being developed for spirited driving, the stock seats (which were in rough shape) have been removed (I no longer have them). Also removed for weight saving and performance reasons are the carpets, sound proofing, windshield wiper reservoir (included in the sale), the AC compressor and lines, power antenna, speakers and radio, and the self-leveling suspension components(which were removed by the previous owner). The previous owner also tinted the windows, added carbon fiber decals to the interior, and converted many of the vehicle’s bulbs to LED.

In an attempt to remedy the vehicle’s idle issues, the Bosch K-Jetronic CIS system was sent to Texas for a professional rebuild by Bosch. Other parts replaced in an attempt to get it idling smooth include the fuel pump, fuel accumulator, fuel filter, fuel pump relay switch, potentiometer, ignition coil, and many vacuum hoses. Other recently replaced parts include the main fan, fan clutch relay, coolant sensors, oxygen sensor, and ignition switch. The previous owner told me that the engine’s top end was recently refreshed, including a new head gasket, head polishing, valve seating, and timing chain. I have maintenance, service, and parts records throughout my time of ownership, which was about five years.

Currently running 15W-50 Redline Racing Oil. Flushed and replaced transmission and differential oil in 2021, approximately 2,000 miles ago. Maintenance and care have been prioritized over my ownership. Garage kept.

I have more pictures of the car and videos of a cold start, idle, and running available upon request.