Iconic 2.3-16 Cosworth Engine with 5-speed Dogleg Transmission, Original Paint

1986 Mercedes-Benz 190-Series

Tastefully modified 2.3-16 that 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 handles like a modern sports car and drives like the classic that it is.

It has developed an intermittent erratic idle, where revs will jump from 900 rpm 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 coming to a stop and idling the revs become inconsistent. I have a video of this available upon request.

The body of this car is clean and rust-free. The unrestored smoke-silver paint is in fair condition, and none of the clear coat has begun to peel. Some areas on the roof have begun to blemish. There is a small dent in the driver's-side rear door, and another small dent in the passenger-side front door.

The subframe and suspension components are in great shape. The dashboard does not have a single crack or blemish. ThisW201 has been recently modified with Koni sport springs, H&R sport shocks, Strömung exhaust, Compomotive TH 1781 motorsport 17” black wheels, Pirelli P-Zero Nero Tires (205/40 ZR 17), Recaro Pole Position seats (and Recaro mounting brackets), Momo steering wheel (with quick release), K&N air and oil filters, and various other small upgrades. The exhaust is shown with a straight pipe attached but I still have the catalytic converter and that will be included in the sale.

Since this car was being developed for spirited driving, the stock seats (which were in rough shape)have been removed (I no longer have the stock seats—either front or back; they were not in good enough condition to save). Also removed for weight saving and performance reasons are the carpets, soundproofing, windshield wiper reservoir(included in the sale of the car), the AC compressor and lines, power antenna, speakers and radio, and the self-leveling suspension components (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, accessory belt, 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.

Performed 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.

Currently running 15W-50Redline Racing Oil. Flushed and replaced transmission and differential oil in 2021 (less than 1,000 miles ago). Transmission oil is 75W-90 Motul Motylgear. Differential oil is 75W-90 Lucas Oure Synthetic Gear Oil 10047-1. Maintenance and care have been prioritized over my ownership. Garage kept.

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

• Make: Mercedes-Benz
• Model: 190-Series
• Type: Sedan
• Doors: 4
• Year: 1986
• Mileage: 150000
• VIN: WDBDA34D9GF164723
• Color: Silver
• Engine size: 2.3 Liter, 16 Valve, Inline 4-cylinder
• Number of cylinders: 4
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: RWD
• Interior color: Black
• Drive side: Left-Hand Drive
• Vehicle Title: Clean
Want to buy? Contact seller!