Had this typed out once and post disappeared while uploading pics

Had some AC vacuum issues to deal with, had Thursday and Friday off, so it seemed like the thing to do.
I started by cleaning and straightening the garage (obsessive compulsive thing ). I had the drivers seat out already (huge 4" puddle in rear floor after last rain). I removed the center console, which isn't that fun. Then I just removed the dash as per the instructions in volume 2 of the chassis manual (I still need vol. 1 ) It came out fairly easily, except I forgot to unplug the cabin sensor. Just pulled the connector apart.
I found 2 vac pods that were bad: the one for the center vents, and the one that opens the trap door over the blower fan (whatever that's called). I replaced the rubber bladders in them and reassembled the pods.
Now, getting it back in is harder than taking it out, I promise you, but after you get frustrated, walk away, calm down, then come back it finally went back in. The hard part is getting the lip of dash under windshield rubber. Start at drivers corner and just systematically mash it down under working your way to the right.
A couple of suggestions:
Start with a Vicodin
Do a better job of labeling what hardware you remove from where
The whole process only took about 3-5 hours, but I piddle and clean and just generally clean some more. It's a character flaw.......

Don't fear this, it wasn't bad!

Pics to follow.....

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Where do you get the replacement rubber bladders?

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If it isn't old. It isn't worth beans!

85 300d 365,000mi war wagon
84 300sd parts doner, many parts for sale
90 Nissan Pathfinder 250,000+mi work horse

I got mine from my parts car, but I am going to order some new ones, and this place so far is all I have found doing searches in the archives:

http://www.autoluxmbz.com/ACDI.html

I hated going through all that work and putting in used bladders, but it was short notice. Hopefully they will last for awhile.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

You are a better man than I Jimmy. That looks like quite a job to do. I may actually get to learn that job....on my 126! Suspect I have the leaky evaporator problem in my AC. Ouch! Would it have been easier if you took off the steering wheel, or does it not really get in the way?

Wow, your getting down where the sun don't shine!

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Wow. I AM impressed! I hope I never get that intimate with my car.

Very helpful indeed... and you're right, getting it back in is harder than removing it...I did it on 2 different occasions before and it was a headache at first. Good adivce to "label" or "mark" everything that was unbolted, unplugged, removed, and/or detached... it will help come installation time again!

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

That and a tallboy is the way my Dad starts a lot of projects.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Very impressive...supposed to be the most horrible job on these cars. I tested and repaired my leaky pods without removing the dash, and it was still from h....

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86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

On the 123 chassis, it's not that bad of a job. I just did the evaporator on my 300D (123.133). Take your time, have pa and I will finish this later, just got called out.

OK, now I can finish. Removing the evaporator case on the 123 chassis is not a bad job, as stated above, take your time, have paitence and mark where everything goes. Once the dash and center console are out...............
The switchover valve block wiring harness is usually marked from the factory, 1,2,3,4,5. Starting from the left with 1 then 2 etc.
The only vacuum line to disconnect is the green line, this is your main vacuum line.
Make sure you drain all the coolant, disconnect the heater hoses and lower heater ducts (floor ducts).
There are three or four nuts attached to hangers above the evaporator case, remove these and the entire assembly will lift out.
I am going to work on a fresh air filter, the intake is located under the wiper motor. Somewhere in this forum there is a procedure listed how to remove the cowl grilles and cover so I will not go into it here. I think the procedure also discussed the same idea, the possibliity of adding a fresh air filter. Alan

First off, yes it does get in the way. Would it make it easier? Yes. Is it worth the trouble to pull the wheel? Not really. The turn signal/cruise lever gets in the way alot more, and I took the screws out of mine but didn't have enough slack in wiring to pull it out.
In the end, none of that gets in the way of the final placement of the dash. You still have to just wedge it up there then systematically tuck the lip under windshield rubber.
Now, it looks like pulling the entire evap assy might be the thing to fear!
Wish I would have stuck my arm and a vac hose down into evap housing and done some cleaning of it. Whoops......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I know you're out of the Benz biz, but do you still have that? Mine have been loaned too many iterations to be retrieved.

We miss you, BTW.....!

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Anthracite 1980 300D -- 64k original miles with a new engine, on the road again!
Silver 300D -- second owner, Sunny's old baby, Ilse, 210 miles,
Having to thin the herd….
Silver 1983 300SD -- second owner, 325k miles
Gold 1981 300D -- well-traveled, solid little car
Beige 1984 300D -- 292k miles, grease machine, parting out
Seafoam green 1981 300SD -- 250k, windshield frame damage
too many assorted w123 & w126 cars, parts cars, and extras

Now try it on a W116--probably the trickiest dash of vintage Mercedes. The factory service manual actually states to remove the windshield because the fit is so tight that the windshield seal gets in the way and then you risk tearing the dashboard--plus that defroster vent always seems to break.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles