I have put several 100 miles on the replacement motor and its running great but I have a small list to do before I take a long trip next week!

I loose the vacuum in the brakes which comes back 1-min after I start it but is usually gone the next time I get back in!
When I found the EGR vacuum all messed up I wasnt getting heater flaps and they have been fine since and are still working when the brakes are acting up.
I priced a check valve today @ $75.00 so i guess i need to make sure that's the problem!...any suggestions?

Also my cruise seems to have a gremilin!
Tried to engage it today and as before it just exceled but would not hold!
About 3 min later it just suddenly excellerated on its own...kinda freeked me out!.....it tried to keep up speed but did it in a sloppy way.....little too fast then a little too slow!
Tried it again on the way home and it was as before~ just excelling!
any ideas?

While I was at the dealer gettin my keys copied I asked about ATF and a guy standing there who works on em said mercon 3 or 4 by castrol will be right for the car?...just want to top it of before the trip.

Still have a "HUNTING" idle mut I noticed a few others have the same issue and have not read any ideas on a cause!

Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

cheers

AlanT
Mesa AZ
86 SDL

I would get a vacuum gauge and set it up on the main vacuum line. The system should develop sufficient vacuum to run the brakes within 15 seconds of starting the engine.......maybe less. The vacuum pump may be marginal or, you may still have a vacuum leak.

A classic sign of an amplifier on the way out. I've had the same issue with the '86 until it finally went altogether. The system consists of an amplifier and a servo. An old servo that draws too much current can toast the amplifier. The system is interrelated and a new amplifier might not be the only issue. The servo should be tested for proper function before changing the amplifier. I've still got to do this task on the '86 when it warms up a bit.

I think any Dexron III or better will be fine for the trans. Some folks have changed to synthetic and swear by it.

It's been observed to a greater or lesser extent on some of them. I don't think anyone has a handle on it.

I believe the servo in the SDL killed the amp. I have two extra servos but have no clue how to test the one in the vehicle currently and how/if I can test the others. CC would be nice in that vehicle.

Dex III is the Mercon, works mkay for me. Buy the cheapo stuff by the gallon is what I do.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

GDL has a procedure for testing the servos. I printed it out and can probably find it online on their site if you need it.

I don't know if my experience with an erratic cruise will apply to your situation...but who knows, and maybe it will help someone else.
I got into my speedo head to fix my slipping odometer (I found a fix if anyone is interested)...while relubing and adjusting everything in there, I inadvertently loosened the speedo damper so that every irregularity in the cable or gear in the tranny was displayed on the speedo.

So look to see if your speedo needle is rock solid or the amp will see erratic info. Could even be a speedo cable or tranny speedo gear problem.
Richard

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'83 300 TD..."Helga" Norse for holy... a liittle rust problem
'85 300 TD...A $200 rear-ended total..being transformed into a pick-up truck
'68 Ford Ranchero GT...a pick-up truck that Ford transformed from their wagon

Who/what is GDL? I could fix this today!

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Well, you probably won't fix it, but, you'll know a hell of a lot more than you do right now:

http://www.gdl-online.com/test023.html

But, you have to report back on what you did and the results.

I have to wake up a bit more before I can fully understand that page.

Still I lean toward the servo as I have a few extra amps here I've tried to no avail... maybe it'll only be the switch!

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

before you run the traps on the cruise, be sure to clean and re-lube all the little throttle knuckles/connectors....you might get lucky and just have a sticky linkage system. This may not help, but it one of those 800 little-bitty thinks that should be done anyway.

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Mark
1983 300TD Wagon
Even a broken watch is right twice a day

He doesn't have much of those on the 603. Much greater simplification of the cruise actuator/rack. In fact, the actuator is inline with the rack. You can't run the vehicle without the actuator in place.

Thanks, Brian, that is a REALLY helpful link...I can't tell you the time and trouble it saves in physically or with on ohm meter tracing inputs/outputs. I started once, and gave up

I would still like to find a schematic of the amp...and one for the tach amp that goes on the '83 W123's and some W126's.
Richard

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'83 300 TD..."Helga" Norse for holy... a liittle rust problem
'85 300 TD...A $200 rear-ended total..being transformed into a pick-up truck
'68 Ford Ranchero GT...a pick-up truck that Ford transformed from their wagon

That would be quite the find..........a full schematic of that amp. But, I'm sure it exists somewhere.

There was talk of reverse engineering that bloody thing. I put the longevity of VDO tach modules at 3 on a scale of 10
I purchased a new for my wife's '83 300D and it died about 5 years later. I stuffed something in the cap and it came back to normal only to poop out again later, now nothing will revive it, including Cramolin on the pins. Maybe it needs some voodoo at midnight?
If we had the schematic you can bet someone will soon start selling replacement modules made in USA
Maybe that's why VDO potted it with some space age material

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I don't know how they do it, but GDL has the facilities to completely test them and fix whatever is malfunctioning. I'm sure that they don't use more than $5.00 worth of parts to do it. Nice business if you can figure out the electronics of it.