swapping temp/oil/fuel gauge
 

Couldn`t find anything in the search.

I have a gauge cluster that reads in ferinheit and oil pressure in lbs.
will it work in my 85 300D instrument panel and work properly?

when I see the temp at 80, it doesn`t mean much to me except that is where it hangs out. but I see 175, 200 deg etc... I understand exactly what that means. same with oil pressure, don`t get the bar thing.

so has any one done this swap?
This came out of a 80 300D at the local P N P.

Charlie

the basic package is the same, but with that many years different you might run into some minor wiring differences. but if you just switch the individual guages you probably will be fine. the cost of the whole panel may be low enough to experiment and ifyou find it won't work you arent out much.


Tom W

The oil pressure gauge should work since it reads directly off of oil pressure at the oil filter housing. Check the P/N of the coolant temp sender for the 2 model years. If they are the same, it should work fine. If P/N's are different, it may till work, i.e. different physical dimensions but same resistance/temp curve.

Since the calibration scale is in different units, I'd be surprised if the P/N was the same.

Physically, the cluster is the same for both scales, try a plug and play and see if the new one works. The decorative little circles in the center of the gage change from silver to black on the late W123s, though.

Jim

I said p/n of the senders. NOT THE GAUGE!:confused:

Maybe you could find an oil pressure gauge in lbs too:rolleyes:

Wouldn't it be easier to spend 2 minutes memorizing the conversions????

Why "mess" up a nice dash? all gauges are mere pointers anyway. only the oil pressure gauge is really showing pressure, and it's so undersized, that it's always pegged. why bother? electronic gauges are all pretty much the same, just memorize "where" they normally sit, and if something changes, assume the wiring or the senders failed, and check out the motor.
I find it kinda cool that I drive a car with metric vitals.

it will work.

After my first MB had its Farenheit and PSI gauge, all my others have had them in Celsius and bar. bar is simple- 1bar is equal to ~14-15psi (14.7psi? I think)so the increment markings, 1,2,3bar are practically 15,30,45psi. the temp markings arent that much different either. your thermostat should have 87C marked on it or so, thats where your temp should sit when warmed up.

An 85 will look very silly with the older gauge (due to the chrome dot and the incorrect units), but it will probably work. AFAIK, the round plug is the same for all of them.

It's pretty easy to understand the units;

80C = good, 120C = bad

Oil pressure not pegged at >1500 rpm = bad.

Oil pressure <1 bar at idle = bad. ;)

Thank You to all for the replys.

I don`t plan on going to any concourse type car shows, so not too worried about the silly looks of the gauge. and I have some flat black paint for the silver dot thing in the middle to match the other gauges.

AS far as memorizing the conversion system, Iam too old to learn new tricks. or too stuborn.:P

As soon as I get off my butt and get the painting done under the hood, I`ll drop the engine in towards the end of the week. after I get everything hooked up and engine started, hopefully oil pressire etc... and everyting works, I`ll swap in this gauge.

I have seen these gauges for a long time and always wondered why they were not placed into the U.S. versions. I know probably additional production cost. but then left and right hand cars are produced for the different nations.

I`ll keep you posted, stand by for the next thrilling adventure.

Charlie

Allot of folks here appreciate the "Germanness" of these cars, what your saying is kind of like going too another country and getting up set because nobody speaks English,
These are German cars:D

Yeah but in 79 (and before?), Mercedes cars imported into the US came with English gauges. I am not sure when it changed to Metric but I am surprised that the DOT allowed it.

You are correct, the early W123s had english gauges for some strange reason. I don't see why the U.S. DOT would car about the units on the oil pressure or temperature instruments, at the time most domestic cars just had idiot lights.

Early imports notwithstanding, I love the "authenticity" of my metric gauges. I just look at where they sit. Temp + 120 = bad. Oil pressure 0 = bad. Fuel R = bad.