Ginny's Road Trip, need go between - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rs899 · #16 02-13-2008, 09:06 AM

You wanted an adventure...

Do you have any spare glow plugs? Did you check the plug with a multi meter? I know Autozone used to carry the Bosch ones for $11, but that was a couple of years ago.

imagesinthewind · #17 02-13-2008, 10:08 AM

She started this morning. Didn't want to but finally did.
Now she's idling and I'm hoping for heat of some kind. I'll try the cardboard trick if the car doesn't seem to warm up. I may also try the monovalve and hope that there is a tstat in the car. A lot of hoping today.
I'm told the hwy is good, no ice. Looking at weather in the different cities we'll go through along the way. It's 40 at home right now.

bustedbenz · #18 02-13-2008, 10:13 AM

Good luck again!

I would be hesitant to attempt a thermostat replacement on the road. Two main reasons, the first being that breaking off bolts on a major repair would be nasty unless you were at home where you had time to work on it - and also, thermostat changes are a little fun when you can't get the system to bleed immediately... if you get air stuck in the cooling system it may take longer than you like to think fooling with the thing trying to get it working properly... and you risk an overheat in the meantime.

More power to you if you do decide to try it - but I'd shiver and drive home before I'd crack the cooling system open on the road. Just my $.02

kerry · #19 02-13-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagesinthewind

She started this morning. Didn't want to but finally did.
Now she's idling and I'm hoping for heat of some kind. I'll try the cardboard trick if the car doesn't seem to warm up. I may also try the monovalve and hope that there is a tstat in the car. A lot of hoping today.
I'm told the hwy is good, no ice. Looking at weather in the different cities we'll go through along the way. It's 40 at home right now.

Unplug that monovalve right away. The worst that will do is give you full heat but I doubt that's a problem. Even with the cardboard, if the monovalve is malfunctioning you won't get heat.
Look carefully at the weather. There's a storm a brewing in Colorado and for the plains, coming in tonight. Looks like their not really certain how far north it will go, but it looked from the weather picture that it could easily hit I-70.

jcyuhn · #20 02-13-2008, 12:27 PM

Unplugging the monovalve probably won't help. Typical failure on a 123 is a pinhole leak in the rubber diaphragm. The top portion of the monovalve slowly fills with coolant. With incompressible liquid filling the top, the valve cannot move to open, hence no heat. Normally with this problem you get some heat following a cold start, but it fades away over the next few minutes. Good news is it's an easy fix. Don't know parts cost, I sold my 123 10 years ago.

I think every used diesel I have purchased came with a thermostat that only brought the engine up to 60C. It must be a standard Behr feature!

- JimY

jkoebel · #21 02-13-2008, 12:43 PM

Orlando, eh? Several of us live down here :p TheDon and myself and probably about 30 others.

We should have some sort of car meet.

chasinthesun · #22 02-13-2008, 05:38 PM

If your putting miles on the old girl ,keep her speed down ,I ran into driveshaft issues when hitting higher speeds trying to get somewere,just wasnt worth it .Im sure your still wishing you could of keep more south ,an old trucker gave me that advice on a long haul one year,it was about the same time of year your tracking it home.Good luck ,hope you make it home safe and sound.

imagesinthewind · #23 02-13-2008, 08:33 PM

Update:

Well.
I asked for an adventure. Be careful what you wish for. For you may surely get it.

Got to east Kansas City. Had heat galore with the cardboard trick. Unplugged the monovalve and my daughter was complaining about the heat. But since I had cardboard against the radiator, we just opened the sunroof when she got too hot. Poor thing.
So the heat issue is fixed for now.

We were going along about 10 miles from the border to Kansas and we hear a sound and it's not a good sound. It's a brushing sound with a beat. Shh Shh Shh Shh. Sound is constant with no beat under 30 mph. Once I go faster the sound catches a beat and goes faster with the car speed. Doesn't get louder or softer with speed.
I pull off at a Walgreens (figure I'll need to wash me hands after) and check under the hood. Found a something that looks to have come loose and put that back together thinking 'I'm the man! I need no one!''.
Get back in the car and as soon as I hit the street the sound is back. I get on the hwy and it's just the same as before. Guess I NOT the man. . .
I pull of again at the next exit which has a Denny's and a hotel. I'm thinking long term.
I call John49 and we talk about what the causes might be including maybe something has gotten picked up under the car and I'm dragging something or it's up under and on a pulley or belt.
I looked briefly under for anything hanging and found nothing that sticks out.
I do have a hell of an oil leak and it looks like fuel leaks at all each injector.
I'll look again in the morning with more light and I'll see if there's an indy in the area that could take a look if I can't diagnose.
Just to be clear there is no metallic sound at all. If you know what a horsehair brush is for brushing your hair, take two of these and brush them together. That's the exact sound. No clunking, no squeaking, no clattering, no pinging. Just brushing.

On a side note, I feel really stupid.
What made me think I could do this?
I have brought my teen daughter across the country hoping, not knowing, I'd get home okay.
Why did I trust the universe this much?
I'm not doing well.

I'm going to go take a shower and hope (there I go again) that one of you has had this happen, that it was something really simple and I can be on my way again, happy, in the morning.
Thanks. . .

kerry · #24 02-13-2008, 08:37 PM

What part of the car is it coming from? If it's coming from the center of the car, it could be a disintegrating flex disk with a piece of fabric flying around and hitting the driveshaft tunnel.

Where's the oil leak? Injector return line leaks are not a big deal.

imagesinthewind · #25 02-13-2008, 09:16 PM

Yeah, it seems to be coming from the center, like behind and under the center well. behind the climate controls.

Sounds expensive, your could be. . .
Oh and the oil leak seems to be everywhere. The whole bottom of the car is think with it. Will check level again tomorrow, I did today and it was fine.

Jkid · #26 02-13-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imagesinthewind

Sounds expensive, your could be. . .
Oh and the oil leak seems to be everywhere. The whole bottom of the car is think with it. Will check level again tomorrow, I did today and it was fine.

I was thinking flex disk when I read that. It is not an expensive fix, I'm not sure about getting part on short notice though. If you can see the driveshaft going to the rear axle, the disk is maybe 5" in diameter (round) by 3/4" thick black rubber and located at the end of the driveshaft. See if you can check to see if it's intact. As for the oil leak, just keep it topped off, it sounds like you're almost there. It won't let you down.

JimmyL · #27 02-13-2008, 10:03 PM

Sounds like the driveshaft area needs to be looked at. Best case scenario maybe something is wrapped around it. Is your speedometer still working? I'm guessing it is or you would have mentioned it, but was just thinking about the speedo cable.
It is an adventure when things are going reasonably well.
It is a cluster-effff when things aren't.......

Will keep checking in.

Jkid · #28 02-13-2008, 10:12 PM

It sounds like things are going reasonably well for such an adventure. Adventures are supposed to have some elements of stress. You should have all of the problems with the car figured out by the time you get home.

Chad300tdt · #29 02-13-2008, 10:13 PM

If the flex discs look worn or are disintegrating, I wouldn't drive it until they are replaced. I've read stories on this forum of the damage that happens when they finally let loose.

Good luck.

imagesinthewind · #30 02-13-2008, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkid

It sounds like things are going reasonably well for such an adventure. Adventures are supposed to have some elements of stress. You should have all of the problems with the car figured out by the time you get home.

Yep, so far it needs brakes, heat (water pump and/or monovalve and/or tstat), may need tie rods (slight play in steering but car doesn't wander), odo work, braided fuel lines replaced, oil leak found and fixed.. .

Anyone know any indie mechs in the east KC area??