Am I missing part of my car (1987 300D-T)? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jeremy5848 · #1 06-13-2008, 08:02 PM

I was exchanging private messages with another forum member (we were telling secrets about YOU) and the subject of the W124 "noise capsule" came up. He thought that there were three panels under the 1987 300D (W124, OM603), I thought there were only two panels. [He has a TD so maybe he is right.]

Anyway, I checked in the EPC and, although the underside has only two panels, the left and right sides of the engine also have panels, a total of four. I have only three! I don't have one on the left side of the engine (see photos). Am I missing a panel? Does anyone have a picture of this panel?

Jeremy

deanot442 · #2 06-13-2008, 08:31 PM

nope yours looks ok to me. I dont have one to compare any more but i dont recall one being there.

sixto · #3 06-13-2008, 10:16 PM

Isn't that just a heat shield between the turbo and the air cleaner.

I thought the left and right encapsulation panels were those plastic things just ahead and inboard of the front wheels that have thermally controlled louvers.

Sixto
87 300D

Jeremy5848 · #4 06-13-2008, 10:58 PM

The EPC (see attached picture) shows four "antinoise capsule" parts. A quantity of "1" is shown for each one.

Item 5 124 520 27 24 Side Part, Left

Item 11 124 520 07 24 Side Part, Right

Item 35 124 520 34 24 Rear

Item 41 124 520 50 23 Rear

I agree that the one on the right side acts as a heat shield in addition to anything else it might do.

Or are the parts 5 and 11 in the diagram simply the things that have "thermally controlled louvers" and are located lower down?

Jeremy

babymog · #5 06-13-2008, 11:03 PM

Yes, they are locaed below the body steel at either side of the engine compartment.

sixto · #6 06-13-2008, 11:27 PM

The vertical line between #11 and #41 suggests a tab in #11 slots into #41. That disqualifies #11 as the heat shield by the air cleaner. Of course we know what those drawings are worth.

Sixto
87 300D

MBeige · #7 06-13-2008, 11:45 PM

If the lower panels attach to the side panels, but the lower panels are under the car, then the side panels should be around the frame rails of the car, beside the engine, sort of like a shroud, and not a divider, in the engine bay. That's how I see the diagram, even if it looks like it's supposed to sit high up.

babymog · #8 06-14-2008, 11:30 AM

Realize that the drawing is not to scale, the panels are much smaller than the drawing indicates, and lower. The aluminum heat shield next to the air filter is not shown in this drawing.

If you need the lower plastic side panels with the louvers, I might have a set, although I remember the insulation being marginal.

Jeremy5848 · #9 06-15-2008, 12:10 AM

Thanks to all of you who helped, I have finally figured this thing out. I crawled under the front of the car this evening and found the so-called "panels." The one on the driver's (left) side, low down and just at the front of the front wheel, has a set of thermostatically-controlled louvers. The thermostat is in between the a/c compressor and the left wheelwell, in the airstream from the radiator. I put a heat gun on the thermostat, got it to open, took pictures. The focus is not too good as it was almost dark and the camera didn't do a very good job or maybe I forgot to set it on "close-up." Next time I drive the car on a hot day, I'll look to see if the louvers are working. I'm amazed they survived this long.

Jeremy

MBeige · #10 06-15-2008, 12:59 AM

Dang, that's sweet. Never thought MB would design something like that. Truly that's proof of overengineering! Amazing....

dieseldiehard · #11 06-15-2008, 12:33 PM

1986 marked the beginning of MB using underbody covers to reduce wind drag and catch fluids that drip. Also tools, etc. that fall out of the hands of mechanics and then they can be a curse because the tools tend to roll under somewhere out of sight

They also help keep out squirrels and other varmints that have been known to nest in an engine compartment

This is a timely subject, I just saw this thread and I am getting new panels, well, its a long story, but basically my blue '87 300D had the covers / panels. Two years ago my mechanic friend helped me get the engine running (see thread about my $475 blue bomb, aka mechanics lien sale) but he set them aside and a clean-up guy threw them out

but I forgot all that

while I was on meds or something (foot problem) then last week my friend helped me replace the springs and struts. At some point when I was talking with him I thought it was the car with the covers (my other '87 still has its covers) and I suggested his friend may have thrown them away while the car was in his shop a few weeks so the next day he says he went and ordered new covers but then I recalled that there weren't any on that car

(I've either too many cars or too little brains?) so I am making amends and paying for them

Now I need the kit of screws that hold them on, first thing tomorrow I guess I stop by the dealer and look over their EPS. I've seen the call out before - its available as a kit. MB uses long sheet metal screws with captive fender washers, unlike anything you will find at the hardware store.
I guess I should take some pics and post here as I go. those drawings are hardly representative of what the covers are really like.
I also have wanted to cut open a hole around the drain plug to facilitate draining the oil in case my Topsider stops working

Jeremy5848 · #12 06-15-2008, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieseldiehard

. . . Now I need the kit of screws that hold them on, first thing tomorrow I guess I stop by the dealer and look over their EPS. I've seen the call out before - its available as a kit. MB uses long sheet metal screws with captive fender washers, unlike anything you will find at the hardware store. . .

Here are pictures of one of the screws. They are all alike for both under-panels, seem to have been originally painted black, and take an 8mm socket. You could probably put something together with 3/4 inch #10 Phillips-head sheet metal screws and fender washers if the M-B kit turns out to be $50 or whatever.

Sorry for the marginal photos, my wife has the good camera.

Jeremy