A new 300TD - but what year? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pizzachef · #16 01-21-2009, 01:38 PM

You don't have a squirter above the rear window? So you have a button on the dash but no squirter? The reservoir is way down, you open the access door, and its at the bottom of the car, kind of tucked under the floor, close to the rear of the car.

Wow, a real euro...metric speedo and everything...sheesh, I guess I should have realized that since you're in Finland

My euro was US-ified on the way over, so I got US headlights and speedo, etc. But I don't have a tach, I guess the clock-only gauge is standard on the euro models.

Johtotahti · #17 01-21-2009, 02:30 PM

Thanks Pizzachef,
I went and took another look, and found the pump on the bottom of that bin (wrapped in plastic and duct tape

). Obviously someone's been there before "working" on things. I need to sort the wires out one of these days and also get the reservoir from someplace as it is not there... But that is a job for next summer.

Interesting what you said about the tach on euro wagons - maybe it really did come from the factory without one. Maybe this car is an -84, but why the blue vacuum amplifier? Perhaps the euros got them a bit earlier...

Noticed that you don't happen to have any pics of your wagon in gallery. Did you bring it to US yourself?

winmutt · #18 01-21-2009, 04:00 PM

Are those hubcaps?

Jeremy5848 · #19 01-21-2009, 04:15 PM

The blue vacuum amplifier may have been added in late 1984 models, especially those sold into the European market. Manufacturers often make changes to vehicles sold into the "home" market since those cars remain close to the factory so they can keep better track of problems and market acceptance. A car's model year designation is often not the same as the year in which it was built – for example, my '85 300D-T was built in October 1984.

The lack of a tach may be part of the de-option package but I wonder if it simply came from an older model, installed by a previous owner after something in the original failed? I do not see Mercedes installing the tach pickup but not the tach. The lack of the door in the passenger kick panel is because the EGR computer and OVP relay in the 1984 model year were only for the USA market.

Jeremy

Jeremy5848 · #20 01-21-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

It's an electronic device and it needs an electronic signal.........found on the W-126..........but not the W-123.

There is also a mechanical gadget with gears inside that you can buy to adapt different mechanical speedometers. Various gear ratios can be purchased to adapt up or down as needed. The gadgets attach to the speedo cable, usually at the tailshaft.

pizzachef · #21 01-21-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johtotahti

Did you bring it to US yourself?

I wish

I just got it a little over two years ago.

I sure don't have any pictures of it in the gallery...I've slacked on getting pictures put up. I'll work on that.

If you have trouble finding a washer reservoir, I'm pretty sure I have an extra one. But you'd probably rather find one a little more locally. Still, if you can't find one, let me know.

Bio300TDTdriver · #22 01-21-2009, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Where is the sensor that measures speed on these cars? I just assumed it was somewhere close to the wheels, but it sounds like that's not the case if a rear end change could affect the speedometer reading.

On the 124 wagons it comes from the rear differential. Not sure if that's the case with the 123, but it could be.

JimmyL · #23 01-22-2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

I do not see Mercedes installing the tach pickup but not the tach.

Jeremy

That is how '81 wagons came from the factory. Smash has a tach pickup up front and wiring to the connector for the tach relay. But they didn't come with a tach. But the '81 wagon is a transition year car and has several weird anomaly's. Like an SD style electronic speedo.......

At least they got the turbo. [just not the rogue T]

vstech · #24 01-22-2009, 09:25 AM

my euro td has no tach, it does have the tach attachment, but as it's an 85, it does not have the trash can... I do not know if the bellhousing tach pickup is there or not. not gotten that far into the car yet. I'll keep you posted as I get further into the car.. still gotta get a new head on there.

kerry · #25 01-22-2009, 09:52 AM

I don't see any evidence of SLS. Is that correct?
What's that doohickey down near the passenger's feet mounted on the side kick panel?

Johtotahti · #26 01-22-2009, 03:53 PM

Pizzachef: I think there is a wagon at this pick-n-pull nearby... I'll go and see but might pm you about the reservoir. thanks.

Winmutt: Yep, they are some cheap/silly aftermarket hubcaps with Benz stickers on them. Working on getting some wine red Benz hubcaps.

Kerry: Got self levelling system, but the angle of the pic is just bad... That doohickey is part of the Defa block heater set up - it is the hook-up for the interior heater (to blow hot air in the cabin to clear the windows). The same unit also has a battery tender built into it... and it does heat the block

Johtotahti · #27 01-22-2009, 03:58 PM

So I took yet another look under the hood and now I am starting to think that the blue VA has been added later. So assuming the car is 1984, the rear diff (originally) was a 3.07. Which brings me back to my original puzzle - why is the speedo showing the incorrect speed? The attached rear differential listing doesn't help me (if the rear was changed to next W123 differential, the 3.46, the difference in ratios would be 1.127 (or 0.88) which is too much for error in speed).

Question: There is a 3.27 rear available in the W116 cars. Can anybody tell me if that would fit directly in the W123? (Using the axels from W123)? Knowing that the 3.07s are not all that common here maybe somebody in the past was forced to install one of those... (a shot in the dark, of course...but?)

Or... Maybe the tranny was changed and somebody didn't swap out the speedo drive (out of carelessness?!?) Now - a tranny swap might also explain the addition of the vacuum amplifier.

A bit at loss here...

It is not that this is a huge deal. Would be just nice to figure this out. (Maybe the only way to really know is to try to count the revolutions and go from there...)

kerry · #28 01-22-2009, 04:22 PM

Whenever I pass a roadside speed reader, I notice my speedometer is also reading low. (85TD) Just view it as a built in ticket avoidance mechanism courtesy of MB.

Johtotahti · #29 01-22-2009, 04:44 PM

Yep, that's right - less prone for tickets is a beautiful thing. On the other hand, if it was showing less than the real speed would be great to say "look honey, I am only doing 55!"

Well, in the end it is not a huge deal... but bugs me nevertheless and I'll figure it out. My SD shows the speed exactly.