I think I just got a pretty good deal. - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pwogaman · #46 02-07-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

The "124 Mercedes Bible" is in my opinion, full of errors.

However, it was optional in the 124 in 1991, I know this because I had one ordered in my '91 T124.

It was actually a dealer install option. That's what sold me on the idea of doing it myself. A list of the parts required to make the change is available at this link.

pwogaman · #47 03-07-2010, 10:54 PM

Well, so far my diagnosis has been pretty much on the money. I pulled the vacuum pump today and sure enough the roller bearings failed. Fortunately the injector pump pulley looks okay as the outer bearing race retainer took the brunt of the abuse. Unfortunately, however, there are now 12 ball bearings and one of the two inner races somewhere on the bottom of the oil pan. At least they are magnetic and I should be able to recover them either through the oil drain plug hole with a magnet stick (best case) or through removing the side extension on the oil pan. Worst case is having to drop the entire oil pan itself. Let's hope I don't have to go there.

Here is the damage (note, I removed the two springs, axle, roller, and the other bearing inner race, so those are not a problem floating around the oil pan). Too bad there is not a repair/update kit for these; it seems a shame to trash an otherwise good pump housing.

biopete · #48 03-07-2010, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

I retrofit it in. Here is the thread with the details.

Airbag retrofit thread.

Wow. That was a lot of work. I was thinking i would swap out my airbag on my 93 for a glove box

At least temporarily since my children are small. Thanks for showing me it can be done.

pwogaman · #49 03-14-2010, 07:56 PM

I changed out the vacuum pump today, obtained from a pick & pull yard 1987 300SDL donor. I put on a new accessory belt as long as I was in there. The car actually stops when I push the brakes and the engine cuts off on its own when I turn off the key.

There are still 12 ball bearings and an inner bearing race on the bottom of the oil pan I need to get out. I bought a oil pan side extension gasket. When the weather is better I'll climb under there and fish the extra bits out through the opening.

The transmission is still shifting hard. The blower motor is not working and I suspect the regulator is out. The wiper washer fluid pumps are also not functioning. Hopefully the fluid tank is just clogged.

In the mean time, here are some pictures of the vacuum pump change.

biopete · #50 03-15-2010, 01:43 AM

Cool. So, you put on another old style pump? I thought these pumps could destroy your engine when they failed? Obviously yours did not. That is awesome.

I had been scared into spending 300.00 on a new vac pump before mine even fails. Is that not necessary in your opinion?

pwogaman · #51 03-15-2010, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biopete

Cool. So, you put on another old style pump? I thought these pumps could destroy your engine when they failed? Obviously yours did not. That is awesome.

I had been scared into spending 300.00 on a new vac pump before mine even fails. Is that not necessary in your opinion?

I was finding it hard to justify putting a new $300-$400 pump on a $700 car. If the replacement pump fails then I'll fix that one as well. If catastrophic failures were that common we would be seeing a little more of it in this forum.

pwogaman · #52 03-15-2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

Passenger air bags came standard in 1993. I've never seen a 1992 or earlier W124 with a passenger air bag. If the 124 Mercedes Bible says they were an option, I'll take their word for it.

I saw a 1989 wagon at a pick & pull with a passenger side airbag. That's the earliest I've noted it.

Oldwolf · #53 03-15-2010, 10:26 AM

Nice buy. You were lucky your vacuum pump timing surface wasn't damaged.

pwogaman · #54 03-20-2010, 10:22 PM

Today I drained the oil and removed the oil pan side extension to remove the remains of the failed vacuum pump. I easily fished out the inner bearing race and 11 of the 12 ball bearings with a magnet. I'll make one last attempt at the 1 missing bearing tomorrow and then seal it up. I might cut open the oil filter just to see how much shaving debris got picked up.

Here are some pictures of the open pan extension. You can see the inner bearing race sitting towards the from on the pan (to the left) in a couple of the pictures. I'm really happy getting to the inside of the oil pan was so easy.

pwogaman · #55 04-12-2010, 10:19 PM

Success!!

pwogaman · #56 04-18-2010, 09:10 PM

Interesting find on the 300D: the rear-end was swapped out for a 3.07:1 from the original 2.65:1. That of course accounts for the speedometer error. I just happen to have an extra speedo head from a 4Matic sedan which also uses a 3.07:1 rear end.

Johnhef · #57 04-18-2010, 09:42 PM

yahoooooo!!!

biopete · #58 04-18-2010, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

Interesting find on the 300D: the rear-end was swapped out for a 3.07:1 from the original 2.65:1. That of course accounts for the speedometer error. I just happen to have an extra speedo head from a 4Matic sedan which also uses a 3.07:1 rear end.

Interesting. What do you mean by speedo head? Speedometer ? my 87 wagon speedo is 10 mph slow at all speeds. How did you identify the rear end? Was yours speedo slow or fast?

biopete · #59 04-18-2010, 10:22 PM

Awesome find on that car. I guess your keeping it since you registered it. I'm keeping my black on black 1993. I love it. I miss the glove box though. But ill make a box for the passenger floor that can be kicked around. Plenty of room there. Not enough room in arm rest of the 93.

What kind of mpg do you get? I got 36 in mixed highway city without the alda. What temp does it run at ? Does ac work?

pwogaman · #60 09-07-2014, 02:03 AM

I took the car to upstate NY to install a hitch receiver during a little vacation. I nearly suffocated myself on exhaust fumes on the way up!

One of the exhaust tips broke off, so the exhaust fumes were circulating back up under the bumper and through the rust holes and into the passenger compartment. When the tips were both intact the exhaust went out under the rear of the bumper, but not now. Note the soot on the paint.

In any event, the rust had gone too far!

I did a quick fix on the exhaust tip. I inserted a piece of pipe and drilled two screws into it, one through the muffler and one through the tip. It held for the ride home until I could weld it.

This is the quick fix on the rust holes for the drive home. It is not pretty, but it worked.

I was able to breath on the ride home. Once there I set to gracefully cut out the old until past the rust.

This is the donor piece off my 1991 300E 4Matic parts car. (Yet another car! 1991 300E 4MATIC for a whopping $150.00)

Cutting and fitting was a bit tedious.

The wheel well cut from the inside.

Finally in.

Here is the lower seam. I did it here rather than at the very bottom as originally made because of too much rust on the car at that point.

Proton supervised.

Loads of seam sealer.

I ground down the bead to where filler can smooth it out.