Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-27-2010, 12:05 AM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
W124 Ignition Switch - Take Apart and Repair?

Has anyone ever taken apart and repaired the ignition switch (electrical part only) on a 1987 300D Turbo (W124, OM603) or similar vehicle? I'm starting to have occasional electrical problems and so far it looks like everything affected is on circuit 15R of the ignition switch.

A slightly burned switch contact is easily repairable if I can take the switch apart. I was able to do exactly that on my 1996 E300D (W210, OM606NA). Of course, that was after I bought a new switch, so now I have a spare. This time, I'd like to try the repair first. Anyone have experience repairing this switch?

Jeremy

Attached Thumbnails
W124 Ignition Switch - Take Apart and Repair?-ign_sw.jpg  
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-27-2010, 09:11 AM
Crazy_Nate's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hampton Roads
Posts: 567
Hey Jeremy,

I can't offer any assistance, but I'll simply say...I'll be watching this like a hawk.
__________________
1982 240D, sold 9/17/2008
1987 300D Turbo
W124.133 - 603.960, 722.317 - Smoke Silver Metallic / Medium Red (702/177), acquired 8/15/2009
262,715 and counting
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-27-2010, 10:40 AM
winmutt's Avatar
85 300D 4spd+tow+h4
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Atl Gawga
Posts: 9,346
Problems being hvac not coming on? I believe you can get a URO replacement fairly cheap...
__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-27-2010, 12:22 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
Posts: 9,649
The Euro replacement is only $17.06.
This is a DIY Forum................. so there are two ways to go, new part or fix old part.

Take it in to a shop, then it is a DITU. (Do it to you) . BEND OVER.


Charlie
__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-27-2010, 12:43 PM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Winmutt, the things that I have found so far to not work when this thing happens (with no encouragement from me) are: power windows, power sunroof, radio, add-on gauges powered from the former lighter socket. And when the problem goes away (by itself), the SRS light comes on momentarily as if it thinks the car has just been started. All of these things are powered from circuit 15R through fuses 1, 2, 12, and A. I think that includes the climate control blower but I haven't actually observed it failing yet. All fuses are newer copper fuses.

This thing has happened about four times so far, always when I'm driving along minding my own business. I first noticed the SRS light, then had a couple of occurrences of the sunroof not wanting to pop up or down one minute but the next minute it was OK. It was only the last time (Friday) when I pulled into the driveway and noticed that the window wouldn't roll down to get the mail. At that point I tried various things and took notes. Today I'll go out and see what happens. If I can get the problem to occur, I need to try wiggling the key in the lock.

As an engineer, I have a psychological need to fix the thing myself, especially after putting $100 into an unnecessary new switch for the '96. OTOH, a new OEM (Mercedes) switch is less than $40 from Fastlane.

I still would like to hear from someone who has R&R'd the switch. It's supposed to be removable through the cluster opening without disturbing any of the lock parts. I can't find a mention of it in the FSM and most of the forum threads discuss the 123 and 126.

Jeremy
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-27-2010, 01:13 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
Posts: 9,649
Jeremy, Your lock assembly looks almost like a carbon copy of the 123. the only way to remove the ignition switch on the rear of it, is to remove the whole thing. 3 screws hold the ignition switch on the rear.

I have done 2 123`s, and not all that difficult to do. maybe a 124 is .



Charlie
__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-27-2010, 01:46 PM
Custom User Title
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Simi Valley, CA (SoCal)
Posts: 454
The problem isn't with the lock, it's with the physical electrical switch attached to the end of the lock assembly. Maybe.

I had a lock assembly that wouldn't fully return to position 2 (run). So I had to jiggle and center the key in the run position for everything to work properly after starting it. When you have the assembly out, make sure that its operation is smooth. The best repair if it is bad is replacement. There's no repairing a worn lock assembly.

But the answer to your question depends on how long you can be without your vehicle, and how many times you want to take the assembly out of the vehicle. If you destroy the switch or fail to effect improved operation of the switch, then you have to be prepared to be without your vehicle for a few days and / or to R&R the switch twice to fix it once. If those two possibilities are okay for you, then go for the repair.

I completely get the need to repair rather than replace. I just tried to repair a sealed relay from an espresso machine that wasn't making contact. It turned out that the contacts were destroyed, so I had to get a new one, but I removed/attempted repair/replaced the bad relay onto a circuit board while waiting for the new one. Didn't work, but still had to try. Caffeine withdrawal will make you do strange things...
__________________
mjk

'84 300SD 119KMi (Liesl der Diesel)
'84 300D 326KMi when the oil left (former parts car)
'82 300SD 253KMi (new parts car)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-27-2010, 02:58 PM
compress ignite's Avatar
Drone aspiring to Serfdom
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
I'm going in "There" twice?

(Not for the same thing?) for a less than 20 dollar NEW part?

Y'all let me know (Please) how you got this apart and back together [+ Fixed]without destroying it?

(Somewhere there's a Picture of the innards that GSXR posted,AND it shows
the Plastic detents inside the electrical portion wear away and prevent proper
operation of the Switch)

Whilst in "There":

Please see reply #11:
Ignition Key Will Not Turn - Help
Attached Thumbnails
W124 Ignition Switch - Take Apart and Repair?-screenhunter_01-jun.-27-14.54.jpg   W124 Ignition Switch - Take Apart and Repair?-screenhunter_02-jun.-27-14.55.jpg  
__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128

Last edited by compress ignite; 06-27-2010 at 03:09 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-27-2010, 06:44 PM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Charlie doesn't give a source for his $17.06 part (and probably not allowed under forum rules anyway) but I prefer to use a "gen-you-wine" MB part for this application.

As for the post #11 in the link, it seems to apply more to removing the lock assembly when the key doesn't work. In my case, the lock cylinder is newish; I replaced it myself, a trivial job, my old lock worked well but I wanted one key for everything on the car. (The two-key problem was inherited with the car, one of the many boogers I had to pick.)

I hope to be able to remove the electrical portion without disturbing the rest of it but maybe not - in a thread I found, gsxr said it was a PIA. If the plastic innards are worn such that the contacts don't 'make' properly, I'll replace the switch. It depends on how the switch is made.

Can't find gsxr's pictures - must have not searched with the right keywords.

Thanks for the advice, people.

Jeremy
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-27-2010, 08:10 PM
compress ignite's Avatar
Drone aspiring to Serfdom
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
It's all about the 1Lb "Locking Bolt"

Jeremy,

The reference to reply#11 AND REMOVING the Bolt assembly is/was because
ALL the accelerated Stress/Wear on the Electrical Portion of the IGN Sw system
is due to the necessity of Throwing that bolt back and forth.

I'll be willing to bet Key/Leaves wear decreases dramatically,also with the Bolt
Gone.

[I gotta admit my anti-theft deterrent is a remote RF Battery disconnect,that
no thief will ever locate.So loss of the Bolt's Security function is moot to me.]
__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128

Last edited by compress ignite; 06-28-2010 at 08:49 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-27-2010, 08:59 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
Posts: 9,649
Jeremy, look your part in All Part Express for your yr/model. click on electrical then ignition switch.
Genuine---- $35.69

URO---------$17.05



OK, I was off by one ¢.

Charlie
__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 06-27-2010, 09:48 PM
Custom User Title
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Simi Valley, CA (SoCal)
Posts: 454
My post (#11) was not in regard to the tumblers/key cylinder. It was in regards to the rest of the locking assembly. In my case, it appears that the return spring couldn't overcome the worn parts, so it would bind a bit after starting. I replaced the key cylinder and lubed the lock as best I could, but it didn't help. I could move the switch with the key to the Run position after starting, which was a minor annoyance but an easy fix as far as I was concerned. A year or two later I ended up replacing the entire lock assembly when it started to jam up trying to move it out of the 'lock' position. The key cylinder is not the culprit in this situation. It is the lock assembly. Thus my advice to ensure your lock assembly is in good order, and that it returns the key cylinder solidly on its own to the run position after starting

And as far as the return spring, that too is part of the lock assembly. I have a new switch assembly in my parts bin, and it has detented positions, but no spring that returns the assembly to the run position.

Granted, this all applies to a 123, but charmalu's post indicates the assemblies are very similar. The main difference seems to be the different mechanical connection for the switch. So that's the basis for my post. YMMV.
__________________
mjk

'84 300SD 119KMi (Liesl der Diesel)
'84 300D 326KMi when the oil left (former parts car)
'82 300SD 253KMi (new parts car)
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 06-27-2010, 10:45 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 417
Quote:
Originally Posted by winmutt View Post
Problems being hvac not coming on?
Ok - as you all may have read, I've been having starter problems. Just coinsedence (or not), my ac quit working yesterday (clutch not engaging). When I shut the car down it wouldn't start.

Also watching this one to see if that switch is rebuildable for a friend - and maybe me in the future.
__________________
Brad
1981 300TD - daily driver
1963 Chevy II
2001 F-250 7.3 Power Stroke
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-28-2010, 12:45 AM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Allpartsexpress is unhappy tonight

Quote:
Originally Posted by charmalu View Post
Jeremy, look your part in All Part Express for your yr/model. click on electrical then ignition switch.
Genuine---- $35.69

URO---------$17.05
There is some problem tonight with the Allpartsexpress site . . . all it lists for the '87 300D is Accessories & Hardware, Brake Components & Wheels, and
Chemicals. I'll try again tomorrow.
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 06-28-2010, 12:51 AM
dantheman67's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 172
Quote:
Originally Posted by charmalu View Post
The Euro replacement is only $17.06.
This is a DIY Forum................. so there are two ways to go, new part or fix old part.

Take it in to a shop, then it is a DITU. (Do it to you) . BEND OVER.


Charlie
LOL

__________________
1982 240D 4spd, 327,000mi
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2018 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page