My Custom 1980 W116 300SD Project - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Squiggle Dog · #1 12-22-2012, 04:12 PM

A Mercedes Sprinter van stopped in front of my house and delivered a set of new genuine engine mounts. They were $109.00 each after my MBCA discount, a far cry from the $4.93 each for aftermarket. However, Mercedes states a different part number for the right side because it needs a different shore hardness, while many aftermarket suppliers state one part number fits both sides.

I'm sure you get what you pay for. Put on cheap aftermarket mounts and you get more vibration and shortened life. I already have a genuine transmission mount on there anyway. I've heard too many horror stories of aftermarket engine mounts collapsing in short time to want to play that game. When I rebuilt my entire brake system with genuine parts, the weak link in the chain was the one set of aftermarket parts (Meyle parking brake shoes) I used that required much grinding and filing to fit.

I have heard that Lemfoerder makes a great set of engine mounts, but unfortunately, they do not offer the right side mount for my car and I'd rather have the correct shore hardness on the right side than use a left side mount on the right.

The passenger side mount was collapsed and causing the engine to tilt to the right and make the body vibrate.

The engine mounting arm was resting on the metal part of the mount.

Before raising the engine, I disconnected the throttle linkage.

The factory service manual also states to remove the intake tube, but I already have it disconnected due to not being able to use the intake funnel with Euro headlights.

To loosen the mounting arms to the mounts, there is a 10mm bolt on each side that needs to be removed from underneath the mount. I discovered that the right side bolt was missing, meaning the right side mounting arm was not even connected to the mount! I discovered the hard way that the W123 and W126 chassis use an 8mm bolt, so I had to use one off of my Universal turbodiesel project.

Squiggle Dog · #2 12-22-2012, 04:13 PM

Before raising the engine, the engine shock absorbers have to be disconnected at the bottom.

You have to hold onto the shaft with a 7mm wrench to keep it from turning as you loosen the 10mm nuts.

It's really nice if you have an engine lift. Otherwise, you can use a jack and block of wood and lift at the oil pan. You really have to watch the fan blades to make sure they clear the shroud. Also, you can only raise the engine so high before there is too much tension on the "cigar" fuel hose.

Once the engine is raised up you can pull out the heat shields, and then you can remove the 6mm hex key screws holding the mounts to the body. I could not get the hex key into one of the screws. I tried picking out whatever was caked into the head, but I could not get any bite into it. I decided I would tap the mount with a hammer and get the whole mount to pivot counterclockwise. Doing this loosened up the screw enough that I could start turning it with the hex key. There was some kind of cement stuck in there.

Comparing the new mounts to the old ones. The old passenger side mount is totally flattened compared to the new one. One half of it sheared completely so it had no support when there was weight on it.

Squiggle Dog · #3 12-22-2012, 04:14 PM

The genuine mounts appear identical to pictures I have seen of the Lemfoerder ones, with the exception of the Lemfoerders having the star logo ground off. If one could find a right side (123 241 27 13 as opposed to 123 241 30 13 for left) Lemfoerder brand, that would most likely be a cheaper and acceptable alternative since they probably make them for Mercedes (or at least buy them from Phoenix AG and rebox them).

The heat shields had been deformed and the right side one had curled into a U-shape, so they required reworking. There were some stress cracks that I filled with JB Weld to keep oil from seeping through onto the mounts.

The engine now sits level and a bit higher. Now I have the clearance I need to install my skid plate.

Overall, it wasn't a difficult job other than having to deal with getting one of the hex key screws to turn and locating a replacement engine mount bolt. The engine mount to mounting arm bolts got tightened to 70nm and the screws from engine mount to crossmember got tightened to as close as I could estimate to get at 30nm. While I was at it, I replaced one blown engine shock with a spare that I had. The ones I now have still seem to work, so I'll hold off on buying new ones for a while.

The engine now idles smoothly and the body vibration and rattle are gone.

Squiggle Dog · #4 12-22-2012, 04:15 PM

I've been having problems with opening and closing my doors. Usually Mercedes have flawless door operation, but after 314,000 miles of use the parts wear out. The driver front door required several slams before it would shut and occasionally it would pop open while driving. The driver rear door would not open with the outside door handle even after replacing the door mechanism before and adjusting the door handle bite. The passenger front and rear doors were very loud when shutting. I decided enough was enough.

Back when I was living in Washington, there was a time when there were about 5 W116s at the PickNPull. One of the W116s was a 1979 450SEL with under 100,000 miles. I removed all of the door mechanisms and strikers.

I already had the door panels off when I got home from my trip to get the parts from my old house, so I opened up the box with the door parts and started to replace them. The outside door handles come off with two 5mm hex key screws under a plug, then you slide the handles forward and pull them out. The screws holding the door mechanisms get really stuck, so I take a bit that fits into them perfectly and hammer them in a few times with a sledge to get them to loosen up. Then, I put an 8mm socket over the bit and while pushing down I get them to break free. Usually this is the only way to loosen them without ruining the heads.

After soaking the door mechanisms in diesel, I hosed them off and let them dry. Once dry, I used an oil can to lubricate the pivoting parts. Automatic transmission fluid works well. I also sprayed some wax on them and then put grease on the sliding parts. Any missing or damaged springs were replaced.

The original part is on the left and the replacement part is on the right. The old parts were corroded and had missing or worn out springs.

Squiggle Dog · #5 12-22-2012, 04:16 PM

One key observation is that good door mechanisms have plastic buffers on the contact points where they hit the door strikers. These decrease noise and wear. They were worn off on my old mechanisms. I would get good ones from wrecking yards while they are still out there as it doesn't appear old mechanisms can be rebuilt without expensive equipment and tooling. If I had the money I would buy up the NOS ones on eBay to have as spares.

The original striker is on the left and the replacement striker is on the right. Notice the deep grooves in the aluminum body from the steel parts digging in since the plastic buffers had worn off. This can cause door rattle. Always reuse the old shims exactly as they came off unless you can see that the cone on the mechanism doesn't line up with the striker hole horizontally.

When removing the striker hex key screws, I hammer the 5mm bit into them with a sledge hammer a few times and use downward pressure while turning. However, 3 of them still ended up rounding off in the passenger side rear, forcing me to use drastic measures. Not one of the drill bits I have were any good (they wouldn't even drill through aluminum!) so I ended up having to carefully use a rotary tool and cutting disc to slice up the old striker and screw heads.

When fitting the new strikers in place, try to put them in as near the original position as possible (with original shims), then tighten the screws with just enough pressure that the striker doesn't move. Then, shut the door. While holding the door, pull back on the door handle, then pull the door open. Tighten up the striker then shut the door. The door should be lined up perfectly. If necessary, adjust the striker in or out so the door is flush with the body when shut, or up or down so that the door mechanism doesn't hit the striker in the wrong place. The cone of the mechanism should aim directly into the hole in the striker. I like to lubricate the area where the parts contact each other to minimize noise and wear.

The doors now open and shut quietly and with little force--almost like new. While I was at it, I replaced or rebuilt and lubricated the door check mechanisms in three of the doors since I had already put a new one in the driver side door. It seems all of them either had broken housings or bent wheel pins. I already lubricated the door hinges, so the doors work like new and I am very happy. I installed my new door check seals on them, too--which apparently are now no longer available.

I decided I would reconnect the vacuum to the door locks to see what would happen. My ignition key works with all of the locks except for the doors. One of the keys on the keyring fits the driver side door, but not the passenger side, however the lock didn't make the plunger in the door move due to the shaft on the door handle being broken. I was able to push out the pin in the passenger side door handle with a nail and swap out the shaft onto the driver side door handle (had to reverse the position of the shaft). This made the driver side door lock with the key.

When I locked the driver door, it made the other doors lock as well. I lubricated the trunk latch and fuel door pin, and this made those locks work too. Now I can finally lock my driver door with a key, and it makes the other three doors, trunk, and fuel door lock at the same time. I am so happy to be able to lock my car.

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