Challenges
 

One of the hard parts was matching the color of the existing zebrano wood. I ended up using two different stains, one on top of the other. It was interesting that stain "A" followed by "B" gave a different color than "B" followed by "A." I did a lot of experimenting on scraps of veneer.

I had a similar panel in my 1985 300D-T; the console there is a tiny bit wider so I could put the gauges all in a line. The 124 ashtray is taller but not so wide so I had to stagger the gauges. Here's the gauge panel in the 123:

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/n...auges-W123.jpg

There's just enough material on the sides of the 123 console ashtray hole that I was able to use Velcro to hold the gauge panel in place. In the 124 that can't be done so I had to get inventive. After sizing the wood to fit the 124's ashtray space, I cut a piece of aluminum that was a little taller than the wood. The aluminum protrudes at the bottom of the wood as you can see in the next picture. The bend in the aluminum was done a few degrees at a time with many trips from the car to the workbench. It was very much a "bend and try" operation.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/n...Front_6636.jpg

The gauge panel stays in place because the aluminum that protrudes at the bottom is trapped by the shifter console. At the top, the panel is stuck under the radio. Either way, it can't move yet is not attached at all. That eliminates screw holes and brackets and all of the other things that, in desperation, I dreamed up.

Jeremy

I have always wondered if I need the oil cooler in my climate. I don't tow, and it's not too hilly around here.

With your oil temp gauge have you been able to tell if / when / what the effects of having an oil cooler are. I suspect you have an operative thermostat controlling its flow.

What if you blocked the fins of the oil rad and with cardboard, would the oil temp overshoot engine coolant temp, or not? Would it have an effect on EGT's?

You have a rolling lab here, and I'm just spotting an opportunity for an experiment! ;)

Experimental funding?
 

Can I apply to your foundation for a grant to do this research? :D Actually, this is something I've thought about and discussed with Sixto. According to the FSM, the thermostat (it's part of the oil filter canister assembly) is supposed to start opening at 110ºC (230ºF) and be fully open at 125ºC (257ºF). However, I find that the cooler gets warm long before an oil temperature of 100ºC so I don't know if the thermostat is opening early or the measuring device is faulty (I suspect the thermostat). In any case, it would be worth blocking the radiator with cardboard to see what it does to the oil temperature.

I suspect that the coolant temperature would not be affected at highway speeds where lots of air passes through the radiator. At low speeds, there's less air to cool the radiators but the engine generates less heat so that one is a crapshoot.

The challenge in all conditions is driving at highway speeds and then slowing to a stop or crawl. Now you have a lot of heat left over from the high-speed drive but you have lost your cooling air flow.

Are you thinking of removing your oil cooler? You would remove a few pounds but the effort might not be worth it. I did remove the oil cooler from my last BMW air-cooled motorcycle with the dealer's blessing. The cooler was needed only at continuous high speeds and high ambient temperatures and it was in the way for oil filter changes so I was happy to get rid of it. I did add an oil temperature gauge but it rarely got above 200ºF (93ºC). The only advantage I can see to removing the oil cooler from a Mercedes is that you eliminate the hoses that could burst.

Note that you can't just block the IN and OUT holes, you must connect one to the other so there will be a hose involved anyway. It might be possible to substitute an OM601 engine's oil filter housing, which has neither thermostat nor cooler connections. However, the 601 is not turbocharged.

EGTs seem to be sensitive to throttle setting and load so I don't think that blocking the oil cooler would do anything to EGTs.

Once I get the rear suspension repaired and the car back on the road I'll do some tests and update this thread.

Jeremy