Hello, just completed an engine swap in a 1988 420 sel. I have been adding trans fluid and noticed a bunch on the floor coming from what looks like the top of the trans but I can't see. I was thinking to turn the motor over to get it to fill up the torque converter so I quickly hooked up the battery to turn the motor over and left the keys in the ignition. I assume that as soon as I hooked up the battery that the doors locked themselves. I have unhooked the battery and they are still locked
Does anyone know how to bypass the locks? Thanks.

Sorry, just noticed I put this into the diesel section and have moved it to the tech section.

MityVac to the rescue !

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Hello, Thanks. I had a friend give me a broken mityvac. I should be able to rig it to work....so where to find the proper vac. line?

Not sure on your model but there are only so many vacuum connections that go into the cabin. One of them has to be the one. Hopefully a 420 guy will pop in.

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

I just noticed our dogs are in our pictures. I am sure glad he was'nt in the car as he sometimes likes to hang out in there to keep his feet off the cold concrete.

In hindsight maybe if he was in there he would unlock it for me...yeah right.

Uhh, WoWWzee Maaaaan,

lay off thuh 420.............

I was just wondering how this thing would have generated vacuum to lock the doors since it has been sitting a little over five years...and I had not yet started the new motor... I was just getting to it. Now locked out.

I was thinking if it was like my wagons then yes, I could just pressurize, with vaccuum, the five or six vacuum lines that go through the firewall. I don't think this gasser is the same in that regard...but don't know.

Doesn't that model have an electric vacuum pump for the door locks?

Doesn't that model have an electric vacuum pump for the door locks?[tangofox007]

Yes, I did hear a clunk coming from the trunk area passenger side when I hooked up the battery. I thought it was those electric fuel pumps turning on....Maybe it was a pump but it sounded more like a clunk.

Sorry as I am not really familiar with the gasser models....I don't know what it has. I know that this would not have happened in any of my diesels so I really was'nt expecting it..

It can certainly happen on some MB diesels-the ones with electric vacuum pumps.

124 and 126 chassis vehicles have an electric pump that controls the door locks... however it would make a pumping noise, not a CLUNK... if it made a clunk noise and locked the doors, someone may have installed remote door lock solenoids to lock the doors... either way, I'd fish a coat hanger in a window, and hook the lock to open the door...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Sorry...I was not aware that any of the diesels I list in my sig came with an electric vacuum pump??? maybe it was a euro thing for the w123 model?....anyways....so what I am getting here is likely that this 420 sel gasser has an electric vacuum pump which was activated upon hooking up the battery and that is how the doors locked themselves. I wonder how to undo this since disonnecting the battery has not helped with unlocking the doors.
I think what I need to do is find the resovoir for the vacuum generated by this electric vacuum pump and induce it to relieve the vacuum maybe by means of unhooking a line to the vacuum resovoir. Wondering if I am on the right track.....or should I start messing with coat hangers. I am worried that this method will ruin the weatherstripping, but will do so if it comes to that.

I may have no choice, because I am thinking that Mercedes would surely not have designed a redundant system where I could access this vacuum resovoir from the outside/underneath the car to bypass the door locks.

I am a member of AAA and as well as Towing they have some free Locksmith Service.

In your case what I have seen the Tow Truck Driver do is put something like a Blood Pressure Cuff between the Door (pried open with a Plastic coated Tool) and inflates it prying your door out enough to stick something in and yank the Key out or pull the Locking Knob up.

If you do the Coat Hanger thing and try to pull up the Locking Knob be patient. If you do not have any thing to pry the Door a little wrap a big Screwdriver with masking or Duct Tape so it does not mar things so much.
It also helps if someone else pries the Door open and you have 2 free hands to manipulate the Coat Hanger.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I have a picture of the number 15 spot in the fuse box. I did still have the hood open if that helps me at all. I don't suppose cracking that large vacuum line at the power brake booster would work to let out some vacuum or is the central locking system and electric vacuum pump a stand alone system separate from the rest of the vaccuum systems on the car? Thanks

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