Does anyone have any experience with the non-MB rebuilt CCU units? It looks like the options are Programma and Beckman. Pelican gives Programma only one thumbs up vs. four for Beckman. The genuine MB part is twice the cost of the Beckman and considering I am not 100% sure the CCU is my problem I am hesitant to shell out that much $. Does anyone have any experience/regrets with rebuilt units?

P.S. I know I could take the original unit apart and look for cold solder joints but time comes at a premium for me so $200 or so would be worth it to me. If it is $500 the equation changes, though.

__________________
1985 300SD 99K

Swap in a JY unit

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

If you are interested and you can park the car for a few days...I'd be I would be happy to go through your CCU and reflow it for you. As well as the temperature regulator unit and the blower control module.

I'll send you Pm here in a few minutes with more details.


As far as the brands go...

Frankly I'm not impressed with either remanufacturer. It seems that (at least in the examples that I have looked at) that they were only fixing what was necessary to restore the unit's operation. They did not make repairs to ensure unit longevity. I can understand that from a business stand point but from a consumer stand point its aggravating.

Someone had sent me in a ProGrama rebuilt cruise control amplifier. I opened it up and found that they'd only re-flowed a few joints, didn't bother to replace the capacitors or apply any type of conformal/protective coating.
Cruise Control Amplifier Diagnostics & Amplifier Repair

I believe I had a Beckman tech cruise amplifier in at one point in time too. I don't recall them replacing the capacitors or doing a complete reflow either. I dont think I made a post about it either.

I had another unit just last week that was labeled "CCI." I'm not sure if that was the company name or what but someone had gone through it and re-soldered a few things here or there, replaced one capacitor and hot glued the foam piece to the PCB. They did do a nice job of cleaning the aluminum housing though, but that was about it.

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

Check ebay for a test unit is the way I would go if uncertain. Plus if no wrecker had the models unit locally cheap enough .Resell it if your unit proved good by substitution. That way it costs you very little one way or another.

You might start off with providing the symptoms of the problem. It is likely that even going to the trouble of pulling, shipping and re-installation, to only have the same problem will add to the frustration of time wasted.

There are many problems that will point to other components or even just a fuse with poor connection.

__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Looks like he's got a thread here:

Climate Control Safe Mode

The defrost only mode might be a failure in the push button unit or the temperature regulator unit.

Since blower speed control and vent control are handled separately its likely the problem is in the push button unit.

I'd have to check the FSM though to be sure, but its a good starting point.

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

I'll attest to JamesDean's rebuilt CCU's. It's working well in my '95 E300!

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

In retrospect maybe the two threads would have been better as one. My thinking was that the issue of the quality of re-manufactured CCU units was separate from whether or not one needed a re-manufactured CCU and deserved its own thread. JamesDean's comments were most helpful. You can see my other thread on climate control safe mode for my in-expert diagnoses of climate control issues.

__________________
1985 300SD 99K

As an aside, I have met Bob Beckmann personally and had some pretty interesting discussions with him.

I can't attest to his company's performance but I can tell you that he's a really smart guy.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I was just looking at their website and I don't doubt that.

I can only speak from the one unit that I received, which might not be representative of their work. From the website they seem to be focusing on newer--well newer than the 201/124 plaftorm--Mercedes.

I found my pictures from the unit. It was an 005 545 05 32 (found on most post 87 cars). Its a very common and robust unit. I've had a high success rate with them.

It had a date of 04/09 on it. I think I received it 04/12.

From the look of it, they re-flowed some of the solder joints but not all and did not replace the capacitors. Replacing the capacitors isnt mandatory. They might have still been good back in 2009. I replace them because I like to think of it as preventative maintenance. The parts certainly aren't expensive.

When I got the unit, I powered it on and the actuator motor immediately started spinning. I've seen this happen before with cold solder joints. So its entirely possible that another cold solder joint formed in an area that wasn't re-flowed.

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

Nobody has yet mentioned Performance Analysis whose name and information I got from other threads on this site.

About 3 years ago I tried to solve an AC problem with JY units. As I swapped a couple, it seemed one problem was solved yet another was created. I made contact with a couple of the vendors, including Beckman, but was most impressed with George Murphy and his prices. I ordered one of his units, installed it, and solved all my problems. It's been functioning perfectly ever since.

George Murphy is best known in MBCA circles and among those of 'fortunate' enough to have a car with ACC II climate control (or in his parlance, Climate Control I), as he was a bit of a pioneer in supplying upgraded components for that ex-Chrysler dog.

His pricing is attractive, but he is a retailer, not a rebuilder, so the question would be where the units are coming from.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Others may or may not work.

With our own extremely helpful JamesDean here, why go elsewhere?
He knows, owns, helps and repairs a number of MB issues most walk away from.

__________________
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."