I just purchased HoustonM3's 350SDL.

Drives great, looks great but have a few items that i want to address.

1. Instrument cluster lights are off at idle, but start to slowly turn on when i press the accelerator. says this happened after the clock was repaired, so i am assuming either bad ground or ground not attached. Radio also will produce static when on throttle. will investigate further. UPDATE The alternator is not outputting the correct voltage, so I will change the Voltage regulator and see if my odd lights and radio static will disappear.

2. The lumbar support control cluster attached to the passenger seat belt buckle hisses and it sounds like an obvious vacuum leak. Will see if it is a simple rubber hose that goes from vacuum line to control cluster but might just plug it. UPDATE I found the vacuum line that connects to the lumbar controller and put a BB in the line. this now it is not leaking.

3. UPDATE Antenna mast does not extend, but i can hear the motor spin. will read the DIY on those. *Antenna cable was broken, ordered new one, and that fixed it.*

4. Need to get a rear view mirror, as the current one blew out the spring and flip portion. might consider getting an electric one with compass built in. I had put one of those in my 95 E300d before. UPDATE Swapped a rear view mirror from a 300D.

5. The rear window shade does not go up or down but i can hear the motor turn, either a stripped gear or something else. need to look closer. lowered the window shade and will ignore it for now. not something i need.

6. UPDATE The heat does not work. it blows cold the whole time. *Everything works fine, I did not know that HEAT only works when on ECO. The compressor must be off for heat to work.*

7. no cup holder as usual. installed cup holder on passenger side. will order fancier one.

Will post pictures as i get to repairing.

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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Congrats on the purchase! It was one of the cars I was drooling over. In the pics it looked to be Smoke Silver, same as my 87 300D.

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Brian
87 300Dturbo 180K #14 head still running R-12 SOLD 12/2017
02 F350 Powerstroke 180K
05 Chevy Express 1 ton w/Royal Utility box 120K
08 Infiniti FX-35 40K
15 Golf Sportwagen TDI 35K
10 Sprinter 3500 chassis with a Class A Winnebago on it. 56K

Thanks. Overall the car is amazing. The paint needs some restoration, as there are lots of scratches. will see what i can do about that. The crazy thing is that i think the engine has been replaced with a NEW unit very recently. The trans looks to be rebuilt. The engine is so clean inside and underneath, in places that 214k would have oil, grime and crap caked everywhere. This things is shiny metal new. I am amazed. I have not seen an engine this clean, and this is not a wash bay hose-down type of clean.

The trans has markings on it which makes me thing it was as rebuilt sitting on a shelf and then installed. or repaired and written on it with a paint pen. Have not seen this on any transmissions on original units.

I will take pictures in the morning.

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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Open the antenna box and make sure the gears aren't the problem before ordering a mast.

My SD need gears and the mast is fine. I haven't seen specs on what gears. I have found a source.

I was able to hear the gears turn, and it turns properly when opened up. The plastic toothed mast string thing was broken halfway. I could pull it right out.

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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Paint pen, as in how a pick-n-pull / salvage yard will mark up a used part?

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

That could be. either way it is not original which bodes better.

Still confused on the instrument cluster thing. most lights turn on slowly as i press the accelerator. I was looking into the ground issue in the cluster, and I have yet to pull it. I have also noticed that the Radio will produce static as well, when I am on AM stations and accelerating. As soon as i let off the pedal and coast, the cluster lights turn off and the radio static dispersal. Should i be looking at my alternator or even engine to chassis ground strap? I could run a 2nd ground strap if needed.

I fixed the antenna by the way. purchased a replacement antenna mast with the plastic cable and that fixed it.

thanks

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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned