For the first few minutes after I turn on the car, the A/C won't blow. I tried turning over to heat just to see if that fixes it. Heat won't work either. So, no part of the climate control works until the car has been running between 1 to 5 minutes. Occasionally it works immediately though.

1982 W123 coupe, 300CD

Could be worn brushes in the blower motor or it's not getting power. The blower is under the glove box. Start by using a test light or voltmeter to see if there is voltage at the blower motor when it doesn't run.

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Can't say why the AC won't work but I believe there is a temp sensor that keeps it from working when you turn the heater on till the engine is warmed up to a certain temp.

You need to think on the occasions it works instantly if that was after the engine was warmed up.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Try turning on your defrost and see if it jumps it on.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

W123's have a microswitch which doesn't activate until the vacuum pod is fully engaged. You probably have a minor vacuum leak somewhere in the system.

As suggested, try selecting the defrost setting. If the blower fan engages then the the pod is probably faulty.

You can reach the pod either by removing the glovebox and vent tubing or by removing the right under dash panel.

You'll see a dual diaphragm with an arm attached.

Start the car, move over to where you can see the arm and engage the A/C. You should see the pod move the arm. If it doesn't then manually move the arm and see if the blower motor engages.

Oh yeah, on the coupe models, if the doors are open there is a designed vacuum leak. The leak is to automatically "unlock" the seat to allow rear passengers to exit. Dunno why, can't imagine why a passenger would need to exit the car if someone was sitting in the seat in front of them.

That little quirk drove me mad when I first encountered it.

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

So that’s what that line is for! I have a 300CD seat in my 300D. I always wondered what that was all about.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

That is a weird coupe quirk! For a while I couldn't figure out how or why the engine wouldn't shut off until a door was opened. I'll check the vacuum system first on my climate control problem. Thanks

If the brushes are the problem, will it start to turn if I turn it manually? (Assuming it is possible to get my fingers inside to turn it) Does anyone have picture of how they look? I have the vinyl under dash cover on right now.

OK, I pulled off that cover under the dash. Now, when I turn on the A/C, I can reach under there and turn the bolt in the very center of the fan and it will start turning slowly and ramp up to regular speed. Brushes?

Yeah, probably brushes. They’re pretty cheep, easy to get and not hard to change.

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Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

Where do we order them from?

Got them at an old school hardware store years ago, probably still can. They need to be soldered in place. The motor isn't designed to be taken apart and reassembled but it can and has been done. Be gentle when bending tabs etc during disassembly.

Clean the armature with emery cloth and put a couple of drops of motor oil on the bearing shaft while the motor is open.

Good luck and please post your results.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Uncle Kent. You know ?

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Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

I measure the brushes and buy them on eBay. Got my alternator brushes that way.

I recently found an old school hardware store where I live and I wandered around for half an hour. Lo and behold they had a shelf with dozens of drawers of brushes. I haven’t seen these in a hardware store in years. Places like Lowes and Home Depot track all sales by computer and wouldn’t carry items like this that move slowly. It was obvious from the dust on the drawers that nobody buys these things. Hopefully they’ll still be around when I fix a motor.

I guess it’s kind of a throwback to the past where people would fix their vacuum cleaner or dryer by changing a brush. Auto parts stores always carried brushes when I was a kid.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

I know

OK, last night I removed the motor which took all of 3 minutes. After 40 years there was plenty of fine, asbestos like dust in the squirrel cage. I blew it and vacuumed it out. With a small screw driver, i flexed the small springs on the brushes. After putting it all back together, it starts right up when turn the blower on. Everytime!! Maybe flexing the springs and blowing it all out, allowed the brushes to set better in their place
Surely, those brushes will need to be replaced sometime soon. I think I'll order a set from ....you know. Our uncle in Washington state. That way I'll have them when I need them.