Road trip-w124 - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ah-kay · #16 04-05-2025, 01:58 AM

Personally I would not take a newly 'refurbished/restored' car on a long trip. It would be risky as you don't know the car yet. If it had been a daily driver then you know it 'enough' that it will make the trip.

However, even a crappy car could make the trip if you know how to improvise and have a credit card. On the spare list, how long is a piece of string? Good luck and have fun.

engatwork · #17 04-05-2025, 12:56 PM

You can always carry enough money with you to allow you to purchase a local car if it gives out on the other side of the country.

In Sept we drove the 319k GLK350 (daily driver) from south Ga to Glacier Nat'l Park and back. We were on the way to Portland then down northern end of the PCH. We had to return early because of Helene. Other than what we came home to the trip was uneventful. I do carry a tool box with me when we travel.

jdulle · #18 04-05-2025, 05:57 PM

I've been driving it quite a bit recently, probably 6 k this year but the odometer stopped working so I don't know. It seems pretty reliable. 2 things that have gone wrong were the driveshaft center bearing/bushing (had to get a tow), and just recently the tensioner spring broke. It was still drivable with the spring broken surprisingly. I like that idea of just buying another car, we could probably afford to do that. I will bring lots of tools.

benzguy300 · #19 04-05-2025, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdulle

Yeah, this is going to be weighed down, that spare alternator alone weighs quite a bit.

You don’t need to take a complete alternator all you need to take is the voltage regulator better yet just replace the voltage regulator in your alternator I just did in my after it failed coming back from a 1,000 mile road trip good thing I’m a triple A member and I was able to start the engine with their help and make it home thanks to triple A they will help you in any state

Skid Row Joe · #20 04-06-2025, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdulle

The battery is around 5 years old, seems good to go. I secured the metal fuel lines, replaced air filter, and patched a few holes in the exhaust. I am considering bypassing the fuel heater thermostat, since it appears to leak there (but hard to tell because bottom cover and rear of injection pump leaks). Maybe that would make it idle more smoothly too. I am excited to try the new (used) mono wiper I put in. Still have to check the wheel bearings. I am also waiting on a spring for the tensioner which broke last week!

5 years on the battery is the over under age. I'd replace it.

My '06 CDI and my '17 Stingray both got new batteries at the 6 year mark. The Corvette was getting groceries on a Sunday night in February '22, and totally pooped out on me, necessitating a call to Progressive to jump it off to get home.

To be fair - the Chevrolet's battery had been dragging a little on occasion for some time.

Point being - I was forewarned by the 8/2016 battery before it died. My advise; heed these subtle signs. Just as we do on our water pumps and alternators giving warning.

FYI: I go with Diehard Golds, from Advance Auto Parts.

FWIW: ALL my stuff is now on battery tenders when home.
.

jdulle · #21 04-07-2025, 10:01 PM

I'll load check the battery before I go, good idea. I think it's fine.
I think I'll bring the alternator, in case the bearing goes bad. Also don't know if the voltage regulator will swap right into the old alternator. The second alternator is from a 93, and the one in the car is a 90. I think the newer one might be slightly higher amp, but I've read that they should swap in.

jbach36 · #22 04-10-2025, 01:30 PM

A few people said to carry fuel filters with you. WHAT FOR??? I've had my W124 car for 18 years and have never needed to change a fuel filter on the road. I change the big fuel filter once a year (I forget how often it's supposed to be changed, maybe every 12,000 miles) and the small pre-filters you do 3 of those in between. So unless you're driving more than 4,000 miles, why would you need one? That said, they are small and I probably do have one in the trunk of my car, but if you change fuel filters regularly like you should, you'll have no problem.

The other stuff about carrying lubricant, and these other special tools people are saying, etc., are all unnecessary. Sure, if something breaks you'll wish you had that tool, but if you have a heart attack, you'd wish you'd brought a heart defibrillator with you.

That all said, check and/or change all your fluids. Your brake fluid is supposed to be changed I think every 2 years, preferably in the spring and after the rains because it absorbs a lot of water. Fresh or reasonably fresh (5 years or newer) radiator fluid, oil, windshield fluid, fresh power steering fluid (use the Stop Leak stuff by Prestone) otherwise you'll lose fluid because the rubber seals are old.

There is ONE REALLY BIG THING that you should do. Last year I was driving halfway across the country on the highway and I suddenly lost all forward momentum!! Could have been deadly but fortunately I was in a good spot for this to happen. The accelerator cable plastic holder piece broke. The cable was no longer doing anything. The pedal went straight down to the floor and wouldn't spring back up. I was off the side of the road and used something to jam the cable in, to where it wouldn't come back out (it was a small piece of tire tread alongside the highway that I found), and I drove it that way for another 300 miles just fine. But I had to get that part. A MB place in CA said I'd have to buy the whole cable assembly, it was $178 or something.

I declined to buy that but went to another MB place in a small town, he showed me the exploded view of the parts. I showed him what I needed, just that end piece. He said it's $4.10.

So I did get that piece, but I also have a small zip tie around it so if that part ever fails, the zip tie will prevent the cable from coming though the metal area. Take a look, I did a write up on this previously with photos. The part you need is 202 301 00 93 64. Change your part out if it at ALL looks weak, and put a zip tie around the cable end so if that part breaks, you won't get killed in a car crash.

jbach36 · #23 04-10-2025, 01:33 PM

Use fuel lubricant. A lot of people forget to put that stuff in or worse yet, don't even know that you need it. You'll mess up your injectors if you don't. The newer (from 10 years ago or so and newer) diesel fuel doesn't have as much lubricant in it since they made it cleaner.

Jorn · #24 04-10-2025, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbach36

A few people said to carry fuel filters with you. WHAT FOR??? I've had my W124 car for 18 years and have never needed to change a fuel filter on the road. I change the big fuel filter once a year (I forget how often it's supposed to be changed, maybe every 12,000 miles) and the small pre-filters you do 3 of those in between. So unless you're driving more than 4,000 miles, why would you need one? That said, they are small and I probably do have one in the trunk of my car, but if you change fuel filters regularly like you should, you'll have no problem.

The other stuff about carrying lubricant, and these other special tools people are saying, etc., are all unnecessary. Sure, if something breaks you'll wish you had that tool, but if you have a heart attack, you'd wish you'd brought a heart defibrillator with you.

That all said, check and/or change all your fluids. Your brake fluid is supposed to be changed I think every 2 years, preferably in the spring and after the rains because it absorbs a lot of water. Fresh or reasonably fresh (5 years or newer) radiator fluid, oil, windshield fluid, fresh power steering fluid (use the Stop Leak stuff by Prestone) otherwise you'll lose fluid because the rubber seals are old.

There is ONE REALLY BIG THING that you should do. Last year I was driving halfway across the country on the highway and I suddenly lost all forward momentum!! Could have been deadly but fortunately I was in a good spot for this to happen. The accelerator cable plastic holder piece broke. The cable was no longer doing anything. The pedal went straight down to the floor and wouldn't spring back up. I was off the side of the road and used something to jam the cable in, to where it wouldn't come back out (it was a small piece of tire tread alongside the highway that I found), and I drove it that way for another 300 miles just fine. But I had to get that part. A MB place in CA said I'd have to buy the whole cable assembly, it was $178 or something.

I declined to buy that but went to another MB place in a small town, he showed me the exploded view of the parts. I showed him what I needed, just that end piece. He said it's $4.10.

So I did get that piece, but I also have a small zip tie around it so if that part ever fails, the zip tie will prevent the cable from coming though the metal area. Take a look, I did a write up on this previously with photos. The part you need is 202 301 00 93 64. Change your part out if it at ALL looks weak, and put a zip tie around the cable end so if that part breaks, you won't get killed in a car crash.

In case you get bad fuel I guess? If you diesel up at a truck station you should be fine. When I was trucking around the country, I tried to avoid the small low volume gas stations as much as possible.

Have a good and save trip!

87tdwagen · #25 04-13-2025, 08:26 AM

Take a spare serpentine belt, fuses, fluids of all types, fuel, coolant, trans, PS and hydraulic if you have SLS.

mbolton1990 · #26 04-15-2025, 07:26 PM

I've clogged 5x fuel filters at least on these cars.. each time filled with Diesel Kleen to spare my battery and quickly running again at full power.. I carry diesel Kleen if we're on winter blend anyways (30% cetane loss).. Definitely either repair the fuel heater or bypass. Will run like crap when that o ring totally fails

jdulle · #27 04-28-2025, 08:07 AM

The car did pretty well! We got back yesterday. A total of around 6k miles in 2 weeks, which was way too much, but it was a great trip. The only hitches were the exhaust separated at a joint that I put in when I went over a tall speed bump and scraped it. I was able to put back together quickly. Also, power locks stopped working temporarily (not much of a problem), and instruments stopped working (had to twist fuse to restore power). I ended up doing an oil change on the road. I had brought the filter with, and bought a cheap oil pan from auto zone, and delvac oil, and did the change in the parking lot. The car ran great, though runs a little rough at idle. We even took it over a rough road across a mountain range in Arizona to the town of Portal. The most amazing thing I discovered is that most of the oil leaks happen when sitting. When running it leaks or burns almost no oil. I ran it 4k miles in a week and the oil level was still full when I changed it out! I was glad all fluids had been changed and that it was well maintained. On some of the mountain passes on hot days it got a hair over 100 deg. C, and I would shift down to 3 to cool better running at 3.5k rpm. That seemed to lower temp 5 degrees or so.