good week-end - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

CSchmidt · #1 08-05-2003, 09:38 AM

Folks,

The kids were away, the wife was busy, and I got a few hours to play with the car. I had been collecting parts for a bit so.....

- replaced the intake manifold gasket to solve a leak around cylinder #1. Inspecting the manifold and crossover pipe showed very minor build up for 245K. I'd guess 1/16" or less of crud, no major deposits as seen in some of the VW TDI sites. I tried some STP "Intake Manifold Cleaner" - probably their carb cleaner in a new can. It did dissolve much of the deposit though.

- ran some purge through it. It seems a bit smoother at idle. I've only had 2 cold starts with really warm temps, so no noticeable difference yet.

- time for yet another oil change. This time Wally World (if I am remembering correctly) had Mobil 1 15-50W on sale for less than $20 a jug. I usually use dino 15-40 oil, but wanted to run a few doses of synthetic to at least clean up the guts a bit. On further inspection of the bottles, it was for 5 quarts not 4. Time to go back and check for more.

- while the oil was out I replaced the oil sender unit, I mentioned in a responding to a different post that my sender became binary, 0 if off, 3 if on. It now functions correctly again.

- I played with the fan a bit. Cold it is stiff to turn. Once it warms up it doesn't seem to rev as it should. I think it may be low on the internal silicone. I ordered the Toyota goo and went to pick it up last week. The warehouse shipped the wrong stuff to them (3000 rating, not 10,000). So I'll try that when time permits next. BTW - the part # of the silcone was tough for them to find. It is "08816-10001" for the 10,000 rated stuff.

- also while at Wally's place I got some of the Cast rol SUper Clean. Way cool stuff. Really cleans things up.

Next up I think is the seat motor to raise / lower the back of the driver's seat.

Chuck - with only a few skinned knuckles

fredjj · #2 08-06-2003, 05:40 PM

Is that Catrol stuff the purple stuff. If so I second the opinion on it being good. But the fumes can be something else in tighter quarters.

psfred · #3 08-06-2003, 11:25 PM

Chuck:

If the fan is stiff cold, but turns almost freely after running a bit, it's working. You have to let the temp go up to the white line above 80 to see if it is running, it usually won't come on much before that. You should hear it roar and it must stop when that hot within one revolution. It will again be fairly stiff to turn with the engine off.

Peter

CSchmidt · #4 08-07-2003, 12:51 AM

Peter,

Thanks for checking and keeping my logic straight. I took the car for a drive, close to 90* outside around NC this time of year. Lots of stop / start, and the acceleration really bumps the temp. So after a while of running errands, city traffic, the temp is at 100*, maybe 102* on the guage on the dash. I thought it was appropriate to check the fan at the Mercedes dealership while picking up the snubby socket to remove the fan. Turned the engine off and the fan spins for 4-5 seconds. It turns easily by hand. So I am guessing there is some "goo" in the fan, but maybe not enough. The Toyota dealer called today to say they have the correct stuff in now. I hope to pick it up and try to install maybe next week. Still job hunting this week.

My expectation is the fan may be a part of the problem, but I am saving allowance $ for a new radiator and keeping an eye on the temp guage to prevent any damage. At highway speeds ( 60-80 mph around here), with outside temps at around 90*, the engine temp is between 95-100*, ac or no ac. That seems a bit high. The radiator on this car is about 5 years old, but it appears to have regular Prestone type antifreeze. I have heard that leads to crudding up and loss of efficiency. So I'll try the fan for $20, learn a bit more about how all the parts work, and start shopping for a radiator.

This is a really fun car to learn about. Definately a step above the Fords, Chevy's and VW's I've played with in the past. I am still amused (and intimidated) a bit at the number parts that must be removed when making a repair, but I am learning to get braver and just go do it. Have done the AC and the intake manifold, next is the fan and then the driveshaft I think to get rid of my 50-60 mph vibration. Thanks again for the support here. I wish I could return the assistance as much as it has been offered here. Thanks again.

Chuck

psfred · #5 08-07-2003, 07:14 PM

Chuck:

MB is kinda new to mass production -- up til the 80's, model runs were in the 20,000 range, more or less. Probably only triple that for the W123 and W126 models, so the "hand built" character is still there.

Engines have LOTS of parts -- my friend Hans told me he had to put up with lots of guff when he finished MB school and went to work for a Ford dealer, until they had an MB diesel come in used that needed an engine overhaul. roughly twice the number of parts as in a typical Ford 4 banger of the eara (late 1950's) and much tighter tolerances. He didn't get any flack after that, as none of the other mechanics would touch it on a bet.... too intimidated.

I would guess the rad is shot, Prestone type green coolant isn't the best for aluminum rads -- seems to contain too much phosphate, and that both corrodes and plugs them up. Won't dissolve in anything, either, I know, I've tried in other applications.

Peter