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#1
08-18-2008, 12:45 PM
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Finally bought an SL - 1986 560SL
I would like to thank all of you who have provided a lot of feedback over the past several weeks. We had a 1986 560SL 'fall into our laps' yesterday, and couldn't pass it up. White with blue interior, new soft top - in great shape with 74,000 miles - and we got it for $6000. Runs great so far!
Only 2 or 3 issues - 1) cruise doesn't work (probably the amplifier), 2) no air from the center vents - plenty from the defrost and the 2 side vents, and 3) the ACC climate control doesn't seem to work right. If I turn the temp wheel all the way to minimum, I get cold A/C, but when I try to set the automatic control to any temperature, the air gets warm-hot. I know what's going on with the first 2 items - any ideas about the ACC system? Pictures to follow this evening - I hope... Thanks for a great forum! Ryan
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RG Newell 1984 300D 1972 250 1986 560SL 1991 300CE 
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#2
08-18-2008, 04:42 PM
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560sl
Good News! Welcome to the 560SL world. Everybody has cruise control and center vent problems and some have climate control problems. If that is all, you have bought well.
In my case, (88 560SL) I am temporarily handling the center vents by sticking a 1/2" dowel through the vent to hold it open when the a/c is on. I will get to the cruise control eventually but it needs some serious fault isolation rather than just throwing parts at it. Your climate control problem is probably in the controller pushbutton unit. There are plenty of them for sale on ebay at a reasonable price. I paid $45 for mine.
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#3
08-19-2008, 12:05 AM
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1. It's worth lubricating the linkages with trans fluid, but you are right, it's likely the amplifier. Search this site and you might be able to repair it yourself. Or, you can get a rebuilt (but if you mess with your core, they might not give you credit for it). Or, you can get one from eBay cheap (might work, might not), but beware - early models are not interchangeable, and later ones have coding plugs and you must use the correct one for your car or the cruise will behave erratically or even dangerously. Replacing it is a #$#$@#$, the top screw is a DOUBLE @#$@#. 2. It is probably the center vent pneumatic pod - it can be replaced or rebuilt with parts and a tool available from Performance Analysis - but this is also EXTREMELY tough to replace. 3. There is a foam tube that isolates a thermistor from the heat in the dash, and it has probably rotted out. And/or, it's worth taking out the climate control unit and cleaning the potentiometer and switch. While you are doing this, you can get a tape from the dealer to replace the crummy tape that is probably peeling off of your temperature wheel/pot.
__________________
86 560SL With homebrew first gear start! 85 380SL Daily Driver Project http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm
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#4
08-19-2008, 12:21 AM
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Congrats on your new-to-you car...sounds like you got a good one with minimal repairs needed. I agree with all the other comments on likely causes of your mentioned problems, and would add only on your ACC issue...if you're getting cold air on the min setting, and warm on any other setting, my experience with that problem is caused by a failed monovalve, (see http://www.***************/search/product.aspx?sid=vypnax55apqszgb1ncscbv55&makeid=800016@Mercedes&modelid=1195309@560SL&year=1986&cid=24@AC%20%26%20Heat%20-%20Climate%20Control&gid=6860@AC%20%26%20Heater%20Control%20Valve ) It will take you all of 5 minutes to replace this very common component that our cars love to eat! Good luck and enjoy your new ride! Bob
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Bob Jones Bradenton, FL '87 560SL-Sold '99 SL500 For Now
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#5
08-19-2008, 09:34 PM
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__________________
RM Smith 1988 560SL "Where is it again that we are going, and why are we in this handbasket"? Last edited by Walrus; 08-22-2008 at 12:38 AM.
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#7
08-23-2008, 11:13 PM
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So far, fixed the ACC problem by replacing the foam tube - and I think, reconnecting the dash temp sensor (I don't think the sensor was even connected to the wiring). The hose was gone and after replacing it with a plastic hose, the temperature wheel runs like it's supposed to. The center vents are open via a dowel rod for the time being, but I have vacuum tested the pod just to the left of the radio and it is clearly bad. I have a whole new pod coming, but I'm not sure how to get the old one out - and then how to get the new one installed (I have read all of the posts...) I can get to it but the rivets have me worried...
Thanks for all of the suggestions. ryan
__________________
RG Newell 1984 300D 1972 250 1986 560SL 1991 300CE
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#8
08-25-2008, 09:04 AM
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Mine had plastic spindles that fed through the bracket and they were capped with little metal caps to hold it in place. I broke the spindles off the body of the old actuator and it came right out. The problem was getting the arm that controls the flaps drilled out so it came off the old actuator and let me get the new one into place. I got too excited and wound up disconnecting it from the defrost flaps, up inside the dash. It added days to my job, but I didn't want to tear the dash apart. I finally sacrificed a carpenter's square, bent the ruler at about a 40 degree angle and had someone shine a flashlight down into the defrost vents with a mirror resting on the windshield. That way I could see what was going on while I maneuvered the arm around to press fit it back into the hole on the defrost flaps. Once it was basically lined up I squeezed it all the way on with the ruler. I was able to get it reattached without doing any more damage, but I could easily have broken the tab off the defrost flaps, too. If I'd used a dremel to drill out the rivet and worked more carefully I never would have caused myself the problems I did. Instead I tried to use my regular drill and that didn't work at all well. I would suggest doing things the reverse of the way I did. Start by drilling out the one rivet holding the arm in place, while everything is fixed and won't move around on you, then get the old actuator removed. To attach the arm to the new actuator I used a very small screw and nut - super thin or it'll interfere with the movement of the flaps - with loctite to hold it in place. I tried several different screw/nut combinations before I found one thin enough to not bind things up.
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#9
08-25-2008, 04:50 PM
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I just replaced all my vacuum actuators. I have done that work on a W124 and a W126 before but never on a W107. Let me tell you it was the most frustrating experience of them all. Taking the dash off, not having enough room, etc. I then decided (as my center flap actuator has actually broken the plastic ducting it was attached to), to take the upper part of the duct off. I was able to pry it off with everything else in place but getting it back on was just impossible. I had to make some modifications (which do not alter its function) to be able to pry the front plastic back on. It took me two days 10 hours each to do this (but then this was the first and hopefully last time I had to do this).
Good Luck!
__________________
1983 560SL Megasquirted (originally 380SL) My former Mercedes: 1985 300SD ~190k 1990 560SEL 2000 C220 CDI 1983 380SEC 102k dual-chain conversion 2000 C280 70k (sold) 1987 300DT (W124 - sold) 1972 220D (sold) 1971 220D (sold)
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#10
08-25-2008, 10:30 PM
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I am going to tackle the center vent problem later - right now I'm using the tried and tested 'dowel rod' method! And it is working fine...
I did get the cruise fixed - replaced the amplifier and it works great. In case anyone is interested I used this company - http://www.benz-store.com/ - for the amplifier, 3 yr. warranty and $165. I do have a couple of questions: 1) What is the normal operating temperature of these cars? Mine seems to get hot - runs at or slightly above the line between the 80 and 120 marks (100, I guess). Today, I was idling for a while at a fast food place and it got a little hotter than that. When I accelerated, I noticed a pretty heavy cloud of white smoke out the exhaust - went away quickly and as I drove the car it cooled back down... 2) When I put the car in Park, the car rolls a bit before finally settling into Park. I have noticed this on other automatic transmission cars, but this seems a little excessive. Any thought? Ryan
__________________
RG Newell 1984 300D 1972 250 1986 560SL 1991 300CE
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#11
08-26-2008, 07:21 AM
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overheat and roll
I think you have an overheating problem. My 1988 560SL runs and idles normally at the 80 degC mark. On the hottest (90+ deg ) days I get one or two needle widths above 80. The thing that makes me itch most about your symptoms is the white smoke. It could indicate a leaking head gasket. Any drop in coolant level without coolant on the ground? These are all aluminum engines and overheating should be avoided since the metal is inelastic and once crushed by heat expansion, can change shape slightly. If a gasket problem, it is not an inexpensive repair even if DIY since the aluminum heads should be machined and helicoiled before replacement. Should do both heads.
The roll in Park is probably common and normal. Mine does the same.
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#12
08-26-2008, 08:21 AM
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Use the parking brake.
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#13
08-26-2008, 02:01 PM
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#15
08-27-2008, 10:04 AM
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vent Kluge
Sorry, thought I already answered.
Dowel size unimportant but max is 1/2". Turn a/c on. Insert dowel through one of the center vents to a depth of about 8" until you feel it contact the flapper. Be gentle since there is the potential of displacing or puncturing the rubber boot. Press gently until the flapper opens. You will get flow through both vents. The dowel must remain in place when a/c through the center vents is desired. Removing the rod will close the vents. You should fix this problem properly. This Winter would be a good time.
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