W113 Tech Session

[rmasteller]

Hello,
One of our special MBCA members in Columbus, Ohio is going to host a W113 tech session at his garage on Saturday, August 3rd from 9:00am until we lose interest. This will be very informal, come-and-go as you please, attendees will help dictate the agenda, very hands-on. Bring your garage clothes and get dirty. There will be engines, transmissions, fuel injection pumps, and more for us to wrench on! If you are interested, please send me a Private Message on this board an I'll give you all the details.

The following day, the local MBCA section is hosting an All German car show. Make a weekend of it!!

[rmasteller]

Hello again,
The person hosting this event just sent an update:


This tech session will be a warm-up for possibly a more planned event next year. We will definitely give more notice and have more participation. I am impressed that Cees had considered traveling from the Netherlands to attend if travel arrangements could have been worked out. Achim has expressed an interest in attending from Wisconsin. Pete will be out of town but will try to make it next time. We are fortunate to have such dedicated and enthusiastic members on this list. We are still expecting a larger turn out then originally anticipated. This is a hands on event and not a one man show. All present will be encouraged to participate and share their good and bad experiences. I have rounded up all four versions of 113 cylinder heads for inspection, most engine block and crankshaft assemblies, at least one rear axle unit, a couple 113 auto transmissions for inspection, a standard four speed gear box, a later side shift 5 speed gear box for discussion, several version 113 injection pumps, transistorized and non transistorized ignition systems, both style power steering pumps, both styles of electric fuel pumps. In addition I will have heater control units to inspect, four types of 113 wheels with trimmings, original radios, and more. We will have a tool show and tell including my favorite tools, some special factory, some home made. We will perform some basic repairs on a 113 and will go wherever time and interest takes us. Timing chain, heater controls, injection, maintenance, tune-up, three position solenoid, auto trans, motor mounts, shocks, valve adjustment, and whatever else can be dealt with. Also I am preparing a 108 series rolling chasis for dissection. It has an M130 injected engine and transmission (113), most other major mechanical systems and suspension are the same as the 113. I am cutting away portions of the car for viewing and ease of access. For instance, we will be able to quickly remove the cylinder head, or access the front or rear suspensions. Some local 113 owners with nice original cars and restored cars should have them at the session. The facility is basic and the session will be taylored to the do-it-yourselfer. Emphasis will be on common hand tools and basic shop equipment to maintain your cars. A 24 hour Kinkos is close by for anyone who needs to copy some technical literature.


Anyone interested in coming to Columbus, OH?

Rodd,
Should I go to this event if I am still a beginner at the whole car knowlege thing? I want to go to learn more but I don't want to go if it is too advanced.....

[rmasteller]

Hello,

Here's a brief summary of the Tech Session held this past Saturday at Joe Alexander's place. I'm not going to get everyone's names and cars right, but it's the best I can do. I hope I don't leave anyone out!

Attendees, cars brought:
Joe Alexander, Red 2002 SLK32 AMG, Black 1966 300SE 6.3 sedan
Mary Alexander, Silver 1974 (Euro) 450SLC 4-speed manual
Cees Klumper, could not bring car
Achim Ahlert, could not bring car
Daryl Williams, could not bring car
Rodd Masteller, Arabian gray 1966 230SL
John Sutter, Metallic gray 1967 250SL 5-speed
Tom Sargeant, Tunis beige 1971 280SL
Bill Rader, White 1968 250SL (280SL badge?)
Frank & MaryAlice Cozza, Red 1970 280SL (Regional MBCA Director)
Bo Parrill, Blue 1970 280SL
Bob Fellows, Dark blue 1971 280SL
Harry Sizemore, White 280SL with white MB flat bed truck
Brian and David Pigg, Ivory 1970 280SL
Bob Travis, Green 1968 250SL
Dr. Davis, Two-tone 1963 300SE Coupe
John Buckingham, Black 1960 190SL


We held a give-away thanks to John Olson of the SL Market Letter. Everyone got the two most recent copies of the SL Market Letter and a copy of The SL Legend, which was a supplement to a special edition of The Mercedes Enthusiast. We also had a free drawing for an 18-issue subscription to the
SL Market Letter as well as John Olson's latest book, The SL Experience. The book was dedicated to the 2002 W113 Tech Session, Columbus Ohio and was numbered and signed by John Olson.

I was talking with people from time to time and did not see everything that was covered, but here is a summary of the day to the best of my knowledge. Joe had many parts and assemblies inside and outside the garage to talk about and work on. On a platform in the yard were a few transmissions, engine heads, and more. We never did get to examine the 108 chassis with the fenders cut off. This showed the suspension and steering very well and was meant to provide an education on their workings. With almost every topic, the tools to work on the items at hand were discussed and usually demonstrated. Joe has even made some of his own tools which some of the group members decided to label with a number scheme. JST 001 would be "Joe's Special Tool 001". He's got quite a few!

- We covered oil changes, the special rubber seals that don't come with most filters, and how to check for them and replace them. Very important! We talked about oil coolers as well, their maintenance, and rust problems.

- We looked at the underside of a rusty old 190SL chassis that Joe had on its side. We went through all the grease points and explained what each one was for. We discussed the suspension and driveline components in detail and went over the unibody construction, noting how the W113 was improved over the W121 (190SL). There was much discussion on chassis rust and its prevention and repair.

- We looked at a 280SL head with all the valve components installed with the exception of a broken valve jammed sideways in the valve seat! We discussed all the valve system components, their functions, common failures, repairs, and the variations over the years including head design. Joe displayed several versions of valve seals.

- We examined a couple engine blocks and crankshafts. We learned the differences in separately balanced crankshaft components and ones balanced with all components assembled. Main bearings and their design, failures and repairs were discussed. We talked about wear in the cylinders and piston
rings and how repairs should be conducted.

- We had both types of electric fuel pumps to examine. We found the filter screen in the pump itself. We talked about their workings, how to repair them, what can be rebuilt, and so fourth. While talking about fuel, we discussed the nylon filter cylinder in the fuel tank and the main fuel filter. We talked about measuring fuel flow rates and pressure.

- We watched the inner workings of a 6-plunger fuel injection pump with the side panel removed while it was hand cranked on a bench. Joe even attached a fuel canister to the intake and a fuel line and injector to one plunger and we hand cranked the pump to test the fuel injector spray pattern. Tom Sargeant got a digital video! The detailed workings of the injection pump are complex but were explained. There are many components that can adjust the internal rack that controls the fuel flow. The air valve was explained and we could see the function once dismantled. Shims were demonstrated.

- We talked about the switches and controls that make an automatic transmission work smoothly. We covered the three-position solenoid, the vacuum diaphragm, and more.

- We performed a valve adjustment on my car (thanks Joe, Achim, and others!). It included a hands-on training regarding tightening the head bolts to factory spec to start and then several people got to turn the adjustment wrenches and/or measure the gaps. My brittle valve cover gasket was exposed (torn apart) as a lesson to show everyone how fragile old rubber
is. I had a new spare waiting. Joe removed a rocker arm and explained wear points on various parts. This tied in with the previous lesson using the dismantled 280SL head. Measuring the timing chain for stretch was explained while the valve cover was off. We learned about the chain tensioner and guides, and discussed chain replacement.

- At several times during the day we talked about engine linkage systems, how to adjust them and what each part of the system controlled. Achim and Cees helped Tom Sargeant adjust the linkage between his dash board heater control and the valve on the heater core. How did that turn out, Tom? We learned that there is no linkage connection between the throttle linkage
assembly and the transmission. We learned how to adjust the throttle body linkage to let it close just enough and trigger the switch for the closure. We also learned how to find lean and rich mixtures at idle and at RPMs by disconnecting some linkage and providing more gas or air independently. The resulting RPM change reveals if the normal state is rich or lean.

- There was a lot of time spent on Q&A (questions and answers) at each topic and everyone thought that it was helpful and appropriate. I believe everyone learned a lot from this event, especially due to the format in which it was held. This was mostly Joe leading the group from topic to topic and we all chimed in with questions and answers for each topic.

Regardless of the information that was shared in abundance, the best part of this event was meeting face to face with people I have only written e-mails to. Notice the names in the attendance list above. These people came from everywhere to meet in Ohio. Wisconsin, Virginia, Minnesota, Georgia, and The Netherlands were represented!! It was so great to meet Achim, Cees,
Tom, Daryl, and Bill after trading e-mails for the past year or more. You learn so much more about the person after spending a morning, afternoon, and evening with them. Beer and pizza brings out the best car talk! Their personalities are wonderful and they are great people. I also met some other wonderful gentlemen listed above. John Sutter should join our Yahoo!
Group soon. He is driving his 250SL 5-speed from Gernold's in Maine back to his home in Minnesota. Quite a trip! He also owns a 1970 300SE 6.3 sedan. Frank Cozza raced his Euro 280SL for 9 years before retiring it to a daily driver. He and his wife drove from the Cleveland area for this event. Bob Fellows is an MBCA member who's had his 280SL since it was only a year or
two old. Bob Travis drove his 250SL from Thornville, Ohio. I didn't get to speak with him much, but he e-mailed Mary and Joe expressing his pleasure in the day's events. Harry Sizemore brought his 280SL in on the flatbed of a MB truck! Both are white and look great together! Dr. Davis was another local person I had never met. He drove the two-tone 1963 300SE Coupe with air suspension. He's 91 years old, if I recall correctly! John Buckingham drove the black 190SL, beautiful car! These were all very interesting people and that made the day a wonderful event to enjoy, despite the 95 degree heat and humidity! Several people including myself had cameras, so expect pictures to be posted to the site!

Joe and Mary have mentioned doing this event annually and I think they would get lots of support in this. The unique combination of Joe's experience, knowledge, skill, material resources, location, and extreme generosity creates an environment that I have not seen anywhere else. Mary tirelessly
communicates with people organizing the events and coordinating items like the drinks (thanks!), tents, port-a-john, and more. She personally called local MBCA members to invite them since they had short notice of the event. She invited a local dealership's parts department guy and he was present in
the morning hours. I truly appreciate the work they both put into this event and we should all thank them. Thank the MBCA as well as the drinks and port-a-john were funded by the Club.

Thanks everyone!
Rodd Masteller
Impatiently waiting to get back into the garage!!

[whunter]

I see this was in 2002.

Pictures?

How well was it attended?

Is the group still active = any other events?

Who do you suggest for W113 service in Ohio?