Correct Alignment Program?
 

Dear All:

I justhad my car aligned alst week and had some problems with it fealing loose at heiogh speeds so I also went to the alignment shop to verify the alignment, it seems that the values for everything were different than what the values were when I had it aligned last week. (hence my poor handling experience over the weekend at high speeds) In other words, the tech must have not tightened things up therefore I lost the alignment or he used the wrong/different program. Which brings up my next question.

In setting up the machine for alignment, he entered in 1988 Mercedes from there the are 10 options available for my car:

1988, 190E, 2.3L, Automatic

The machine used is a: John Bean. The different options (programs) for the alignment values are as follows:

1) 190e Sportline
2) 190e ex. Sportline
3) 201. 01/02/12 Hardsprings
4) 201. 01/02/12 Sportline
5) 201. 01/02/12 from 11/1988
6) 201. 01/02/12 to 10/1988
7) 201. 034/035
8) 201. 034/035 Hyd, Ride Height allround
9) 201. 035/128 from 11/1988
10) 201. 036 Evolution 1/2

Now the tech used option number 2 for the alignment values this second time around. My car is not a Sportline. Therefore, I doubt that he has used the correct program values to properly align the vehicle.

Can anyone help me in telling me which alignment option the tech should use to properly align my vehicle? Remember, I live in the third world and the poor guy who aligned my car is not the most literate person and no one at the alignment shop (one of the major chains here in Guatemala) could confidently answer my question.

I am unsure why they have just 190E sportline or 190E without sportline. Under casual observation, that would cover ALL 190's.

The car is probably either a 201.024 or 201.028, you can check the data plate out by the radiator support and find out.
I would say either he was correct in using #2, although it would appear that #6 would be a bit more aimed towards your particular car.

If the alignment is indeed changing after only a short time on the road, it may have some worn components, such a tie rod or drag link ends, ball joints, idler arm bushings, wheel bearings, or control arm bushings.

Gilly

thanks
 

Thanks for the response Gilly. What I think happened is that before he did not use the correct program or did not itghten up after he was done with the alignment.

You say to check the plate, how do I check this? In fact, I know what the 201 stands for but what do the numbers after 201 stand for? What do I look for on the plate? As for the door jam plate, I know that the car was fabricated 01/88.

Thanks, Iggy

Numbers on plate
 

Gilly:

Thanks once again for your help in all of this. It just that here in Guatemala, the tech are not that conscious about the work that they perform. So I just want to make certain that things are done right especially now that I have begun driving this car aroung on a daily basis. Took it away from my wife since she neglected to mention when things failed on her; as to be expected with the mileage and years that the car has. Anyway, here are the numbers on the plate, and I can not match it up with one within the list. Here they are exactly as shown on the plate:

3003512 5
201028 12
31
178 412 531
112472 420 586
444 240
904 494 808
519

Now I see the 201 and then numbes 028 12, can not find this exact sequence in this order within the different options I listed before. Any ideas?

Once again, thanks......

It's option 6. They don't list the 6th digit because it doesn't matter, so 201.01, .02, or .12 are all the same spec, no matter what the 6th digit are.

Gilly

PS Sorry, don't know why these posts are out of order.

Your car according to your plate, is a 201.028.

Just open the hood and look on top of the radiator support, there are numbers stamped into a plate that is screwed down to the top of the support, I'm sure you've noticed it. Just look for the set of 6 numbers that start "201.___"

The entire number is the exact model designation. 201 is the chassis number, the other 3 numbers more specifically identify the model. In the US anyways, the earlier 190E 2.3's were 201.024, the later versions were 201.028. I am unsure what occured to make the model designation change, usually it remains the same.

Gilly