Achtung - Das schweinhund baby benz thread
 

G'day Folks,

This thread started life on the tech help section of the forum but has now been moved to the new long term projects section.

I bought the car as a daily driver but things ended up going a bit wrong for my 1992 W201 190E 1.8

It is chassis type 201.018 (not sold in the US of A) but lots of it will look pretty similar to 2.3 litre M102 owners and there are of course lots of euro goodies on it.

It has a M102.910 engine – fuel injection (hence the E in 190E) which on paper produces more power than the older M102 2 litre carb engines in the W123. It should produce 82kW and 154Nm not dreadful with the weight of the car being 1170 kg. This engine has the duplex chain (not the more temperamental simplex ones which were made earlier) which is a plus despite its piddly size for a Mercedes.

It isn't a super fast sexy car but it isn't too bad – 60 mph at 3000 rpm and illegal speeds above 4000 rpm (I guess) in top gear which is 4th...

...faster than a non turbo W123 300D which is what I'm used to.

Here are some pictures

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485048

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485048

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485048

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485048

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485048

Since buying the car I have done quite a bit of work on it. Some of the work done has prompted the following spin off threads that might be of interest.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/344307-w201-differential-refresh-thread.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/341253-717-412-5-speed-manual-gearbox-refresh.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/352107-w201-annular-axle-re-boot-much-easier-than-w123-homokinetic-axles.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/345799-w201-steering-box-refresh-adjust.html

If anyone thinks other content in the thread is worth assembling into separate threads please let me know. These long build threads are nice to follow and read but they aren't necessarily the best way of showing how to do small jobs within the bigger whole.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485206

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485206

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485206

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373485206

It has just over 170K km on the clock which is probably correct.

In general it feels like a new car if it wasn't for the =>

Known problems so far

1) Slight whine from differential at motorway speeds it isn't too loud yet (well known fault for the W201 apparently)
2) Driver's door lock doesn't lock but will unlock
3) Small amount of drive line shunt – not too bad
4) Wallows slightly in corners at speed – probably needs some suspension help in the next 10,000 km or so...
5) Slight steering wheel wobble at speeds I shouldn't be doing – so not really a problem
6) Ever so slight top end tapping clatter at revs above 2500 rpm – barely noticeable but there

Project “the hunt for rust (be)fore October” is to commence ASAP!!!!! I've seen some bits on it already I want to put a stop to it as quickly as I can.

I'm buying shares in Dinitrol

Note to self - Differential information
 

201 350 11 39 ring gear and pinion 1:3.64 (5 speed)
201 350 18 39 ring gear and pinion 1:3.46 (4 speed)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373486697

Another note to self - gear box and diff ratio information
 

5 speed transmission data

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373488306

Estimated road speeds that do not take into account any losses engine power aerodynamics etc etc

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373488487

TRAITOR!:)

Congrats on the beautiful new car!

OH YEAH
 

So the search is over? Great looking auto. You no doubt will have years of enjoyable tooling around your part of the world. Tell me one thing.....I've never seen that style of seat material...what would you call the design? It also looks clothe not leather. Whatever it is, it sure looks clean. Congrats.

Bad isn't it?

(But I think you've probably heard about the Dutch government's new anti-diesel laws that are probably coming into effect)

I am so glad not to be car hunting anymore - let the spare parts chase begin!

Now I can start to enjoy myself.

I don't know much about the car yet - the seller called the cloth interior "Karo" - but I don't know what that means.

More pictures of the car in the advert =>

Mercedes Benz 190 E 1.8 1992 Zwart 171000 km. PRACHTSTAAT ! - Mercedes-Benz - Marktplaats.nl

(This link won't last for long though)

Here's the output from the Russian VIN generator (which unfortunately doesn't help with the answer about the interior)

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373491773

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1373491779

Looks like the AMG steering wheel has gone east...

Interior code is 317 which according to the information here

MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLE OPTION - PAINT - TRIM CODES - MBWorld.org Forums

it is fabric - plaid black

Outside paint is 199 - called black pearl (blue-black) (blauschwarz) metallic

Y'all got all the good stuff across the pond. I wish our 201 had manual windows, climate control, steel wheels.

Think you could score another set of E codes? These sealed beams are downright dangerous. Trade you a 201 trunk spoiler! haha.

I'll bet you an Euro to a bagel you don't make it until October on the rust.:P

I don't want a spoiler but if you are feeling rich - as in you want to spend lots of money on shipping - then send me a PM if you want me to find you some stuff. I'm out shopping for bits as it is anyway...

Are you trying to encourage me to take the car to bits? I like a challenge but I do need to drive this one! I have to be relatively sensible...

...no really I do...

What....Tiny...Car... What happened to the W140 Land Yacht.....

Martin

Thats a sweet W201! :) Same color combo as mine except I have the black-tex interior. I still prefer power windows so I can open all of them from the drivers seat.

Mine used to be a gas M102 (2.3 liter version)....that engine passed on and has been replaced with an OM601. Slow but durable and way better fuel economy. I do wish I had a 5-speed manual like that!