Achtung - Das schweinhund baby benz thread

[Stretch]

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











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.

The W201 differential refresh thread

717.412 (5 speed manual gearbox) refresh

W201 annular axle re-boot – much easier than W123 homokinetic axles!

W201 steering box refresh and adjust

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.

[Stretch]

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

[Stretch]

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)

[Stretch]

5 speed transmission data



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

[PARSHOOT1]

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.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by PARSHOOT1

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.

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)





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

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Jealous. I wish we got that interior in the US along with the crank up windows. Congratulations on the excellent purchase.

[Stretch]

I'm surprised the interior is causing a few comments - I was thinking about trying to find a black leather one - may be I'll stick with what I've got for now...

Originally Posted by tjts1

Jealous. I wish we got that interior in the US along with the crank up windows. Congratulations on the excellent purchase.

As for the windows...

Originally Posted by pawoSD

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!

...I decided not to buy a...

Originally Posted by MAVA

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

Martin

...because I couldn't stand the thought of owning a car with electric windows!

(Seriously Martin I had a look for a W140 but they were all high mileage and needed a lot of work - rusty - very rusty)

The car does however have an electric sunroof and electric door mirrors - but manual windows - go figure

[Walkenvol]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I'm surprised the interior is causing a few comments - I was thinking about trying to find a black leather one

As am I. Cloth = nice, big black checkered squares = not my cup of tea.

[Skippy]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Jealous. I wish we got that interior in the US along with the crank up windows. Congratulations on the excellent purchase.

+1 Maybe it's a case of the grass always being greener on the other side of the pond, but I'm always jealous of the Euro features we don't get over here.

[Shortsguy1]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Please allow me to officially introduce myself to the tech help forum – long time DD poster – occasional lurker – no longer just a diesel W123 owner who has now bought a 1992 W201 190E 1.8

TRAITOR!

Congrats on the beautiful new car!

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by Shortsguy1

TRAITOR!

...

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)

[Stretch]

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

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Stretch

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

Now THAT is a sexy looking car! You are lucky to have that Bruno Sacco styled little diamond!

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

Now THAT is a sexy looking car! You are lucky to have that Bruno Sacco styled little diamond!

Oh Jim! Just you wait and see what I found lurking underneath - Lucky isn't a word I would have used...