New 560SL, a few questions
 

I just picked up a 1986 560SL for $3500. The body is good and it drives great, but the seat upholstery could use some help, and it has a few other small problems such as the ABS not working and the blinkers/emergency flashers dead. I am mostly a Diesel guy, but have done a bit of work on my Mom's 450SL.

One strange thing about this new car is when you turn the key to run a relay in the area of the glove box begins clicking (it sounds just like a turn signal relay), this clicking continues when the key is turned off for about 10 minutes, then stops. Any ideas what it could be? Anything I should know about this version of the M 117?

Thanks! I know I’ll be spending more time in this section of the forum…:D

Maybe there is an aftermarket alarm that's causing the flasher/ clicking problem? When mine went bonkers many years ago it did something similar. My blinkers on the '95 E320 quit because of the multi-function relay, but I have no idea if your 560 has this.

The SL sub-forum is pretty dead compared to diesels.

ABS could be anything. I'd do a quick check of all the sensors/connections.

I would start in the fuse box and work backwards from there.

For the ABS problem first check the OVP, for the rest remove and replace each fuse making sure there are good contacts.

Turns out the clicking was the factory alarm relay. I just unplugged it. I checked and replaced the fuses for the turn signal relay, with no luck...where is the turn signal relay located in the 107?

The front brakes are dragging and getting hot enough to start to fade, so I defiantly have some brake work to do. I think I'll put on new calipers and bleed the system for starters. I'm not positive the ABS is non-opp, the light comes on when you start the car for a fraction of a second, then goes off. I did do some panic stops with the car on the test drive and did not notice it kick in, but I was on dry pavement and didn't notice the wheels locking up either. I need to try it on some gravel.

Is there a how to guide anywhere on operating the levers that releases the rear latch for the top? I can't remember how to operate it...I can get the hard top to pop up in the back, but not fully release.

Congrats on what looks like a GREAT buy. I paid twice+ that for mine, and I'm happy as a clam, and still throwing $$ at it. The top procedure is best in this little book, which can be had for about $15.00 if you're patient http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-107-Soft-Top-Manual-Booklet-380sl-450sl-560sl_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1205Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293 Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem3a4fb68ce1QQitemZ250445466849QQptZMotorsQ5fManua lsQ5fLiterature
The same information used to be available free from a website, but has since been blocked. EBay is good for an owners manual too, just ignore the $300.00 price tags some wags put on them there. The top instructions are in the owners manual too. Be very careful playing around with the lever, as the mechanism is easily mucked up and parts can be broken if you don't know what you're doing. If it's in the right position to start, the top hatch pops up when it's pushed downward.

I spent all day on it today...new calipers (painted red of course), pads, brake bleeding, transmission filter and pan gasket, and some Por-15 on some surface rust I found. Now I need to find some wheels that better show off the brakes. :D

I like the stock wheels. It's hard to improve on the perfection Mercedes-Benz built........

Yes, I think I will just refinish the stock wheels for now. The turn signal issue turned out to be a bad emergency flasher switch; I think it was full off soda or something...

ABS works, but the pump keeps pumping after the car is stopped, and shut off. It even started running again after disconnecting the battery. I got it to stop by taking the pump cover off and tapping on the relays, looks like I should grab some at the yard next time I see some.

I got the hard top off too; the cable that pulls the latch off to the side had stretched so it would not pull the latch over. Somehow it came free while wiggling it, and I added a 1/4" spacer made from slit vacuum hose to fix it. The soft top is trash…guess I’ll add that to my $1000 interior order… :(

I'm parting out a formerly gorgeous 560SL with only 41,000 miles on it. If you need anything just holler.