300TE purchase advice - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Merkey · #76 05-17-2006, 03:25 AM

LGB, thanks, hope you enjoyed the trip!

I will start to look at the hoses.... I will have to look at the IAC as well.

Here is a pic of the engine....
The hose I talked about that has a perished outer is the lower one with an arrow... looks like fuel hose to me?
Its perished below the bracket for the altinator... you cant see it here.

The hose that is connected to the airfilter I have circled RED a nipple that is open to the air... ie has no cable or tube going into it at that point... is that normal?

BENZ-LGB · #77 05-17-2006, 09:31 AM

Merkey:

The large, upper hose in your picture is the breather hose. The area circled in your picture is connected to a smaller hose, it should not be open I will take a picture of mine to show you where the smaller hose comes from. Or, you can remove the air filter assembly and look for the smaller hose. To remove the air cleaner assembly you need to remove three bolts that bolt down the assembly. Two bolts are on the left side of the air cleaner assembly (as you face the engine from the front -- these bolts face up.)

Incidentally, you can see these two screws (or bolts) on the picture that you posted.

The third bolt is on the right side of the engine (this bolt faces sideway). All three use a #10 socket. Once you remove the air cleaner assembly you will also be able to see the ICV and the hoses that lead to it. BTW, to remove the air cleaner assembly you do not need to remove the four screws on top of the air cleaner lid. Those screws just hold the lid down, and are removed when you replaced the air cleaner filter.

If you are good at spanning (love them Brit terms!) you will have no problem removing the air cleaner assembly!

BTW what do the terms "cosseted" and "bespoke" or "bespoken" mean in automotive terms? I keep coming across them in British car mags. I have an idea, but I want to get it right from someone from the other side of the pond.

The lower hose may be an A/C hose or some other sort of pressure hose. The metal fitting at the end closest to the firewall is the kind of fitting used for closed-presure-systems.

If you trace the end of the hose closest to the front of the engine you will see that it either goes in into the tandem pump (the power steering pump) or into the A/C system. If it is an A/C system hose, this may explain your lack of cooling.

Merkey · #78 05-17-2006, 09:52 AM

Thanks LGB...
Spannering is wrenching!
Bespoke means custom or hand built.
Cosseted means well cared for or looked after.
Glad you are getting a kick out of the mother tongue!

I felt that the valve cover to filter housing should not have an open fitting!
I will get the housing off this weekend and take a good look at the hoses... There is a fitting/valve just below that on the inlet manifold that has two hard plastic hoses going into it but I cannot see anything floating loose.

The hose that I was concerned about with the metal fitting comes up from the pass side firewall... its a much smaller pipe from there back, and it goes under the engine and up to the A/C or power steering pump..... SRS pipe maybe for the rear self leveling?
Oh, I looked at the fluid tank and its full.
Lets see what today brings!

carymcooper · #79 05-18-2006, 07:11 PM

That hose that comes up from under the engine and then connects to smaller steel lines is the pressure line from the 4Matic/load leveling pump (at the power steering pump assembly - "tandem pump"). If you suspect a problem with that hose that means there is no hydraulic fluid in the system (check the tank - on the front of the driver's fender liner - that"s where mine is on my 1992 300TE4MATIC). A new line is available and not hard to switch out but they are not cheap (I got one for $212). If this situation has gone on for a very long time it is possible the pump is shot (a new "tandem pump" can be had for about $460).
With respect to these cars in general (I also have a 1990 300CE) I love them and would buy another in a heart beat. However, I work on mine myself so I can keep the cost of ownership down (parts alone can be very expensive - a new ignition module for the 300CE is about $2400! - I lucked out on a used one fro under $300) and I have found it is difficult to find anyone who really knows the 4Matic system.
From your picture I'd say the engine bay looks very nice. Hopefully that extends to the whole car.
If I can be of any more help, let me know.

Merkey · #80 05-18-2006, 07:51 PM

Thanks,
The pipe is as you say Cary, it comes from the lower pump on the drivers side, and it looks ok, just the over sleeve is cracked. The fluid levels are fine, and I am planning to check this week the self leveling function with a few big boned people... ok... me!

It still has not stalled yet!

Merkey · #81 05-19-2006, 02:15 PM

More questions!
Passenger seat front does not come up when switch is operated... it is flat level and wont lift like the drivers... I assume it should?
Orange lights warning illuminated.... books says bulb failure, but I cant see any lights out. Drivers headlamp looks a bit "orange".... could that be it?
Occational grinding from front brakes... sometimes it does it and others not... I have not checked the pad thickness yet.

Any ideas?

iwrock · #82 05-19-2006, 03:08 PM

The warning that says you have a light out. - Check the light that is abouve the license plate. That is often overlooked. I would start there, and then pull the bulbs out of the tailights to see if one is bad. Other than that, check your front markers to ensure that one of them is not burnt out. They have two fillaments inside, one for the blinker, and one for the marker when your headlights on. Oh, and also check the reverse lights.

When your pads are low, or your rotors are worn down, the light that indicates your pads are low will come on. I would do the front brakes, as they are inexpensive and easy to doi it yourself. MAKE SURE YOU USE OEM MB PADS, or else you will have a aqueaking that you cannot rid.

Good luck with fixing the problems.

iwrock · #83 05-19-2006, 03:10 PM

Oh, and your switch that moves the seat could be bad. I have mine fail about every 3-5 years. If you look around, you could probibally find the switch inexpensive. I would call some wrecking yards around to see if they have a switch. I got my last one for $25.00 including tax.

Merkey · #84 05-21-2006, 10:08 PM

Due to some personal commitments, I did not get the chance to look at the car this weekend, but it did stall once!

The stalling is definately linked or associated with the temperature. Whe the car is cold or warming up it runs fine.
As soon as the temp gauge reads 80 or more it begins an irregular miss. The time it stalled, it was reading 85 ish, and my son was letting it move forward at idle in D. I stalled but restarted instantly.
I think I will post this under a new thread to get more coverage, when I get a min!

BENZ-LGB · #85 05-21-2006, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkey

Due to some personal commitments, I did not get the chance to look at the car this weekend, but it did stall once!

The stalling is definately linked or associated with the temperature. Whe the car is cold or warming up it runs fine.
As soon as the temp gauge reads 80 or more it begins an irregular miss. The time it stalled, it was reading 85 ish, and my son was letting it move forward at idle in D. I stalled but restarted instantly.
I think I will post this under a new thread to get more coverage, when I get a min!

See, I don't think that the stalling is temp related, at least not the way you are thinking.

I think it has to do with idling speed. When the car is cold or idling, the idle speed is higher up. Once it warms up, the idle speed goes back to normal.

Perhaps raising the idle speed just a notch may help. Maybe???

Incidentally, Friday I noticed that my E320 was running hotter than usual in stop and go traffic. When I got home I checked the aux. fans. The one on the right (as you face the engine) was running, but making a scraping sound. The one on the left was not spining at all.

Turns out that the left fan runs off a small fan belt that is spun by the right fan. I replaced the fan and voila! the car is now back to running normal.

It is a good idea to keep an eye on that temp gauge.

Merkey · #86 05-21-2006, 11:55 PM

Thanks LGB,
If you get a chance, can you post or email me a pic or desciption of the hose routing that we talked about before... the one that goes into the airfilter/valvecover pipe.
That way when I get a chance, I can look and see what the deal is!

The idle speed is a pretty steady 750-800rpm... it only dips when it misses.
Did you say that it should be 500?
I will start with the vac hoses and work onwards from there!

BENZ-LGB · #87 05-22-2006, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkey

Thanks LGB,
If you get a chance, can you post or email me a pic or desciption of the hose routing that we talked about before... the one that goes into the airfilter/valvecover pipe.
That way when I get a chance, I can look and see what the deal is!

The idle speed is a pretty steady 750-800rpm... it only dips when it misses.
Did you say that it should be 500?
I will start with the vac hoses and work onwards from there!

The idle, in my 300TE when it is fully warmed up is just a hair's breadth above500.

I am having the flex disks replaced this week (plus doing a tranny service). When I get her back I'll take pics of the area where the hose "disappears" into. With the air filter assembly out of the way, this would be a good time for lubing up throttle linkages etc.

Any recommendations on a good lube to use?

Merkey · #88 05-25-2006, 11:20 AM

Here is the link for the SSS thread.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/154029-88-300te-sss-ideas-post1176860.html#post1176860
Now the car is a little cleaner I will take some pics this weekend for you all!
Thanks!

GVB · #89 05-25-2006, 11:35 AM

If you do purchase it, after a pre-buy, dont convert the a/c to 134. Stay with the 12. The 134 systems run at higher pressures. You will end up destroying a compressor. That and the retrofitted systems don't cool very well.

BENZ-LGB · #90 05-25-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GVB

If you do purchase it, after a pre-buy, dont convert the a/c to 134. Stay with the 12. The 134 systems run at higher pressures. You will end up destroying a compressor. That and the retrofitted systems don't cool very well.

What he said.