Don't stress. It was a complex used car and you were trying to get a handle on everything at once; even the seller was questionable, it seemed, and the registration issues, the gas filler flap, missing records, overheating, impossible lic. plate brackets, all of it, now another trip.

Consider it deferred gratification, just some things to square away, but those things are heaven on wheels when they are running well.

And, they will ALWAYS look good. A testament of the discernment and good taste of its owner.

They are assuredly NOT some ugly Hyundai, with interior of plastic cheap hell.

It is old fashioned German quality, the feeling of riding in a car hewn from stone and that is fast, comfortable, safe stylish and everlasting.

You will have another Mercedes day. I guess I will, also, tomorrow. goodnight


(also: about Hood pads) see

560SL hood pad


And on a somewhat downbeat note,* please* be sitting, before looking at this SEC picture/story.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/mb-safety-testimonials/1318365-126sec-easter-weekend-fatalities.html

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Morning,

Thanks for those links

Yep, tempted to call the car
"Christine"



Sh'es got to me & I want to make her whole.

I figured out how to tell if t'stat is opening
just have to feel upper rad hose when hot water comes in & check temp on dash

I did know that 15 yrs ago
but it has been a long tine since I have had this problem
My brother solved it w a 160 t stat.

the cooler a engine runs the more power
I can't see even running an engine on 100 like he said would be ok
thats 212 & with coolant its not in danger of boiling
but why runs so hot?

I know its a euro engine
so specs in book such as compression maybe are not right???
Anyway my 500 SEC manula is a 84 but that US engine was 8.3.

Well, will check coolant level & may have to take Volvo out to get it some
MB cooling nectar...

Have to hound the seller & give him the report
I do admit I am glad it seems to be in fine condition excpet for the problems of the thermo & motor mountd.

Not getting enough sleep
even the bird has been a bit cranky



Have a great day

Now I have to check wipers
I asked him to change blades but he didn't maybe they are ok
maybe they don;t work?
There is some sort of rubber strip under one side
looks like its in the way
There were 2 of those strips
looks like something happened to one in the shop.
It was loose maybe it got set aside...oooh well.
Trouble is maybe its best they don;t touch those things
I;d want the window washed beofre testing wipers
I really don;'t want it scratched up
the car is old yes
but I expect it to be taken care of like it was a new one.

I'll think about it
I may have my guys do the mainteanance
I wanted a good service brakes coolant etc
I told him I don;t think the fuilds have been changed for 2 to 4 years though there are only 300 miles on them.

he didn;t even want to change the oil
To be fair I don;t know how bad that is with 300 miles on it but time does degrade fluids also.
but in the end its not saving money if you have to get a new radiaritor & have deposits on the engine because you didn;t change the coolant....



Radiaitor is Behr
it might be able to take reg coolant but still the engine may have alum parts & the MB fluid is formulated to protect them.

Like you said its not a Hyundai....

I may have to take it back to get what I wanted perhaps & didn;t know how to ask for it which would be sort of a major service. check plugs
tune it etc. but perhaps its fine & I;m just obsessing.

Something happened to my turbine sound
actually the engine is even quieter

I don;t mean to complain
I just don't think we had a meeting of the minds
I let him use his best judhgement but I really think the fluids should be changed


His advice is to drive it
see what it needs then come back....

Well off to check under Chrisitne's hood & call MB to see whats next....
Coolant resovoir is still only filled almost half...So is that it?
Have to call MB to see whats next

This one is tricky. My brand new one got stained a bit from the rain last year. Here are others talking about it. W126 owners - no real agreement

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w126-s-se-sec-sel-sd-sdl-class/1336118-best-way-clean-headliner.html

I washed the car this morning, it wasn't actually that bad afterwards.
But there is a spot on the roof that was ruined I think. I think only the Roof needs to get buffed out - but it may be too late.

Rest of it looks ok - from 5 feet anyway.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

He says just plain water is OK to fill resovoir...
Says a say 1/2 filled resovoir might have a affect
so we have to see...it could as I estimate the res to be aabout a gal cap

I may not have noticed the streaks on the sunroofliner
have to check pics but he opened it
Then again I did not notice the corner of the headliner nbeing down
Just so much to look at.

there is a fine red line of bright red paint on the very front ege of the hood.
didn't notice that either.

If you have the car outside
least keep it covered
2 years in hot CA sun is not good
esp a dark car.

Well I have to see how to get cap off resovoir
Its just a plastic pull type
I wonder how that keeps a good vacumn
Personally I don;t like the design of it
doesn;t appear to be the way of good geman engineering

Thanks again, you do have a way with words
but these cars do seem to evoke the poet in all of us...

Took 6 pints too bring it about an inch from neck
He said fill it to the neck
so thats almost half the coolant capacity or 13.7 pts.
Got to have an affect

The coolant is precipitated
there are blue/reen particles inside

I wiped the inside of the neck as it had blue crystal too.

Is this normal?
I never remember seeing anything like this?

Hsvn't run it yet
Frankly it;s getting daunting.

Could some sort of sealing solution been added to coolant to cause this
or is this normal breakdown of coolant.

Doesn't look like it would be good unless it dissolves under higher temps?

While it's wise to watch the coolant level in these, they do not in my mind demand obsessive attention. The blocks are good iron, but the heads ARE aluminum - like the Volvo 740; but also, like the 740, they are pretty tough and can take abuse. It would take a lot to blow the head gasket.

My Volvo was once driven - not by me the entire length of the SF Bay Bridge with NO coolant after a hose was busted on the car, the driver having been instructed by me a long time prior to NEVER EVER stop for ANY reason whatsoever on that bridge, as it would, and usually did, result in high spped rear end crashes and fireballs.

The total mileage was 10 miles and the car was clanking and steaming and huge clouds of white smoke were billowing out of it. I had the Volvo towed directly back across the bridge to the Volvo mechanic in San Francisco who felt certain the haed gasket was blown and the motor was fit only to be junked.

However, after the installation of new hoses, belts, waterpump and coolant, the car ran like new.

The Volvo mechanic himself was ASTONISHED and pronounced the Volvo 740 cars with the 2.3 4-cylinder as totally un breakable. It was amazing.

Back to the 560 SEC Benz:


I have never had much to worry about with the coolant or thermostat.

Generally my approach was to only use a 50/50 mixture of genuine Mercedes Benz coolant (not the Xerex, Prestone or other stuff) and tap water.

No problems ever from this. Simply kept the coolant at an acceptable (more or less to full) level in the overflow reservoir where it could be visibly checked.

The radiator cap was replaced at 49,000 miles.

Every 30,000 miles the coolant was flushed (per the owner's manual instructions)

The car came with an OEM Behr radiator (as likely did yours) and because of the radiator hose necks on them, I had a new Behr radiator installed as preventative maintenance at 75,000 miles.

It runs at 80, but it possible that the 500SEC euro like yours may run hotter.

I don't think you will find out about the correct temp. in the owner's manual, but yu are wise to monitor it.

As the engine warms, coolant is sucked into the engine from the overflow tank, so my thinking is that there is no need to normally remove the radiator cap.

All coolant was added through the overflow reservoir where its level could be watched. As you know it is VERY dangerous to release a radiator cap when the motor is hot.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I looked at the Volvo engine today
It really is a simple masterpeice

Even the exhaust manifolds are great

The Volvo engine & compartment is better than the Mercedes
That Volvo was really babied & literally looks like new
So I believe it...

Back to my sore thumb

I started it
I am literally afraid
Afraid it will bust a timing chain
or whatever with the unknowns

It started right up

The coolant in the resovoir had blue/green particles floating in it after I added water.

Is this normal?
Is it bad?

Should I have the coolant changed
The radiator is a Behr so I think it may not original but it has a benz star om it but it has no radiator cap!!!!
None I checked. how can that be?????


Idle was a bit hi over 1000 (higher than I've seen it in past but might have missed it at startup)
Oil pressure 3
I ran it about 15 min in Park
idel went down to about 800
Temp went up to about 80
T stat opened about there as top rad hose got warm
Temp went up eventually to around 100 oil pressure 3

I shut it down

One thing I noticed is that the res coolant tank stayed cold
It never entered the system
Is this normal?

Checked odom
Its 10 miles to MB Motors & I took a few wrong turns...

Euro could run hotter because of additional restriction imposed upon it by US that it wasn't designed for.
Cat convert could affect it.

I guess I will have to take it out
I;m sort of afraid it will get real hot again

On idle it seems to be sort of stable to around 100
but perhaps acceleration creates more heat than it can disapate.

If it didn't take any of the res coolant than apparently it wasn't the cause for it running hot but I wonder why res coolant didn;t get hot today.
Radiator was hot

I have to figure out what to do next

Or chance a 10 mil trip to MB

Today though it ran hot it was in no immediate danger

As far as the motor mounts
the engine actually looks like it might vibrate more than it was as it hardly has any motion
Now I see a little.

I heard some tapping of rockers guess they are
I would suppose he listened to engine
didn;t comment on it.

I really like to know more but I guess that takes time & I suppose most of his clients don't want all the details.

Yep, saw one yesterday drive away in her slc
Boy that car hardly has any cab
I think I:d get clastrophobic
She was an older woman in her Burberry jacket & heels

I go in in shorts tank top and tennis shoes
LOL

Pleae understand, mi amiga.

I am NOT an expert - nor a mechanic. Those are found else where here and on Benzworld... I only give you the benefit of my experiences of 10 yrs with an SEC and my opinions and what I have discussed and read with others.

A 500SEC is a VERY tough automobile, and very had to destroy. I know of one 380SEc that's done over 825,000 miles, and that is a LOT by any masure, & that car runs acceptably.

About 600-700 rpm is about right for the 560 (not sure about the 500 euro) but they are susceptable to the "dreaded high idle" problem, so itf you have that, to quote the tom Jones song, "It's not unusual" Often the problem can be traced to a sticking orfaulty idle control solenoid. It happened with mine.

I would just monitor it is all I think; but it is up to you. Are you anal-retentive about all this (many EC owners are) and want to spend whatever it takes to be perfect, or is it within tolerable limits to you?

I think though, if it were me, a change and flush of coolant would be inorder.

~~~For one, you don't have records (GET THEM!!) so you don't know when the coolant was last changed, cettainly not for 2 years, so it may have broken down over time as you say, and not mileage. so it may probably be due;

~~~Plus if you do it, the cost is modest, and it's good for another 30,000 miles with what you rack up would take a long time, so you would be set for a long time....

PLUS, I forget the proper color for the coolant, and the wrong stuff MIGHT be in there. The easiest rule to follow, if you can afford it, is that Mercedes Benz parts are best and often cost no more than cheap other stuff.

The wrong coolant in there won't help your engine live longer, and if you put in the right stuff now, after a flush, you are set for a long time, and ALSO, you are establish ing a starting point for future maintenance for the car.

So long as there aren't leaks from the hoses, radiator, or water pump, you are in better shape than you though. It seems the car was well looked over. Show me a Buick, Honda or ANY car this nice with 196,000 miles on it.

I am getting the impression that you are feeling overwhelmed at this point.

It was a major purchase & blow to your pocketbook, and the car looks expensivee and complicated but I think there is less to worry about than you think.

It does run, down't leak and should be able to run fromhere to there.

Just relax, and take the things inorder of importance. the coolant/temp. issue, any maintanance dur, any OPTIONAL maintenance due, little things like the license plate brackets, & wqheel locks, and then fun or secondary things. Like cupholders, trips in it, accessories like Eurolights or CDs of yor favorite songs.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Sometimes with cars like this in my opinion the owner and his/her mechanic need to be on the "same page"

The subtext I am getting here is that you migh not be on the same page as Enrique. Not saying it is right or wrong; just that it is good when there is a confluence of philosophies between the two

Enrique sounds like a fellow who may believing in savingmoney and thinks the customer should do it, by only performing what needs attention at the time, and not a great deal more than that.

Other customers, of which you may be one, are more picky - as can befit these fine cars, and demand the best in preventative maintenance.

It sounds like your British/Volvo/MB place is more conventional in that they believe in more the preventative thing too, and may urge you to spend more on doing things not strictly necessary but yet god insurnace anyway.

It is like two different approaches to the issue? Neither is more "right" than the other but it is how I see it.

That said, which approach is better for you? Might be Enrique, maybe not.
I think that the mechanic's approach should match yours, that is all.

Which type of person are you? I had the problem also, and knowing who I was helped me with finding the right one, usualy.

I hope that makes sense. Perhaps you are a worrier, and need to feel reassured, by tackling and paying more for everyting.

I think you get what I am saying here.

Knowing yourself, as you do, which car mechanic of the two would you go to? Both could work on it but the goals might be different, do you see yourself as a PICKY OR PRACTICAL individual with respect to the car?

THE ANSWER TO THAT COULD GUIDE YOU to the correct mechanic...

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I agree a flush & new collant is inorder
I thought he did it
He mentioned coolant but I guess he meant he topped it
Still the resovoir was half.

Maybe its good he didn't change coolant til we figure if the radiator has a problem or the water pump or whatever as it would be a waste

Coolant did not look good to me
I've never seen things floating in it...blue green gunk

I am thinking someone may have thrown in a sealer
probably the curbstoner if I can imagine.

I just want to know its running ok with no danger of ka plunk.
Guess it takes time to get confidence in it
& so far it has been giving me some headaches & scares


Spoke to MB
Gave him all the details
He said if it doesn;t go much above 100
there is no danger
He said as for the cool res it hadn't circulated
He says it probably wouldn;t circulate until it was driven
but it was 100...so he says drive it & see
Next time he says flush the radiator & add coolant

The car is intimidating

What about no radiator cap?
MAybe thats a Euro design
If so is this the radiator with the weak neck?
Maybe it should be changed?

I emailed my brother in NY
He's done his own cars
but no benzes

This is what he says

Hi Looks like a wondeful car, Maybe the fan or thermostat not working properly why it runs hot. Do you see any bubbles of foaming while the engine is on and the cap is off with a cool engine before it builds up pressure. yes if they changed the thermostat, it mudt be the blue silicone gasket material they used to put back the thermostat housing

If when they put in the gasket there was residual on the neck it could have gotten in the system
so maybe thats good the old coolant washed it

What do you think?

Ahhh, again: No records, no records, no records. You gotta gettem, CS!

If you had 'em you would know, how old the radiator coolant and hoses were.


Of course the car needs a radiator cap. Did he forget to replace it or did it come like that from the curbstoner/seller? Maybe thats not fair to ask , in allthe excitement of the deal you didnt notice. But you need one.

If this was my new car, and it had that funny coolant, that might be the wrong coolant for the car, and it had sat for 2 years or over, (and the owners manual suggested changing it every 3 years/30,000) AND if I did not know if it was the original radiator with the unreinforced hose neck, AND the car had 196,000 miles, AND it was NOT leaking coolant anywhere, I would probably:

No matter what, buy the CORRECT radiator cap right away & install..

And maybe not right away, as Enrique said (I kind of like how he thinks, here) then drive the car awhile, right away, take a few trips around town and on the highway ans check the temperature, and if it is OK not worry about it, BUT:

When I had the time and money, I would take it back to him for the following:

New Behr or Nissens radiator.

New hoses (including bypass hose)

Inspect ALL heater hoses incl ones that go into the firewall - replace where necessary.

Fresh coolant in the new radiator (ask also about a reverse flush into the block)

++++++++++++

In sum: If I had the time and money, I would schedule the above work.

Pretty soon, but as Erique said, maybe do it the next time you come in, but no big deal, no rush on it, if it doesn't leak.

Chill_babe, don't worry. It's not too bad.

But yes, people like curbstoners sometimes put oatmeal!!! or stop-leak into the radiator into the radiators so they won't leak any more, for a little while, and hell, they put bananas in the rear axle to calm down rear end howl sometimes, too so if you thik the curbstoner did it, then go ahead, and make the appointment for the above, and don't wait too long, if you think it is a real risk and it is eating you up worrying about it.

Without records no one knows what was really done. Which again, why having the recors is so important

Does that clarify your options a bit?.

I would tend to believe Enrique if he told me that if you don't run the to 100 on the gauge, it is not something to worry about.

If you pegged it that would be another story.

Just drive and look every once in awhile, then you would know what the car is doing. It may well be that to 100 is within normal operating fange for a Euro 500. For all I know the Euro 500 may run hotter, faster and dirtier than the US 560 Cars...(?)

My WAG (wild a$$ guess) that all the new stuff, radiator, hoses, all of it, shouldn't be more than $500-$700 or so at a good Los Angeles mechanic, such as Enrique or the one you used, if labor not too high.

If you still have $$$$ after that, spend some at the mechanic and ask him to replace the plugs and wires if it needs it.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

You know what? I think maybe he forgot more about cars than I ever knew

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)