Timing Chain
 

I asked Enrique bout timing chain
He said you hear a rattle at startup & then it will go away.

Said basically to wait for that
I asked if I did hear it wuld I have enough miles to take it to him?
He said yes.

I asked about how you might check it
& you could see he doesn't think it worth to check.
It must be too much of a big thing to do.
I figured I'd ask as I'd have the valve covers clear today
but its not something he wopuld recommend or want to do

So we wait...for the rattle

:confused:

Maybe it was done 25-50 K miles ago
Might last me the restof my life as much as I drive

a trip to Enrique's shop!!!
 

That is really great! Sounded like fun to me. Coincidentally, today also was the first time I TOO drove the car with the new 2008 orange tags on it, even though they are December ones, I always pay them promptly. I know that feeling. Now I have to send in the Insurance payment, the bill just came yesterday. It never ends.:P

I'd be keenly interested in a trip report of what happpened, at Enrique's, because I think I am going to be getting ready to make a long awaited journey down there.

When you see Enrique you could mention you know Shadow and the '83 SEC from Mercedesshop; As you know, Shadow knows Paul S. with the 2000 E430
(she met him at Enrique's when they were both there); I know Paul S. from Mercedesshop; Paul S. knows Ernesto (the lawyer from LA who had the 300CE and other Benzes) and Paul S. is friends with Ernesto - in fact Ernesto started the famous MR MB thread and he and Paul and 2 others gave Enrique his famous Mercedesshop plaque; and Ernesto is the guy I met in Sacramento for the first time in a Mercedesshop dinner I set up there for him
(he was there on business) and one of my best pals on Mercedesshop, and who knows Enrique really well, and hopes to see me again at MR MB, and go to luch at a Cuban restaurant right by MR MB's shop. Curtis (Diametrical Benz) is another one, from LA who knows Paul S. and Enrique. Curtis has a 1979 6.9 sedan and a diesel. He is part of all this too, I guess.

Whew!! Everyone knows everyone, and is connected in a way.

the funniest part of it all is this: ENRIQUE does NOT know much about computers, and discussion groups, and doesn't care much about them, either, but HE is the keystone behind the whole community that praises him and uses his shop. Now that is funny, isn't it?

Goodness.!!! Maybe it is time to set myself up to meet some of your great people when I go down there, if I can. I wish Christopher Henckel could join in too. He is part of the discussion in a big way too.

November 10 doesn't work for me, it is the date of the Diesel Drive. I need to cook up a to-do list for the poor old Chariot, and see how much of it Enrique could take on or wants to. If he says yes, AND if have good NEW wheels on the car, and the fires are gone, then I should find a place to stay, some hotel near his shop, I guess, and hit the road. I think I am around 600 miles away, give or take....

Time to think about all this. I need a nice road trip, anyway, focused on getting some work done on that car, and I like Los Angeles a lot.

Enriques shop is right off Ventura.
You find a hotel w access to Ventura buses & you have no problem to get to him for $1.25

You should find a hotel a bit more near me?
I say this as its central & you can do some sightseeing
even wo your car

$5 pass gets you on any bus or train around here
& you can see whatever you want while hes got your car.

Not much else to do in Tarzania.

Stay in Studio City Area.

I'd recommend Sportmans Lodge on Ventura/Coldwater
but don't know price
its competative & is central & bus is on the corner.

Think they may even have shuttle to the near by touristy things
I stayed there about 10 years ago

I like it as the grounds are huge & they have swan ponds
& waterfalls
Its sort of a resort park like place

Also OK is Beverly Garland on Vineland
Its a Holiday Inn

Have a great restaurant w good prices there
Had friends stay there this summer

Well thats my hotel list
I don't know many...

Possible mini Mercedesshop gtg soon - at MR MB?
 

Just thinking about this?

Likely attendees so far if a good date for it is selected?

~~Ernesto (told me he would blow off the office and come if he could) 300CE

~~Paul S. (S430)

~~Charlie (380SE)

~~Shadow (500SEC euro)

~~Jim B (560SEC)

~~ Curtis (Diametrical) (6.9 or Diesel.) He just might come. He's not far, over towards the Westside I believe.

That ought to do it. That is enough right there.

Now we need to find a date for it. "First Annual (we have never done this before & not sure if it will work:D) Mercedesshop MR MB gtg"

I bet Enrique would sure be shocked!!! Ernesto and Alon pulled together the last one - Hey, someone could call Alon, Ernesto knows him, they worked together before on the MR MB plaque.

I would like to do this.....what about the rest of you? The next few weeks, who is around? A weekday would work, and maybe even a Sat would be easier....isn't Enrique open part of the day Saturday, like 1/2 a day.

Maybe, like Enrique, Ernesto, Alon and Paul did the other time, around 8am Saturday. Or something? Ideas? I can't on Novembe 10, but other times OK. So long as I have good wheels on the car....

Hmm this idea is starting to sound good.

AND thank you Shadow for letting me hijack this thread to start this.
It is getting to be like your blog or your book, and you don't seem to mind.

Gonna be 1,000 pages.

And shame on you for that crack about the yellow diesel you saw at Enrique's


For the rest of you it was a '79 yellow 240 diesel stickshift one, for just $400 bucks, 35 miles from me, that someone found on Craigslist and I was gonna get it and someone bought it out from under me a few hours ahead of me before I could get there.

Hey, this thing could really work. A good group of people.

Wow!! Thank you!! This would be a really big deal for me to do this.
I don't have a cell phone or anything but I could manage I think w/o one, I wouldn't die or anything.

I'd be up for that drive in N.CAL. if they'd let an old gas 380 SE bum along. I haven't been very far north in CA. Just as far north as Sacramento and Roseville. The drive up the 5 to Sacramento took 4.5 hours or more. that was in 2001. Left Santa Clarits at 4:00 A.m. to get to the Roseville fairgrounds by 9:30 A.M. for a gun Show. It had been canceled and not even the contact(I called the night before) knew it. So I wandered south down the main highway to Sonora to their gun show, and then home. Fun trip,. made me feel like home(Farm Country). But haven't been back up there since.

I did get as far north and west beyond Livermore.

And for sure up for the GTG at Enrique's. Any day is fine with me. I can get my weekend worker to sub for me. But even if not I'm usually free after 9:30 A.M. during the week and free on the weekends.

I am busy on November 10, 2007
 

Because of this.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/events-gatherings/190787-northern-california-diesel-drive-november-10-2007-a.html

:D

Not my blog
Its the unvarnished tales of getting a old benz & the trials & tribulation that goes into getting it back to a roadworthy fine machine...

Ohhh this was a 300
Sorry I was looking more at the 450 SLC
thats more my style
but I could see myself playing with a diesel coupe

Curbstoner had one you know
He said he'd call me when it cmae back from shop
Seems he had a fender replaced
Certainly that was not a good sign
but I wouldn't have minded looking at the gold diesel coupe

He had another benz in his yard but I past by fast & really didn't get a good look...

I will have to pay him a visit & remind him about the papers
& get him to remember what he did to move the headlight beam from the dash.

I;m happy the AC works
did blow cold for him
Blew cold tonight
ran it short while
so glad its OK

Enrique is open Sat
Prob just half day.

Let me know
I'd like to join
Probably can male it

Hmmmm....
What you think???

:sultan:

Hell yeah Charlie!! Love to have you. You would have A LOT of fun. This is NOT a bunch of ricers or hot rodders. Just nice people with older Mercedes cars, they are as nice as you can ask.

It doesn't matter even if you don't have a diesel , though most attendees do. The price of admission is owning ANY Mercedes. But not may are newer than 10 years old though.

There was 26 cars that came up, in January at the Marin Civic Center and took a winding drive over to the Beach at Stinson.

Married people, single ones, some children, couple of dogs, young people, students, working ones, retired, all of them really great!!! I am sure you would fit in. One guy Will, has a 1992 V12 Mercedes s600. I had the only 2 door car.

You gotta see the exhaust system on Nik's '84 sedan (Diesel version of your car.) He fabricated it using cyclone fence posts. It has dual chrome tips on it. Only one like it in the world.

It is like a car show - but for diesels mostly. Wagons, sedans, everything.
Some of them almost show cars, a few souped up, lots of interesting ones to see, some euro -spec diesels, a few biodiesels, ...

One fellow Buzz, the airline pilot drives all the way up from Ontario, California, in So Cal! He is a semi retired airline pilot, a fantastic guy. We helped him find a good hotel

The knowledge of the Mercedes cars is really great. A lot of the people tned to be mechanically inclined, or computer inclined, but a lot aren't

You would have a real good time, for sure.

You got to get that Dijon Poupon outof your mind!
 

:cool:

As for the mustard benz
maybe if it ran on dijon popoun...

As they say
it wasn't supposed to be
Why tie up $400
& the next $1000 to get it stable

May have even been a curbstoner
& while some of them R dreams
some are nightmares on wheels

You can put that on the wheels & AC of your SEC

Hmmmm....
What you think???

:sultan:

Pay as you go phone
 

I didn't have a cell for the longest time
but I got one of them ATT pay as you go phones

I put $100 a year on it & use it only for emergencies
Say today Enrique could calle me at the Goodwill where I wiled the time away waiting to see if I'd pick it up today or not

Last time I picked up a nice paper shredder
This time old silverplate salt & pepper shaker set for $4 & a vintage french
Le crueset cast iron enamel fry pan in teal that matches an old set I have also $4
They run about $50 $100 new...


I should have called him at 3:30
I think it was done
he called me at maybe 4
Amyway it worke out
We got home safe
I just hate driving w all the mob
I choose to drive off peak as I work from home.

Anyway it might be worth for you to get a go phone & put $25 on it.
Then you could be reached for those important calls

Its also good when you get a flat in the boonies & there r no pay phones

For the $100 a years its worth it to me & its tax deductible...LOL

Yea, you are right. Again. that is impeccable knowledge. "THE SHADOW KNOWS"!!! LOL:scream:

I better pay closer attention. Your advice on the chrome vs aluminum wheels made a lot of sense too. I took it.

Thanks

Getta Phone?
 

Hmm, thanks for that phone idea. Maybe I will do that.

I HATE PHONES though!

How do they work. Do you have your own phone number? DUH I am really ignorant about some of this stuff. You can even run and take pictures of the Manganese whenever you want, is that some camera phone???!!:confused: Maybe I should have a disposable camera in the car in case there is an accident? I have zip. Even the AAA roadside card is maxed out til Dec. 21. Oh there is MB roadside for free.

What are those things called anyhow? Sounds like it is percisely what I should have. Who makes them; where do you get one. It is not a big town here you know. I would hate to have to go down to Sacramento or somplace just to get one.
But I guess if I had to I could. hmm

You make a good trip planner. You aren't half bad working on a complex 500SEC euro either. I really admire the gumption of people who can tear into a car like that, and get it done.

Excuse all that venting. It must sound pretty foolish to you.

The Shadow Knows
Oooh where have I heard that before?

:scream:

Do you have any ATT phone stores?
They have those here. Cingular too & they may have better deals
but I have the ATT
Here you can get the phones in rite aid.

they sell them on the rack in a package

You have to activate
You get your own phone number

Its a cellphone
same thing
only no monthly plan
& no going over
when the money yuo put in runs out
you have to buy more time

Its actually np different than a reg cell phone

You can buy phones w cameras
but I opted for the cheap $20 Motorola
they giev you a discount when you buy the phone.

You can call ATT
I'm sure if they have no sotres near you
they will mail it to you

Heck you can do itonline too

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/go-phones/index.jsp

I grew up as a child around people who fixed cars & houses.
We did what needed to be done.

My moms family is all mechanicaly inclined.

I can tell you when you first look at an engine like this its daunting
Massive but now I now many of theparts
it's not frightening any more.

someone mentioned acumulator atone time
I was looking into it
but not much on it
I didn't wuite understand how it worked or rather when it didn't work.

I do hope thats the hpt start
Would be like a miracle
so easy
its done
& the new vac switch which maybe wasn't even working to begin with

I need a break
not to think for a while
just to relax & drive
which os not so easy in LA

:scream: