94 E320 Cabrio, part of the convertible top system. What exactly is this part, what does it do, and why would it likely need to be replaced?

Thanks

J. M. van Swaay

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1994 E320 Wagon, 230,000 miles
1995 E320 Sedan, 106,000 miles
1994 E500 Sedan, 79,000 miles

looks like a hydraulic cylinder for the top.. the hydraulics on the car are only good for 15 years or so they say.

Yes, it is an actuator for the top, but which one and what does it do. If my understanding is correct, there are 4 cylinders that operate the top. There are 2 per side that position the bow frames to which the top is attached. Is this one of those 4, or could it be associated with the cover that closes over the cavity that the top retracts into?

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1994 E320 Wagon, 230,000 miles
1995 E320 Sedan, 106,000 miles
1994 E500 Sedan, 79,000 miles

Looking up the part number should reveal what role it plays in the top operation. I would guess that it is used for the folding of the top. Is it leaking? My guess is that with time they wear down internally and fail to create and hold pressure.

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1989 300CE

On the A124 it is the cylinder that locks the rear (bow) of the top down. It can easily be removed from the underside of the tonneau cover and rebuilt. Since it is shared with the R129 you can find used ones for about $125.

Thanks, that's kinda what I thought. If this cylinder was leaking, is it likely that the other 4 cylinders (the ones that are much harder to get to) are also leaking or will leak soon?

Thanks,

J. M. van Swaay

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1994 E320 Wagon, 230,000 miles
1995 E320 Sedan, 106,000 miles
1994 E500 Sedan, 79,000 miles

they can be rebuilt for about $40 each by a member of the mbca board. If you're having one leak I would have them all rebuilt so you dont have to tear apart the interior 3-4 times

Maybe, my experience was my bow cylinders (the smaller ones in the wheel wells) were leaking. Pulled them, sent them to Dennis Ficken (he now charges $50/cylinder) installed them and the lock cylinder which locks the front of the compartment cover in place sprang a leak. At that point I pulled the 4 that are easy to access; the one you asked about, the lock cylinder and the two inside the trunk. I added to the DIY on benzworld.

There is something to be said for doing all 8 and being done with it.

If you don't see any fluid by the rear wheels you may want to start with the four that I just mentioned, you can remove them all easily, the hardest part is getting the cylinders out of the holders because the piston end is accessible only with a small open end wrench.

The one you asked about is often for sale on ebay or if you have a local junkyard with an R129 it is the same cylinder those use at the top above the windshield. The one in the lock cylinder is also shared with the R129, the others are unique to the A124.

Hope this helps. There is not as much information out there as there is for the R129