The car is up on jacks and I need to finish this project. We're dealing with an '89 300TE.

First, motor mounts. I can get the 8mm bolts under the car loose and I got the 17mm top bolt on the passenger side loose. How in the world do I unbolt the 17mm top bolt on the driver's side? I can get a socket on it but there is no room to swing the rachet handle. Also, are there only these four bolts holding the mount?

Second, steering gear box. I had earlier asked about adjusting the steering gear box. I finally found the lock nut and adjusting bolt. They are on top of the box just as you folks had said. I can get a 19mm wrench on the lock nut but, again, have very little room to manuever it. Like the driver's side top lotor mount bolt, it's just buried under the air filter etc. How do you guys get to that lock nut and adjuster bolt?

Third, I took off the idle control valve, cleaned in with carb cleaner, lubed it with a little wd-40, and then, just for kicks, ran power to it. The internal valve moved, but never fully closed. Is it supposed to? Or, is it supposed to stay about 3/16" open?

Fourth, when I removed the water pump, I had to remove the front cylinder's gas feed line (side question; how do you folks access the top rear bolt which holds the water pump to the engine block?). When I looked at the top of the injector, there was a small amount of dark particulate sitting there. My idle, starting, and acceleration are not terrible but not terrific. Should that junk at the top of the injector tell me something? Can I remove the rest of the injector, visually inspect it, and them replace it or will I ruin a seal or in some other way compromise it (I don't have a replacement on hand)?

Thank you for any advice. I want my car back!

Sorry, I should have been more clear about the steering gear box adjuster bolt. I never have seen it. I finally found it by feeling around on the top of the box where I couldn't see and I could feel it. With it being that hidden, how do you access it?

No collective wisdom on any of these issues?

Well, I'll continue this discussion by myself. I had the car up on jacks. The jacks support the car via some extension pipes I made. The pipes are 3/4" thick walled metal tubes approximately 8" long and bent in the middle on a press to an angle of about 10 degrees. These pipes slide into the four jack holes in the rocker panels and the portion which extends out from the car nestles into the saddle of the jack.

Since my last post I did replace the motor mounts. On the W124 with the inline sis engine, the easiest way to swap them is, with the car jacked up as described, loosen both 8mm allen bolts from the under sides of the mounts and completely remove the one on the passenger side. Then remove the 17mm hex bolt from on top of the passenger side motor mount. Lift the engine with a jack under the oil pan. I used a 12" x 12" x 2" oak plank to help spread the weight out over the oil pan. The car should be lifted just enough to slide the old mount out. There are no other bolts to remove.

Lift the engine any additional amount required to slide the new mount in. Loosely screw in the 17mm top hex bolt and the 8mm bottom allen bolt.

Completely remove the driver's side 8mm allen bolt. Lift the engine as far as you dare. While standing on the driver's side of the car, reach under the aluminum air delivery stuff that fills the top of the engine bay on the driver's side. The higher the engine is, the easier this is to do. Using a 17mm box wrench, loosen the top bolt. I basically pried my wrists against the aluminum air whatchamacallit to break the bolt loose. Once I had moved it an 1/8th turn, it came out very easily. Remove the bolt. Remove the old mount. screw the top bolt snugly into the new mount. Drop the engine until this new mount is just above the frame. Screw in the bottom bolt. Tighten the driver's side top bolt as best you can. It's more difficult because the engine is lower. Drop the engine and tighten the other three bolts. You're done.

One other comment; I had already removed the radiator, hoses, fan shroud, and water pump for other reasons. I don't know if any thing would need to be disconnected in order to replace the mounts if this had not already been done. I still want your help on the other issues.

Since plenty of people are reading this, I'll keep up with update's and hopefully someone else will join in.

My latest thought is to remove the gear box, make the adjustment, and reconnect it. I think I would only have to remove two mounting bolts, disconnect from the steering wheel rod, and disconnect from the steering arm. Has anybody done this? Is it a reasonable way to gain access to the adjustment bolt?

I reconnected the fuel line to the front cylinder. As I had also disconnected it on the other end, I reconnected that end too. When reconnecting that end, I noticed that the gas pooled immediately under the tube had a rusty color. I dipped a little on the end of my finger and it does indeed have a more cloudy appearance and was more rust colored than normal gas is. I also noticed that there was a touch of rust on the other end of the tube under the nut that clamps the tube to the top of the injector. I assume something is not right. Does anyone know what is wrong, if anything?

About the idle control valve, It should close completely when 12 volts is applied to it. They like to get dirty. Use carb and choke cleaner. I used a vise to hold the valve in such a position as so I could fill the valve portion with the solvent. I let it soak for several hours. I agitated it repeat, rinse, repeat until there are no more carbon particles comming out. Try not to soak the coil part of the valve. Doing so made a major improvement in the operation of the valve.

Rust in the fuel line sounds like maybe the car had some water in the fuel once upon a time. That is very bad since that causes rust in lots of places that dont like any sort of particles, like the fuel distributor for one. I would flush everything fuel related that is possible.

I have removed and adjusted the steering gear on all my cars. I thought that it might be possible to do the adjustment on the car but it would be difficult unless the right length wrenches were available. Check out this thread about adjusting the gear. Steering box adjustment clarification......

__________________
I got too many cars!! Insurance eats me alive. Dave

78 Corvette Stingray - 3k
82 242 Turbo Volvo - Manual - 270k
86 300e 5 speed manual - 210k
87 420sel - 240k
89 560sl - 78k
91 420sel - 205k
91 560sel - 85k
94 GMC Suburban - 90k
97 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail - 25k
00 GMC Silverado 1 ton 30k

Thanks for the reply. Two clarifications; first, I have cleaned and lubed the idle control valve. When I run power to it, it snaps shut completely and rebounds immediately to a position where there is an approximate 3/16" slit still open. Thus if it is supposed to be completely closed, it will need replacement. Since they are not cheap, I don't want to replace it unless I have to. Are you sure that it should be completely closed once power is run to it?

Second, I am aware of that thread but I appreciate your time to dig it out for me anyway. Just to make sure my question is clear, I need to know how folks access that adjustment screw on the 124 body with M103 engine not how to adjust it once I have gained access to it. Any one ever adjust the steering gear box on this car with this engine? How did you manage it?

Yes im sure about your valve question. The operation you describe sounds normal from my experiences.

I adjusted the steering box while I was resealing it and it was on the bench. Never did it in the car. However since the MB proceedure on the CD show taking torgue readings from the steering wheel, I assume that it is possible to adjust it without removing it.

__________________
I got too many cars!! Insurance eats me alive. Dave

78 Corvette Stingray - 3k
82 242 Turbo Volvo - Manual - 270k
86 300e 5 speed manual - 210k
87 420sel - 240k
89 560sl - 78k
91 420sel - 205k
91 560sel - 85k
94 GMC Suburban - 90k
97 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail - 25k
00 GMC Silverado 1 ton 30k