Waking up from a 20 year sleep! 220seb - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

littlehandegan · #1 09-12-2020, 08:10 PM

Hello

I have an oppurtunity to purchase a 64 220SEB coupe, auto trans, A/C, Sunroof!

It was last running and on the road about 15-20 years ago. Battery is removed, and for some reason radiator cap gone (looks dry)

My plan:

Remove fuel tank and have cleaned and refinished , replace fuel filters
Remove spark plugs and put in PB blaster to soak for a few days
Change oil
Fresh gas and battery
Turn over by hand
Fire it up

Any steps or tips would be HUGELY appreciated....this is a fuel injected car which I have never messed with .

t walgamuth · #2 09-12-2020, 08:34 PM

Sounds like a great project; You're one the right track but it might take a couple of months to free it. Be careful. I may have a head for it in stock that I'll sell very cheaply.

Sugar Bear · #3 09-12-2020, 08:34 PM

Do some research on the fuel injection, it may be seized or varnished from sitting. Also find out if the pump has its own oil reservoir, I think it does and would change that oil out before attempting a start.

There may be some cleaning or lubricating that's needs to be done to the pump after sitting so long. I don't know that injection system but I'd do some research and proceed cautiously to prevent damaging parts which are made from unobtainum.

Good luck and please keep the thread updated!

t walgamuth · #4 09-14-2020, 08:50 AM

It is possible to send the injection pump to a specialist to clean and lube I would think.

letank · #5 09-29-2020, 06:42 PM

what a find... as for the turn over after 20 years, the crank and cam bearings are dry, you need to find a way to prime the oil pump without cranking the motor, which would certainly damage the bearings.

I am not familiar with this model... but I suspect that it is chain driven, manually priming the oil pump for a certain time to push the oil around, you have to slowly turn the crank another 90 degrees and continue the process until you have gone around a full 1 or 2 crank rotation.

In some engines you pull the distributor to have access to the oil pump, in others you can disconnect one of the oil passage and pressurize the system, monitoring the oil pressure via the oil pressure gauge if you have one, or install a mechanical oil pressure gauge

Good luck

cth350 · #6 09-30-2020, 12:23 AM

blaster isn't much of a lubricant. Do you know that it is seized or just trying to be careful?

Do those multiple hand-rotations with a light weight oil, for instance marvel mystery oil or transmission fluid in the cylinders. The rings will be troublesome at first and once allowed to move should get better.

The motors are relatively cheap and available, unlike heads and other random things (says the guy with a spare M127). There is little value to "matching numbers" unless you are talking about a pristine #1 condition show car. I'd swap something simple in long before rebuilding this one if you need to go that route. And if you do swap something else in, you can enjoy the car while the old power plant gets whatever refurbishment you think it needs.

You'll find plenty of coupe owners in the veteran's forum here to commiserate with you.

-CTH

t walgamuth · #7 09-30-2020, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letank

what a find... as for the turn over after 20 years, the crank and cam bearings are dry, you need to find a way to prime the oil pump without cranking the motor, which would certainly damage the bearings.

I am not familiar with this model... but I suspect that it is chain driven, manually priming the oil pump for a certain time to push the oil around, you have to slowly turn the crank another 90 degrees and continue the process until you have gone around a full 1 or 2 crank rotation.

In some engines you pull the distributor to have access to the oil pump, in others you can disconnect one of the oil passage and pressurize the system, monitoring the oil pressure via the oil pressure gauge if you have one, or install a mechanical oil pressure gauge

Good luck

I don't get where you find any factual basis on claiming the bearings are "dry". The only way you could get there is to disassemble the engine and clean all the bearing surfaces of all lubrication, then reassemble.

The actual situation IMHO is more likely that the engine was running and pumping oil right up until it was parked so that lubrication is in there and cannot get out. So whatever lubricating properties are left are, well, still there.

I'd lubricate the cylinders with marvel mystery oil and turn it over a bit to assure the pistons and rings are not siezed then fire it off.

I'd be a lot more cautious with the mechanical injection system. If it were a diesel you probably could just fire it off. With the lack of lubricating capabilities with gasoline you need to be very cautious with the pump.

letank · #8 10-04-2020, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I don't get where you find any factual basis on claiming the bearings are "dry". The only way you could get there is to disassemble the engine and clean all the bearing surfaces of all lubrication, then reassemble.

After 20 years, it may not be chemically dry, but the lubricity of what is left should be considered severely compromised, akin to cold starting an engine after a couple of days. This is my understanding of why the oil recommendation is getting a smaller lower sae number, such as 5w30 getting away from 10w30. The initial start up is the critical factor in any engine designed last year or 50 years ago.

Oil TSM from the ancient times aka the early 70's, recommend to drown the engine in oil if extended storage over 6 month is expected: fill the oil pan as much as you can, and dump oil to intake till overflow... repeat for cylinders... can you imagine the labor intensive restart procedure?

I had an engine waiting on an engine stand for over a month, and yes there is always an oil dripping stain, but in this case the history is different.

I have no issues with an engine being cranked every other year which has fresh oil, and being driven at operating temp for 15min.

Yes the oil topic will always bring many lines of discussions and interpretations.

t walgamuth · #9 10-05-2020, 11:15 PM

I've never heard of the drowning method.

barry12345 · #10 10-08-2020, 01:00 PM

If possible find out why it was parked. The easier way by asking.

littlehandegan · #11 10-10-2020, 09:28 PM

Well I got it pulled today and back to my workshop

Ordering now -

Fuel filter
Fuel Tank Strainer
Oil filter
Spark Plugs

Brakes seized obviously. Will rebuild calipers as I cant find replacements, do rotors and pads....