Cruise control parts back from GDL... - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

neileg · #16 12-13-2002, 06:57 AM

Your scrapyard replacement works like a dream, yes? This is three years newer than a whole lot of stuff that is in or on your car? Are you going to rebuild or replace every component on your car that is older than 17 years before you make the big trip?

No, of course not. Electrical components can fail suddenly after working fine for years, but equally they can go on giving good service too.

There are two tools an old car enthusiast needs, a cell phone and membership of a recovery scheme.

Try and develop a relaxed attitude. Life's too short to worry like this!

bjcsc · #17 12-13-2002, 02:16 PM

I talked to Peter this morning. We both agree that it is highly unlikely that both rebuilt amps would exhibit the exact same shortcomings. However, the fact that the mod. 91 amp works well seems to eliminate the other components from the equation. The 91 may have more tolerance for fluctuations from different components, specifically the actuator? Peter is going to send me a rebuilt actuator as well as a rebuilt 91 amp to test this theory. I'm turning into a case study for GDL. I'm going to try the new actuator with the mod. 79 amp first. If the problems are the same, it should eliminate my actuator and I will go with the rebuilt 91. If not, my problem will be solved and I'll stay with the 79.

I don't know what I would do without GDL in my corner. I don't think I would be able to figure this out without Peter's knowledge. I am now wondering if the right course of action in revamping one's cruise is to simply have actuator rebuilt as well in the cases where the amps are.

Peter will ship the items to me by Monday which means next week at this time I will post another (still hoping for last) update.

bjcsc · #18 12-21-2002, 06:48 PM

The newly rebuilt actuator and model 91 amp were installed and tested and to my dismay no combination (old act. /mod.79, reb. act./mod.79, old act./mod 91, reb. act. mod.91) will cure the low speed surging. At speeds above 50, I'm not sure if I can notice it or not. I will convince myself that it is not there and just deal with it as is. I think this is as good as it gets.

Overall I guess I am happy with it, after all, the cruise control does work well. I think maybe I expected it to work better than it was designed to. Most vehicles with cruise require 35 or 40mph for engagement and maybe the reason is my situation. Who knows, maybe it will 'break in'; stranger things have happened.

GDL has my highest regard and I encourage any of you ready to tackle your cruise to start with them.

bjcsc · #19 01-09-2003, 12:56 PM

Well, over Christmas I put on 2100 miles traveling to Syracuse, PA, and back. To my surprise, the cruise control did in fact 'break in'. Don't ask me how, but upon my return it works perfectly. I couldn't be more pleased about it. I felt I owed this follow-up post to amend my previous lukewarm feelings about the cruise's operation. For those of you working on your cuise control, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel...

bjcsc · #20 08-12-2003, 11:01 PM

My tunnel's dark again.

About 6 weeks ago my cruise stopped working. Same problem - surging. Peter sent me a new amp, but the problem is still there. I know the switch is good, speed sensor is good, actuator and amp are the only suspects. I am now looking for a suggestion other than GDL. I'm not satisfied with the performance of their testing (no 123's to road test with, actuator should be ruled out by this point) or rebuilding (many amps) or most recent response to me, as I spent money and a lot of time to be right back where I started. Has anyone had success with others? Do they stand behind what they do? Is it unreasonable to expect more than 6 months service from a rebuilt amp?

(As before, I will continually update this thread until my cruise works for a reasonable period of time as I hope it might help others with similar problems and/or considerations.)

Richard Eldridge · #21 08-12-2003, 11:34 PM

When I bought my 85 TD the amplifier was completely missing. The PO told me that he had taken it to a shop and they told him a new amp and so forth would cost him over $500, and I suppose they thought he'd bite and kept the old amp for a trade in or something, but who knows?

So I called Peter and he gave me a list of the models that I could use and luckily I got one in a boneyard for $20. Peter said both my actuator and my amp needed rebuilding, so he did this for aronud $325 I think. It's worked perfectly ever since.

I have a 90 300D as well, and from time to time the cruise starts to buck and jump and I just reset it and it works just fine.

I would say that if the used amp works well on your car, then the problem you're having just has to be the amp. I would also suggest that it is entirely possible that the used amp you bought may have another 20 years left on it. Who knows" it might have been replaced the week before the car went to the junkyard or may never have ben used. I'd stick it in and get the other one rebuilt one last time.

There is could be some weak solder joint on the board that passes current perfectly when flat on the bench, but may miss when bolted under the dash.

Good luck in any case.

WilliamJ · #22 09-13-2003, 10:05 AM

this has been a very insightful thread as my CC in 300sd does not work. i am wondering how to determine which parts need replacing. the amp or the actuator.

when i hold the level up for about 10 seconds i feel the cruise control grab as but does not lock.

last night i drove 250 miles (see shakedown thread) with no cruise. this is on my imediate list of things to fix. after reading this string i am still uncertain....my gut is to just replace all the parts save the lever switch. i have not the patience to send parts back and forth...

Richard Eldridge · #23 09-13-2003, 01:31 PM

The surefire way to get the cruise control going is to remove the amp with its clamp from under the dash. It is an aluminum box about 6 X 4 inches and there are a couple of plugs to remove. It will be easier to remove the bracket (10mm nut) than to remove the amp from the bracket.

You could try cleaning the cable contacts with a pencil eraser and/or tuner cleaner (don't smoke if you use it), and then snapping them back together. Maybe then it will work.

If it does, fine. If not, then check the connectors on the actuattor, which is a thingie about the side of a fist with a dome bolted on top of it. If this works, hooray.

If it still doesn't work, I would remove the amp and the actuator and send them to a rebuilder, such as Peter at GDI. Thomaspin has another repairer that might charge less.

The good news is that this will almost certainly fix it for years to come. The bad news is that it will cost from $200 to $400.

It is a dead accurate cruise control, unlike the sporadic things GMC puts out.

I personally thin it is worth it, especially if you take a lot of long trips.

bjcsc · #24 09-13-2003, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard Eldridge

The good news is that this will almost certainly fix it for years to come. The bad news is that it will cost from $200 to $400.

I don't think that's the bad news - the bad news hits when after doing as you describe and shipping back and forth to CA a few times you realize you are still exactly where you started, -$400

. Spending money for something is no big deal, spending money for nothing is frustrating to say the least. I am sending everything back to Peter yet again. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on his competence. If I had to take a position right now I would say you can get what I got for free in prison. Results will certainly be posted to this thread when my parts re-re-re re-arrive...

Richard Eldridge · #25 09-13-2003, 06:23 PM

I think Peter gets it right most of the time, but I suppose that there are other glitches in stuff like the speedometer, the wiring and the mechanicals that he doesn't get to check and therefore can't fix if they are broken.

I am sorry you are having trouble and hope you get it working well soon. Perhaps I am lucky. My 300TD came with no amp at all and I had to send him one from a junker that luckily found defunct for $20.

WilliamJ · #26 09-14-2003, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard Eldridge
The surefire way to get the cruise control going is to remove the amp with its clamp from under the dash.

You could try cleaning the cable contacts with a pencil eraser and/or tuner cleaner (don't smoke if you use it), and then snapping them back together. Maybe then it will work.

If it does, fine. If not, then check the connectors on the actuattor, which is a thingie about the side of a fist with a dome bolted on top of it. If this works, hooray.

If it still doesn't work, I would remove the amp and the actuator and send them to a rebuilder, such as Peter at GDI. Thomaspin has another repairer that might charge less.

The good news is that this will almost certainly fix it for years to come. The bad news is that it will cost from $200 to $400.

It is a dead accurate cruise control, unlike the sporadic things GMC puts out.

I personally thin it is worth it, especially if you take a lot of long trips.

i did these two things....the only thing new is that if i hold the CC switch it will maintain that cruising speed. how do i determine if the amp or the actuator is the culprit? i found an actuator for $206.00. this seems like a reasonable deal. there is one salvage place in charlotte i will check first. i might get lucky an a cheapo used one.

Richard Eldridge · #27 09-15-2003, 12:12 AM

I an not an expert enough on these things to say that the amp or the actuator is to blame for sure. This sounds like an amp problem, but I am a linguist, not an electrician.

Acording to what Peter told me, the amp is good for about 10K, after which it won't hold the speed steady, and the car will acelerate and decelerate when the CC is engaged, The amp is usually the cause of problems, but there is something in the actuator that can send a surge back to the amp if it is defective, which will damade the amp, so he suggests that both devices be sent back to make sure both work well together.

Rebuilt amps cost less and may be superior to new ones, as transistors and such are more troublefree than they used to be. Peter says he has gotten none back once he has heard that the owner got the CC working. He guarantees them for 4 years and the actuator for one year.

Thomaspin, on this board, mentions another rebuilder who I think he sais charges less.

GDI has a website where he mentions a lot about these gizmos.

goldstone · #28 09-15-2003, 01:23 AM

Definitely be sure to check-out the useful diagnostic testing procedures GDI includes on their website here:
http://gdl-online.com/begin1.html#contents

If you're good enough to be able to get to and remove the amp, and if you've got a basic multimeter, you can carry out the recommended procedures and test the basic functioning of the amp, actuator, speed sensor, and the all-important switch.

While these tests are unlikely to fix anything in and of themselves, they do help to pinpoint the problem(s) and possibly save you bucks (as they did for me last year!)

Good luck...