1979 300 SD. I've worked on a number of these 617 diesels, and the 116 SD is the most DIY friendly of this DIY friendly TURBO Diesel series. No EGR to pack the intake with soot, simplified throttle linkage and tranny set up. Room to access most everything (wide body and fewer gizmos in the way). A beginner DIYer dreamboat. Oh yeah - very quick, fast enough, big, fantastic ride, and you can't shake the rear end loose. Downside is rust.

6 cylinder w126. And why jokes about the w140? So easy to repair, you only have to write a check!

I think that Glen offers the most wise response. It totally depends on the level of knowledge and skill posessed by the owner. I know plenty of people for which there has never been ANY car built on which they could so much as change a flat tire.

On the other hand, I know people who can do darn near anything.

This is one of those questions that is sort of like asking "how long is a rope?" There's really no fixed answer until you do some measurement.

All that said, what comes to mind are the 114/115 and my favorite choice the 123. I have been able to do everything myself on my 124 car, but it isn't always pleasant. Simple things like removing door panels or kick panels from under the dash borders on being a pain on the 124, while these operations are as simple as falling off a log on the 123's.

In particular the four cylinder 114/115 and 123 cars are extremely accessible under the hood.

Have a great day,

Let me narrow it down a little further. What was the last carbureted MB that didn't have a coumputer!! I want to see as little of the "B" word under the hood as possible.

"B" as in "I hate Bosch?"

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

You got it!!

Well, looking at my MB Buyer's Guide, following are the models that have carburation:

1. 280S Sedan, 116 chassis, M110 inline DOHC six. Solex 4-bbl carb 1972-1976.

1. 220 Sedan, 115 chassis, M115 inline-4, Solex or Stromberg carbs - 1968-1973.

2. 250 Sedan, 114 chassis, M130 inline SOHC-six, Dual Zenith carbs - 1968-1972.

3. 280 Sedan, 114 chassis, M110 inline DOHC-six, Dual Solex carbs - 1973-1976.


I guess 1976 would be the last of the carburated models. Of course, you couldn't buy any model with an "E" in the model desgination, as in 280 SE, because the E stands for fuel injection.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

The 115 220d or the 123 240d, both with manual transmission. THe 123 has enough room that you can easily get to the bell housing bolts and the 115 has the easy double a-arm front suspension and less electronics that the 123. I like the manual glow plug on the 115, but the 123 had some nice upgrades on the engine. Maybe a 115 with the 123 diesel would be perfect.

My least favorite is the 69 113 with an automatic. I hate king pins and the bosch injection with all the emissions and relays is truly confusing.

Of course any new Benz under warranty fits the ticket. All you have to do is drive in and then pick it up. Can you define DIY as driving to the garage?

Henry

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63 190d (sold)
69 220D (sold)
69 280SL (sold)
76 BMW 2002 (sold)
86 190E-16v (Demised at Laguna Seca Turn 9)
87 300SDL (sold)
87 300SDL 135k
87 300TD 280k (sold)
95 E320W 211k
95 E320w 111k
05 C320 4matic
06 E320 CDI 90k (Totaled by a texting 19 year old girl in a nissan)
2013 GLK 250 Bluetek 4MATIC

the last carburation was M102 2.0 litre, year 1988, afaik.

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2001 E200 Kompressor Avantgarde
1987 300E 5-speed
1976 450SLC
1975 280S (sold)
1973 230.6 (sold)

The 2.0 liter M102 engine in the 190E was first sold in Europe at the end of 1983. It was never sold in the U.S.

In the U.S., the 190E 2.3 was always sold with the 2.3 liter engine M102 engine and it was always fuel injected.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Here you go Stephen. You might have to wear rubber pants to view this image, but here is a shot at a 1970 W108 chassis 280S - no fuel injection:

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Here is a side view:

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

I know where one is that has been "put out to pasture". I'm going to check it out tomorrow!

i find the w201-190e-1.8-1993- easy to work on.
it is an extremely reliable car.
it has the bosch ke fuel injection system.
so far at 112,000 miles-the only major part replaced was the rear exhaust muffler at 100k plus miles.

the previous owner had the water pump replaced at 67,000 miles.

i replaced an electric window switch and cooling fan switch both at 100k miles plus.

For those of you who might not know, Jay Leno is the epitome of a car nut.

I read in a Jay Leno column where he was talking to a very competent auto tech. The auto tech told him that computerized, fuel injection cars were absolutely no problem for him, but that his worry that someone would bring in a car with a point ignition and a carburetor!

Although I consider myself very proficient in troubleshooting and correcting carburetor and point ignition issues, I realize that this technology is as antique as a steam engine.

IMHO fuel injection is the biggest reason our engines now live for hundreds of thousands of miles. There is no raw fuel dribbling down the cylinders during cold starts or stuck choke situations. This raw fuel used to wash the oil off the cylinder walls and drastically shorten engine life.

If you look at this from a purely economic viewpoint, it's easy to see the advantage of modern engine control technology. To do this consider the life of most cars and engines being twice what it used to be, it is actually probably more than that, but for comparison, let's just consider double.

This means that you cut your cost per mile for initial investment in half. With point ignitions and carburetors, maintenance was constant. Points and plugs every 10,000 miles or so, carburetors constantly requiring adjustment or more often overhaul, etc.

We now have flame thrower ignitions that make plugs last 100,000 miles and even then you look at the old ones and wonder why you are replacing them. We don't overhaul or adjust carburetors. We occasionally see a check engine light, which more often than not means that we need to screw in a new O2 Sensor, big deal.

All that said, I enjoy messing with a carburetor and a point ignition, I think because I know that there are not a lot of people still around that can do it very well. But as far as my everyday transportation, I have gotten spoiled by driving cars that I drive for 50,000 or 100,000 miles doing nothing but changing fluids and replacing filters.

You all can have all the carbureted cars you want, and when you want them to run right, give me a call. On second thought, don't give me a call, my phone would be ringing off the hook and I would never be able to get any sleep.

Those carbureted, point ignition cars will require constant attention, so I hope you enjoy giving it.

My $0.02,