Well, so there I am feeling pretty good about life, having just turned 100,000 miles, when an ominous smell of gasoline begins to pervade the otherwise luxe interior which defines the 560SEL.

This is clearly a job for a top-of-the-line odor detector, so I immediately pulled out Bert, the Border Terrier and instructed this sophisticated tool to put his schnozzer to work and detect the source of aforesaid leak.

Bertie instantly pointed to the air filter cover so, after I had removed it as instructed, he honed in on the Electro Hydraulic Actuator valve located on the left rear of the fuel distributor, as viewed from the driver's seat.

Being a frugal Border, he suggested that once I had used a T20 Torx screwdriver to remove the two retaining screws, I should try replacing the two green rubber O rings between the EHA and the distributor. After all, even at the extortionate cost of $6.18 for two charged by my local dealer, Park Avenue Motors in Palo Alto, CA, when the mail order cost is $1, it's cheaper than replacing the EHA.

Impressed by the way Bert was looking out for his guide and master, I proceeded to replace the O rings and charged myself at the rate $200 per hour, in the Park Avenue Mortors spirit, for the 10 minutes of work involved. I also threw in $1,000 for rental of the exotic T20 screwdriver.

It was, however, not to be, as the foul stench of high test continued, so it meant a mail ordered EHA ($140) plus I loaned myself the fire extinguisher from the garage at $2,000 per day.

Carefully replacing Bertie on his snuggle ball (I was taught to look after my tools as a child), I installed the new EHA after two nervous days of driving about with odor and fire extinguisher.

Replacement was another twenty minutes, so I charged myself another $200, rounding up to the nearest hour, throwing in another $1,000 for diagnosis. Not cheap, I agree, but I reasoned that's a whole lot less than the new engine the average dealer would have sold me.

Now, the quiet interior of the 560SEL is once more joined by the delicate aroma of the skins taken from a herd of Schwabian Bulls (I quote from the mid-80s MB S Class brochure).

So, if you have a gasoline smell and a Border Terrier to help with diagnosis, this is one place to look. The electrical feed is a keyed, two prong connector. It locks in place, so give its sides a good squeeze to remove.

(With apologies to all the great dealers out there).

i too have a canine assistant by the name of peanut. short, fat and skilled in many disciplines, however her real skills lye in bottom end or lower chassis work. she's a dachshund and a runt to boot . so one can see how she would accel in the field she specializes.

on the rep of dealers i have rule of thumb.

1. i can not go to a dealer and spend less than 250$

2. if i object to any of the services they say i need they will only boost whatever i am having done to 250$

3. if i succeed in not spending 250$ the difference will only be rolled over to my next visit and will be tacked on to that bill.

4. if i stay with my vehicle waiting to pick it up there will be a surcharge of an additional 150$ for breathing their air and drinking the 2 week old coffee and reading their 4 year old magazines.

5. if i leave the car but later call in to see if it's done they will only add the 150$ surcharge.

6. if i protest regarding the cost of replacing my cigarette lighter or other non lethal item they will only punish me by not fixing what ever it was that needed to be fixed so that i will have to make another trip into their shop.

so this is what i have come to believe. regardless of the needed repair that i most desperately need, i take out my wallet, remove 250$, place it on the ground, pour an accelerant on top of this pile and strike a match. this has proven to be much less taxing on my nerves and my wallet.

have a good day

__________________
Thanks Much!
Craig

1972 350sl Red/Blk 117k
1988 420sel charcoal/Blk 140k
1987 420sel gold/tan 128k
See My Cars at:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aytj/index.html

Pound it to fit then Paint it to match!

There is only First Place and Varying degrees of last!

Old age and deceit will overcome Youth and Enthusiasm every time!

Putting the square peg in the round hole is not hard... IF you do it fast enough!

Old enough to know better but stupid enough to do it anyway!

This is good news about Bertie's mechanical skills.

I have a female mini dachshund named Pee Wee, and could sure use her help on the car.

I'm wondering if Bertie could impart some knowledge to her....

__________________
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".

Bert's skills are diagnostic, not mechanical - he does not deign to get his paws dirty, preferring to leave manual labor to those of us foolish enough to indulge in it.

O.K., great. Diagnostic skills are even better. I can provide the brawn, but need brains.

Can Bertie impart these diagnostic skills to Pee Wee? Does she socialize well with other dogs?

Pee Wee has a good temperment, and plays well in the sand box with other dogs...

__________________
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 neglected to add that, when Bert and I were diagnosing the problem, I took the opportunity of checking the thickness of the old O rings compared to the new.

They were 1.5mm thick, whereas the new ones are a tad under 1.8mm thick, so there is some validity, I suppose, in replacing just the O rings first, as they appear to be the sole sealing point between the EHA and the fuel distributor orifices.

Looks like the life on the old O rings and EHA was 100k miles.

I replaced the "O" rings on mine and it appeared to solve the leak-now the car idles rough but otherwise runs wel. Any ideas as to what the cure would be for that? The flat head on the body of the eha, does that do anything?

Thanks.

J. Boggs