The best way to get your questions answered!

[Tomguy]

If you have an older MB, this is hands-down THE best resource on the internet for your questions! For you newer members, or visitors looking for help with vehicles, here are a few tips on getting the best advice:

1) Know your vehicle!
Is it a Mercedes? If so, you've come to the right place. But instead of saying "My 280 is having problems" - as 280's have MANY different engine and chassis configurations - know what TYPE. Having the chassis number (usually the first 6 digits in the VIN on these older models, or stamped on the doorjamb plate). 280SE isn't specific enough - inline 6 or V8? You get the point. Now that you know your chassis number... find the engine number! The first 3 digits in the engine number allow us to know if it's a 6-cylinder (such as 130) or a V8 (117) - and these are usually prefixed by the letter "m" for gassers or "om" for diesels. Engine numbers can even be found in your owner's manual (if you have it) near the end. Find your "Chassis type" such as "108.067" or "108.068" and the "Engine type" will be listed right below it - "M 117".

2) Search!
What is your problem? In the search box, enter keywords. If your car has trouble starting, after knowing what engine you have, try a term such as "m117 starting" or "4.5 starting" if you have a 4.5l V8, or "m130 starting" if you have an m130 inline 6 (keep in mind, the m130 was used in 250s AND 280s!). Vibration at speed from a 1976 450SEL? Search "116 vibration" - 116 being the chassis number. The information you may find may be from a 300D or a 280SE, but as long as it's the same chassis, information may be interchangeable.

3) Post specifics!
A thread title "Help!" or "Need parts" is very generic. Help with a calculus problem? Need Piper parts? Being specific in thread titles is step one on being specific. "1972 280SE 6-cyl misfires under load" is a MUCH more specific thread title that will INSTANTLY get people who know your engine to post help! Even if you don't know or have your chassis/engine numbers, tell us as much as you know about your car. In your post, provide more specifics - "The car runs and idles smoothly, and revs fine with no load, but on the highway it misfires or runs rough" - This is something that will get more immediate responses as to how to fix it, rather than the typical followups such as "Does it stumble without load?" or "Is the idle rough?". Describe any sounds, shakings, or hesitations. "Car won't start" - does it turn over? Does it fire a few times but not actually start? A much better statement would be "My engine turns over but there is no signs of firing whatsoever".

4) Ask everyone!
If you use the search feature, you may turn up an answer to your problem that's several years old! This is good, but don't expect an answer from a private message to the person who asked or answered this the first time around. Members often leave these forums, forget their passwords, or sell their cars and lose intrest in them. Rather than private messaging one or two people, post a thread on the forums with your problem, say you found the answer, but had a few questions about the specifics of it

5) Make your own thread!
Replying to this thread won't get your questions answered, because it's a forum announcement / sticky. The best way to get an answer is to make your own, new thread below in this forum! After reading this post, go back to the forum index and click "New Thread" - or just click this link to make a new thread with a descriptive topic described above!

[Scutch]

I wanted to make a suggestion about searching. I have found the search format on this forum to be a bit hard to navigate because your results often give you whole message strings without pinpointing the exact search words and on what page of the string you are looking for without going through what is sometimes a very lengthy trail of posts.

I have found a great solution. If you have the Google toolbar, there is a feature to search the specific site you are at. Type your search words in there and you will be given a list of specific posts that are listed by relevance. It allows you to find the specific paragraph with your search words in it. You can backtrack or go forward from there if you want to. It works great. Try it.

Eddie

[mak]

Great forum and very helpful input from all ,but what i find missing is the final feedback as to the fault rectification. we must do so as a way of thanks for the helpful advise and also for others searching for a similar fault -repair.in archives

thanks
mak