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#1
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280SE 108 heat (or lack of)
Fall will soon be here in New England, my favorite time to drive the old bucket. However, not without a little heat. For the first time ever, I have a vintage MB 108 M130 with a strong functioning heater blower, 4 smooth operating levers but this time, NO HEAT. Not even a wisp of warm air when plowing along at 70 MPH (the AC unit puts out warm air so maybe I can use that!). I have the radio out and shipped off to Becker in NJ for refurb so, I can lube up the levers while I am waiting for it’s return as a matter of prudence.
Can anyone recommend a place to start troubleshooting this? My other cars had great heat but no blower. Had the blower done on my 4.5 way back but that's not the problem with my 71 6cyl. Many thanks.
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Present 1971 280SE W108 1967 250SE W111 Rhode Island _____________ Auf Wiedersehen 1972 280SE 4.5 (AKA Das Moneypitten) 1972 250C (Mit den zwei carburetors from hell) "Time fly’s like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx |
#2
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Are your levers hooked up to your heat valves? If so, and they open, then your core and/or valves are completely blocked. Remove the valves, clean them out, then leave them open while running the engine to see if you get heat. You may need to flush the core out with a hose.
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Current: 2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee" 2018 Durango R/T Previous: 1972 280SE 4.5 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi" 1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k |
#3
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Someone has to ask the obvious
Are the hoses hooked up to the heater core? I diagnosed the same complaint in a 250C and it turned out that the PO had bypassed the heater core because it was leaking!
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Chuck Taylor Falls Church VA '66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe |
#4
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I'd bet if the heater hoses are attached that the valves ar seized in the closed position. You can confirm this by examining them (located behind the ash-tray. Remove the ash tray and glove compartment liner for access to the area and try to manually turn the valves. Mine were so stuck it was like someone welded them in place! I tried everything I could to get them loose and got one to move and then got it out but the other is still stuck in there so I am facing removing the dash to replace the core itself. If you're lucky and can free up the valves then a rebuild of them is easy if they start leaking...each has two o-ring seals which are avaliable from MB. First try and turn them though...maybe you will luck out and find them just too stiff to turn with the cables pushing them and can free them up by just excersizing them.
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Marty D. 2013 C300 4Matic 1984 BMW 733i 2013 Lincoln MKz |
#5
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Thanks for all the info. As the car seems to have been an Arizona car most of it's life, the heating end of the HVAC probably didn’t get used all that much. I'll have a go and report back.
SH
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Present 1971 280SE W108 1967 250SE W111 Rhode Island _____________ Auf Wiedersehen 1972 280SE 4.5 (AKA Das Moneypitten) 1972 250C (Mit den zwei carburetors from hell) "Time fly’s like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx |
#6
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Folow up
"Houston, we have heat".
With the glove box, ashtray and radio out, I lubed up all the valves, levers, pulleys etc., related to the HVAC. Still no joy. Cleaned out all the gunk, leaves and debris from the fresh air intakes while I was at it. New filters on the way from Phil. Behind the radio on the driver’s side OF the radio on the firewall, there was a vertical cabled lever. After reaching my fat hand through radio opening and flipping it to the right, viola! All the heat and blower volume you could want. Then, both on heat and defrost, loads and loads of debris came spewing out (with the blower on high) from ALL the ductwork, defrost, floor, even the rear floor ducts. Looked mostly like dried up bits of varnish and paper label bits, chewed up leaves etc. Took me ten minutes plus to vacuum it all up. Being an Arizona car, I suspect the heating wasn't used all that much over the years and things were just sort of froze up and levers and flaps weren't transitioning as designed. Works great now. Now, if that blower will just stay alive a little longer....
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Present 1971 280SE W108 1967 250SE W111 Rhode Island _____________ Auf Wiedersehen 1972 280SE 4.5 (AKA Das Moneypitten) 1972 250C (Mit den zwei carburetors from hell) "Time fly’s like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx |
#7
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On blower maintenance, have you thought about shooting the motor with electric parts cleaner while it can barely be reached either from above through the vent or from squirming around under the dash. Great stuff electr parts cleaner, leaves no residue and dirt/dust/debris wont stick to it.
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