just bought a 70 280 sel need spark plug gap help and more

[chala]

we just bought this wonderful car yesterday for 100 bucks and the guy said it was siting for about a year or so and it didn't start but my hubby got it to run all the way home!
Now we are trying to tune it up and we need to know the spark plug gap and how to time it because when it starts which it doesn't again right now it idels really low like it wants to die and then once you get going it is awesome on the free way but when you get to a stop light i panic - hes out there right now working on it and i hope you guys can help us !
Thanks

[t walgamuth]

plug gap: .020 Point gap: from .012 to .016

Good luck with your new beauty.

Tom W

[CamelotShadow]

price was right
even better it runs
good luck w it
take it one day at a time

[ctaylor738]

Assuming that this is a six cylinder engine, I would go with .032 on non-resistor copper plugs. About all you can find are Champions (an N11 would probably work), since Bosch seems to have discontinued non-resistor coppers.

The timing spec is 6 ATDC with vacuum, but I have found 0 works better.

If you are having idle problems, proceed very carefully. This is not like other cars. There is an air adjustment and a fuel adjustment. It is very easy to make things worse. Suggest a search here and on this site:

http://www.sl113.org/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2

[chala]

it idles a little fast for me and when you put it in d or r it like skids (goes rrrkkk)and jumps ahead big time. There was a vaccuum line disconneted before and buddy put it back together for me.

1.Ok so I was checking the fluids out and the power steering is all brown and gunky so how should i go about replacing it and with what?

2. one of my low beam headlights doesn't work but works when on high beams and also on of my yellow little lamp (fog light)??

3.on my instrument cluster the brake light is always red no matter what. sucks. something crazy is going on underneath the dash with the fuses.

4. Blinkers dont blink . it moves around freely.

5. Can I take a pic of my engine and maybe you all could see whats up with it?

Just wondering what these numbers mean
12-039183
108.019
130.980
and on the tail lights it has 69 im assuming its the year?


Thanks so much.

[ggenovez]

I have a top sider (vacuum to canister) and I pull a vaccum while it's running and add fluid at the same time. Anotehr option is to use something like a turkey baster, empty, fill, run, stop, repeat, until it's clean

Take your fuses off and clean the tabs with emory cloth. reasemble. If the problem persists with the light take it apart and see if one of the tabs on the light is broken. You can get a halogen replacemnt pretty cheap ~10$

Brake light constatly on means your brake fluid is low, or teh sensor is not working right.

Not sure what you mean by blinker moves around freely...

The firs number is part of the serial number, it also tells us it's a left hand drive (american) and auto transmission (12)

You have a W108 chassis, which is how MB tells what model you have and how a 450 from the 70's is different from a 450 of today

You also have a M130 motor. all this is important to helping us diagnose. See my siganture.

[chala]

my idle is way too high (practically jumping when put into drive) can you guys tell me where that screw is? Thanks again

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by chala

it idles a little fast for me and when you put it in d or r it like skids (goes rrrkkk)and jumps ahead big time. There was a vaccuum line disconneted before and buddy put it back together for me.

1.Ok so I was checking the fluids out and the power steering is all brown and gunky so how should i go about replacing it and with what?

2. one of my low beam headlights doesn't work but works when on high beams and also on of my yellow little lamp (fog light)??

3.on my instrument cluster the brake light is always red no matter what. sucks. something crazy is going on underneath the dash with the fuses.

4. Blinkers dont blink . it moves around freely.

5. Can I take a pic of my engine and maybe you all could see whats up with it?

Just wondering what these numbers mean
12-039183
108.019
130.980
and on the tail lights it has 69 im assuming its the year?


Thanks so much.

That means the lenze was made in 69. If it is the original lenze that means that the car is a 69, if it has been replaced then all bets are off.

Tom W

[300SDog]

Originally Posted by CamelotShadow

price was right
even better it runs
good luck w it
take it one day at a time

Yep, deffinitely take it one day at a time. We can help with everything. For example, signal light switch on 108 is easily rebuildable. Might be magnet contacts just need cleaning with pencil eraser to make em stick.

And if brake light bothers you then check down by emergency brake for button that sticks. Probly shoot ALL electric connections on the car with WD-40. All of em plug-in connections, easy access light assemblies etc.

Meanwhile real important is flushing tranny fluid with new filter if its brown. "Yukiness" might point to the car needin radiator recore. Coolant/water always looks milky if gets into tranny fluid alongside cooling cores in radiator, rare but occasionally happens.

Beauty of the 108 is simplicity. Keep it on the road and nothing unpredictable or not easily figured out can occur. With respect to new purchase of Vintage MB, I always recommend professional first tune-up. Look for shop that has small junkyard of MB's in back lot. Then maintaining the car will be easier for you doin it yerself. Aint nothin on that car that intelligent do-it-yourselfer caint figure out. The simple logic of Vintage MB engineering is staggering, you will never find another car more mechanical friendly.

$100 you say? For me that means throwing another thousand into it just on principle of routine maintenance without hesitation.