weekend Wrenching - Page 56 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

alabbasi · #**826** 01-03-2011, 03:17 PM

Last week was kind of busy putting new hard wood into the house but I did manage to get a little more body work done on the 300D. It looks ok for the most part, but I still need to do some sanding on the panel so as to make sure it will look flat and straight once the paint goes on.

I also picked up a bargain basement 1990 300SEL in the same color scheme as my white 560SEL. It was a non running car. The owner put a used fuel distributor in to make it run but it did not. I cleaned up the oil one and got it running. It ran fine once I adjusted the mixture but would die out when it got warm. I ended up replacing the battery, coil, cap and rotor and temp sender before I could get it to run. The issue was most likely the cap and rotor. I now plan on cleaning it up and selling it.

Erich had my 560SEL and put a new water pump, mono valve and replaced the drier and a/c hose. He bought it back to me last week and picked up my 560SEC which will get a new timing chain as well as some other items.

Apart from that, nothing much.

alabbasi · #**827** 01-10-2011, 06:26 AM

It's been a while since I posted some progress on the 300SEL. I've been busy working on other car and house projects so its has been neglected. David (want280SEL) was kind enough to offer some of his time to help me get it to the point where I can drive it around the block.

The brakes seemed to be seized and I was not able to get them to bleed for anything so this weekend, we focused on the braking system.

I ordered a full set of rebuilt brake calipers but unfortunately, every time I order a rear right caliper, I get a rear left so I had to source one used one while I rebuilt the old one. Yesterday evening, I broke out my gas powered pressure washer and blasted the underside of the car which was covered in Georgia red clay. It was amazing how much dirt was removed which would help us today while we worked under the car.

Today, we pulled off the brakes, removed the old calipers, scrubbed, sand blasted and painted the backing plates, cleaned up and re greased the front end and installed the new callipers. Unfortunately, the brakes still would not bleed and I suspect that there is a blockage somewhere (which I am hoping is at the master cylinder).

Everything is going to have to come apart again so that I can spray brake cleaner down the lines and blow them out. I have ordered the following parts to get me going.

* Front and rear brake hoses (all sides)
* Front Brake Rotors
* Front inner and outer wheel bearings (both sides)
* Wheel seals
* Kingpin kit
* Shock absorbers
* Front Control arm bushing kit
* Brake caliper repair kit
* Master cylinder
* Tie rods (both sides)

This work should keep me busy for a couple of weekends. I still can't get the suspension to pump up but I have the rear blocks installed and wooden 2x4's in the front so I should be able to get the car of the lift once done. It's been sitting there for the best part of 6 months.

WANT '71 280SEL · #**828** 01-10-2011, 09:49 AM

Al, I'm just about positive that it's the master cylinder causing our problem of no pedal. I've been doing some research here on the forum and am more confident with the prognosis than yesterday. As for blockages in the brake lines, I really don't like the idea of introducing a foreign substance to those lines. While it's not as bad as putting the nozzle of a power washer in the gas tank, it follows similar logic that we'd have a heck of a time knowing we got every little last drop of whatever fluid we used to clean out the system. Realistically, for their to be a blockage, some foreign material would have to be introduced to the system somehow. Remember, they only rust internally when water is somehow introduced, or as usually happens, they rust externally and hard lines rupture. Calipers are a different story as the seals tear and allow in road dirt, water, and salt. I find it highly unlikely that someone's directly put water or any other substance into the brake fluid reservoir. Once the new MC is on (master cylinder, not the DJ) we should finally be able to bleed it properly.

I did see one suggestion in a post a year or two ago that mentioned removing the brake line that feeds the rear system at the MC. We should have done that yesterday to determine if there was much pressure there. Logic would then say to start moving towards the rear of the car and see where the pressure drops off. Realistically, I think the MC's shot thus why it drops just about all the way to the floor before it even tries to push fluid through the bleeder.

I'm rambling, but I think we should do that quick test on the MC soon.

Best Regards,

David

alabbasi · #**829** 01-10-2011, 09:55 AM

Yep, i was also thinking that we need to check the condition of the brake lines, as the car is air sprung, it looks like it's been lifted by the chassis many times. I should check if any of the hard suspension or brake lines got flattened in the past.

WANT '71 280SEL · #**830** 01-10-2011, 09:58 AM

That's a good point. I know how much you enjoy bending and forming new hard brake lines!....

-David

alabbasi · #**831** 01-17-2011, 01:25 AM

This weekend, we got all the parts together for a front end rebuild, but it seems that we may have been too optimistic in our efforts to get everything done.

Well, we got the master cylinder on and the brakes bled. This took some effort as the pressure bleeder would not bleed the rear brakes so two man bleeding was required at first. Once the brakes started to bleed, the pressure bleeder took over and it was fine.

We also got side tracked a couple of times. First by the impulse purchase of a 1972 300SEL 4.5 that was picked up from Arkansas. We're still debating whether to make it a parts car or try to get it running and then by a few visits from friends needing parts or just to shoot the breeze.

After getting the brakes left, we noticed that the alcohol container for the air suspension was off and damaged. I had a spare one that I pulled from a junked car so we attempted to put it on. It was impossible as it was buried right above the fuel filter in a tight location by the air compressor behind the front fender. The only way to be able to mount it is to remove the front fender so that you can mount the reservoir correctly....... yep, remove the front fender.

After that we ran the engine for a while hoping to get the suspension to rise so that we could drive the 6.3 around the block, but no luck. The pump is working and the air tank was filling up. I later found out from my M-100 buddies that you need to rev the engine to 2500RPM to get it to rise, so I may give this a go next week.

The shop looks like a bomb has hit the place right now. I need a shelving system.

Mike D · #**832** 01-17-2011, 09:54 AM

Well since you've got your garage a mess I don't feel so bad about not getting those fenders shipped out to you yet.

I've got them all wrapped and ready to go but just haven't found the time to swing them by the Greyhound depot. They're not in my way so if you want me to wait a bit before sending them let me know.

alabbasi · #**833** 01-17-2011, 10:49 AM

Mike,

No problem, at your convenience.

Thanks for helping out.

alabbasi · #**834** 01-23-2011, 04:43 PM

Me and a couple of forum buddies got together to rent some storage for our toys so I did not get much work done. I did put up a pile of shelves in the unit so that I can move any of the stuff that I don't use or need out of the shop and free up some space there.

gs sparhawk · #**835** 01-29-2011, 03:13 PM

----and we of the Frozen North just have to sit and read the paper till Spring.

Sparky

alabbasi · #**836** 01-29-2011, 07:38 PM

It was 75 degrees and sunny today, I got no work done on the cars though, I had to take care of some things around the house. Tomorrow, will be spent putting shelves up in my shop and moving some of the parts to the overflow unit.

WANT '71 280SEL · #**837** 01-29-2011, 08:33 PM

I'm so glad this is the Sat. I spend out of town! You need to get cracking on the 6.3! Then again, if you get the housekeeping stuff done while I'm out of town then we should be able to actually get some stuff done upon my return to the Big D! It was about 30° today here in DC. It only makes sense that it was in the 70's in Dallas while I'm in DC.

Best Regards,

David

gs sparhawk · #**838** 01-29-2011, 10:14 PM

Oh, Al. Now you have gone a little over the line. Due to go to about zero for the high on Mon. up here in the freezer. Right after we were "teased" with 39 degrees yesterday.

Would you mind if I borrowed at least the "idea" of 75 for a couple of weeks?
(Although, I'd probably get frostbite for wearing shorts and a tee-shirt.)

Sparky