72 280 SE 4.5 Update - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

psfred · #1 09-18-2002, 10:41 PM

Well, I got the brake job started -- one caliper off and rebuilt, but when I spun the rotor and hub while taking it off, guess what, that good old grinding noise. Didn't hear it before, probably because of the pad noise, but I have to get wheel bearings to finish this.

The grease in there smells awful, too -- probably cheap low temp stuff that fried when the brakes started dragging. Otherwise packed OK, back seal going but not gone.

Interestingly, the outer bearing is completely gone, sounds like it has sand in it, but the inner is nearly perfect. Go figure.

Can't tell what the other side is like, makes a terrible scraping sound with the pads out, but that could be anything. I plan on wheel bearings for both sides, anyway.

I do have one question -- I can rock the wheel back and forth a bit at the top -- about 1/16" or so, not loose, just a little play. Do I need new kingpins too? They aren't tight, and I don't feel any play on the left side.

Peter

Clunker · #2 09-22-2002, 09:38 AM

Maybe you should ask the question under the TECH HELP forum. 1/16 does not sound like too much play to me though.

psfred · #3 09-22-2002, 12:38 PM

Well, front end is done! New pads, rotors, wheel bearings, and caliper rubber. Other than the serious miss I seem to have aquired while working on it, it runs and drive very nicely now!

Since the dash lights don't work, I have no idea how fast I was going last night, but it does drive very nicely, shocks seem OK, etc -- I could become very spoiled!

Any thoughs on the miss? I can't tell if it is ignition or injection related at the moment, but I'm sure the the wires aren't the best, and twisting them around while taking the distributor out surely didn't help. We had several days of damp rainy weather between when I ran it last and the start of the missing, so it could just be tired ignition parts.

I also suspect sticking injectors (from sitting for several years) and possibly dirty or fouled trigger points. Anybody know how to access the trigger points? I'd like to clean them. New cap and rotor along with timing check/adjust are in the works for this week, too.

Peter

hill · #4 09-22-2002, 08:24 PM

"I also suspect sticking injectors (from sitting for several years) and possibly dirty or fouled trigger points. Anybody know how to access the trigger points? I'd like to clean them. New cap and rotor along with timing check/adjust are in the works for this week, too."

Do a search using "trigger points" it has been explained by others more succinctly than I can.

Aaron · #5 09-22-2002, 11:57 PM

Psfred,

Best thing to do....Dump the points for electronic ignition. I would recommend either the Crane Fireball XR700 or XR1000 systems. I have the XR700 on my '70 280SE (6 cyl) and it's great. Don't ever have to worry about dwell or points closing up ever again.

cth350 · #6 09-23-2002, 01:52 PM

I have owned close to a dozen of the EFI motors and have yet to find a car that needed the EFI points cleaned. But they are hiding below the ignition points. You'll have to pull the distributor again and remove the access panel where the wire plug is.

Sticking injectors or bad connections in the EFI wire harness are far more likely problems.

Investing a little over 100$ for a crane system WITH a distributor rebuild is a very worthy investment. Randy Durrance will do both for you at a significant discount to doing just one or the other.

-CTH

psfred · #7 09-23-2002, 08:23 PM

Thanks guys!

I was thinking about the ignition changeover anyway -- sooner or later the factory transistor box will die, and I will certainly change over then.

I drove the big beast for half an hour or so last night, idle smoothed out and it seems to have stopped missing. I set the timing tonight (it was way late) and now have plenty of power (!) and it runs very nicely now. Burned an eigth of a tank of gas, though -- smells pretty rich!

I've ordered a new cap and rotor, since they don't look too good, and will probably make up a set of wires soon, too. All the little stuff. Now I have to get the exhaust manifold off and have a friend weld it up for me, and start on the exhaust and the seats.

Nothing like a project car, eh?

Drives very nice, though, drooping front end and all!

Peter

psfred · #8 09-23-2002, 11:34 PM

I drove her around a bit more tonight with the timing set correctly, and boy, what a ride! Engine smoothed out very nicely, lots of power (probably finally burned all the carbon off the plugs -- platinums, by the way, seem to work fine!). Tranny shifts funny, but I spilled quite a bit of fluid getting the rad out, and I'm sure plently ran out the vent while it sat. Will get some synthetic tomorrow and fill her up.

Amazingly, the exhause noise isn't very loud anymore, no more crackling form the busted exhaust manifold unless I really step on it!

Only thing wrong now is that the brakes pull a little to the left (I found this out when the neighbors cat darted out in front of me! -- missed the cat). Probably iffy tires, they were all low and I filled them "by eye" since I didn't have a tire gauge with me at the time.

I still need to bleed the rear brakes, I replaced a line back there and haven't bled them yet. Pedal feels a little soft, not bad, and the front pads are still "furry", I'm sure.

Pobably time to burn off the old nasty gas in the tank and drive her off to work later this week (30 miles each way) and see what it does on the highway.

Peter

LuckyF8 · #9 09-26-2002, 03:10 AM

Hey, psfred just keep driving, I have a 1973 280SE 4.5, she lives in the garage, has 114,000 mi, I keep her Combat Ready, batt charged, tank full, ready to rock! This car is all original and almost in showroom cond. I have had her for years, but only driven about 7K in the last ten years. I keep everything up to new condition, as it's easy to do with a little TLC and $$$$. She sleeps in the garage sometimes for 3 or 4 months without a drive, but starts instantly, warms up, and struts her stuff. Everything works, AC is ice cold, Heater controls have been replaced OEM parts, rear window defog works great, original radio, shocks and rear suspension, interior MB Tex, wood is awesome, etc.....

We take out the dist. all the time just for fun ( IT'S REAL EASY TO DO) and check all the Points..........never had to replaced anything!
EFI is bullet proof, and is adjustable, front and rear. the 4.5 and trans are strong, well maintained, and kick a$$.

This car is 30 years old,well maintained, just needs to be driven, it takes about 50 miles every time I get her out for a week or so, to strech her legs, and all the creak's and grown's are gone....Papow! It lives again!

Talk about Road Kills........this car has been 145mph + lot's of times...I think it will go faster, however I slow down because the passenger, just won't shut up!

Enjoy your ride, the more you drive it the better it get's!

108's are good cars, love it and it will take good care of you.

Go for it psfred!

psfred · #10 09-26-2002, 09:33 AM

Tim:

Ah, the difference between a properly maintained MB and one driven to within an inch of it's life.....

I suspect I need to adjust the fuel injection -- burned a quarter tank of gas just driving around the local "block" -- about 1/5 miles the short way, 5-8 the other. More than I should have, and the tailpipe is black. Idles just a bit rough, too, but I think that is just bad plug wires and nasty gas -- still stinks.

Should be fun, this old beast has tremendous power, and is happy going MUCH faster than is good!

Peter

LuckyF8 · #11 10-03-2002, 01:32 AM

psfred

How is the project going? I went out tonight and fired up the old girl.......purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Hope yours does the same soon!

Hey maybe this will get to the top of the post.

Keep the faith............."Just Drive It"

psfred · #12 10-03-2002, 07:20 PM

Latest projects are to soften up the leather enough for people to sit on it without cracking it and getting the heater valves done. I put a new thermostat in yesterday, helped quite a bit with running. Also found that the connector for the temp sensor in the air filter house wasn't right, so that helped too.

I've been using Blue Magic leather restorer, and it helps. I've also slathered an huge amount of L L Bean Mink oil on the top of the back seat, where the leather was tearing from shrinking so badly -- must have gotten more sun there.

This weekend I plan to get the heater valves out (have to drain the coolant AGAIN), fix them, and try to get the heater levers out so I can replace one. May wait on that. Also want to get the instrument cluster out so I can fix both the odometer and the lights -- makes me nervous to drive it when I can't see how fast I'm going or the temp gauge. Not that it is licensed yet -- have to have the PO notarize his signature and get a bill of sale before braving the local Indiana License Branch. No way they are going to believe $50 without one!

Long term I need new tires badly -- the ones on there are mismatched and in deplorable condition -- also cheap tires to boot. May take the Coopers off the Volvo and have them put on the Benz, and get new Firestone LS 30's for the Volvo. All I need is money.....

Still looking for a left exhaust manifold -- found a replacement exhaust system on the net, but need to check out the quality before I buy...

Peter

MikeTangas · #13 10-04-2002, 01:01 AM

Do a search on heater levers with my name Peter, you should come up with a decent how-to. Parts to completely redo all levers can be had through FastLane for under $90. You can also get a set of 215/70/14 Avid Tourings for the 4.5 through Tire rack for under $200.

LuckyF8 · #14 10-04-2002, 01:12 AM

Peter

Replace ALL the levers, and don't get the cheeseball ones that are out there! Get the MB replacment type, they are made out of a flexable rubber and won't ever snap off in your hand. Mine work like butter now after replacing them about 3 years ago.

This is a big, time consuming job, even for an experianced tech, my guy has done a lot of them still takes the whole day. Maybe someone on the board will chime in and help with some secrets.

Let me know what hard parts you need, like ex manifold..etc. as I live in So Cal, and have resources for all that stuff. My friend of 28 years ownes a MB repair shop here, and belive it or not we have a indoor MB dismantler 1 block away, they have ton's of good parts for the 108, CHEAP! My rear compensator went bad a few years back, about $700 from the dealer, Brand new "used" from these guys $225 works great and I had 6 to choose from!

As for the dash lights, I turn mine off, and the rear view mirror, I never use it, they just scare me.

MikeTangas · #15 10-04-2002, 01:26 AM

Here are a couple heater lever links I dug up in the search.

Lever 1

Instrument cluster backlighting info

More lever info

Hope these help.