oil system cleanser??

[kpb]

Ok all, today's query--

Am intending to drain out whatever fluid the PO has in the oilpan and have used a wide variety of oils in my previous 20 or 30 rides. I have studied the recent thread regarding synthetic versus "dino" oil. My question: is it prudent to use one of those flushing/cleaning-type additives in the present oil before I drain it?? I do not want to disturb any internal seals or create havoc in an otherwise buttoned-up tight engine. Or, am I better off to just drain the unknown stuff and refill with quality goods? PO claims oil changes every 3000 mis. Of course, he owned it nearly 5 yrs, and only put 4K on it!

BTW, it is a '72 280SE 4.5 that just turned 44K mis.

As always, THANX.

[psfred]

Just change the oil. If you do switch to synthetic, change the oil filter at 1000 miles and top up.

I'm leery of oil "flush" solvents -- they cannot be good for the bearings and cylinder walls.

Peter

He only put 4000 miles on it? Was this according to documentation or odometer? I can't believe that is all of the miles he put on it!
Tim

[kpb]

Tim -- the mileage is according to the odo and the miles listed on the title . Went from 39k at his purchase to just a bit over 43k when I bought it 12/7/03. PO says he only bought it for fair weather driving and parked it every winter. I was initially suspicious and assumed the odo had rolled over, but, after crawling all around and under, I think odo is correct.

I think he parted with it because he could not figure out or did not want to pay to have figured a couple of issues which he may have thought were huge that I have since fixed:

1. Non-opening LR door
2. Non-working LR window
3. Screwed-up regulator on RF that he thought was a bad window motor
4. Disintegrating flex disc causing oscillation
5. Collapsed tranny mount.

Still have on my "major" list, subframe mounts and likely motor mounts too. I doubt if the shocks have been replaced but have not studied them because it rides smooth and stable. Gotta figure out the heater blower non-functioning as well. Hope it is not the blower motor.

BTW, I like the look of your SEL . My beast is a sorta weird, gray-blue with navy interior which is in excellent shape. Body has about 5-6 small areas which chipped and were never fixed so they are now small rust-filled chips. Otherwise, I cannot believe this is an Ohio car because it is so solid and clean underneath. I know nothing of its history beyond the little I could glean from immediate PO.

[psfred]

kbp:

There is almost no chance the blower motor is bad, it's much more likely stuck from never being used!

Take the air intake grille off (you have to pull the wiper arms) and pull the filter on the right side (I believe, may be left) and you can see the blower in there. Clear out any crud and give it a spin, then apply power. Make take off then, if not some WD-40 on the front bearing of the motor (just visible) may clear it out and lube it enough to get it running.

I bought some shocks from a 1967 230S on eBay for my 280, and they seem to be fine -- not too stiff, and rebound nicely so they still have proper nitrogen charges. Since they are 35 years old, I'd bet the ones on yours are still good, they almost never fail from sitting. Oddly, Bilsteins seem to get much stiffer as they get old, rather than sloppy, unless the oil leaks out. My fronts ride like they are solid (have some kyb adjusta-shocks to put in, we'll see how they work).

Peter

[kpb]

Thanx for the encouragement on the blower issue. PO told me he did not know if the heat worked since he never ran the car in winter. I was suspicious because even in spring the blower is useful on some rainy or humid days.

Anyway, when I inspected the car I thought the A/C and heat were integrated (even though I had studied some threads here but did not fully comprehend ) The A/C blower kicked in fine so I thought the whole HVAC set-up was OK. On my top left control, the one with the blower switch, I cannot detect any detents upon moving it. All of the controls are very stiff and, as a matter-of-fact, the lower right (passenger) one just apparently detached itself today as I was fiddling with it. I have not had the time to pull anything out of the dash to inspect as yet. Should not I feel definite detents on the top left, even if the blower switch is faulty or missing? The way the controls seem sorta whopperjawed, I am thinking somebody doodled around wtih them and gave up without fixing anything. Also, should not the handles have plastic caps or handles? Mine have only the sorta nubbie type shapes that protrude directly from the control disc device.

Thanks for your valuable insights.

[psfred]

Nothing but a rubber nub sticks out of the dash.

Left upper control (airflow) does two things -- opens and closes the vent (all the way right is off) and, at the left end of the travel, turns the fan on low or high speed. Two speeds only, very slight click at the extreme left.

Upper right lever is dash or floor (dash to the left, floor to the right).

Temp controls work as follows -- right side lever off to the left, on to the right, left side lever off to the right, on to the left (off is in the "center".

Most likely the heater valves are VERY reluctant to move -- the seals (they look a lot like o-rings but really aren't) get sticky with age, and lots of calcium carbonate tends to collect on them and they get stiff. Real cure is to pull them out and clean them, replace the seals (and grease them ) and re-install, but often just taking a screwdriver and working the valve levers back and forth will free them up. Follow up with a good citric acid flush and they may work fine.

You can reach the heater valves by pulling the ashtray out -- they are behind ti and to the right a bit.

If you don't fix them, you will either pop the cables off (as you have done) or break the rubber handle off the lever.

You will have to pull the radio to get the cable back on. Watch for the little circular clip that retains the cable on the post, it popped off onto the top of the radio. If it falls down, it will end up behind teh console cover, so it's not lost forever.

With the radio out, the heater levers are easily accessable. Two cables each, one for the flapper control and one for the heater valve. Put the valve cable back on the post and flatten the retainer tabs a bit, then push it back on.

You still need to free up the heater valves, though, or it will just come off again.


Peter

[kpb]

As always, I am sure your insight and expereince will prove invaluable. I suppose this thread should now be called "heater controls" or some such thing, eh?

My controls have no indication of plastic tips or parts, only the nub of the control disc which protrudes through the faceplate. At first I thought they were broken off and sanded or filed smooth but they are all four shaped exactly the same. Also, with the up-and-down slop in the discs themselves, I suspect a PO tried to have them fixed and the job was shoddily done. Sounds like these are OEM not the Duralever type though I have seen no pictures of the Duralevers.

Thanx again, will post an update when I get a chance to pull some of this out of the dash.

kpb

[psfred]

Nub is about 1/4" square or so? That's all you get. They work very smoothly when the heater valves are clean and there isn't a mouse nest or something similar in the heater box.

Peter