Hi vintage gang, just found a remarkably well-preserved W115 220, 128k miles, zero rust except for an very localized rust-through spot on the left-side drivers floor, probably from a leaky windshield. Paint, chrome, seats=perfect. Automatic, no A/C, no power steering. Roll-up windows. time-warp grandpa car.

My two questions are these: Is it easy to find and purchase the ventilation blower motor and/or assembly (I suspect its seized) and is the signal lever supposed to be self-cancelling or not. On this one you have to hold the lever to maintain blinking.

Thanks for your input.

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1995 MB E320 Wagon
2001 BMW 530i
2007 MINI Cooper S (!)

Congratulations on your potential purchase. These cars can be a lot of fun and ride as well as modern day cars. With regards to the blower motor they are burried in the car and from what I understand, you have to take apart the whole dash to get to it and it takes many many hours. Some have suggested cutting the bulkhead from the engine bay as an easier option. I lived with a non working fan on my 250CE. I have the same problem with the indicator stalk. I think its just a case of it being old and defective. I again have lived with it.

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With best regards

Al

Thanks Al.

I have doing my homework in the archives, scary blower motor info indeed. But I've done heater core work on old 60's Buicks before, so I'm not totally unfamiliar with the agony of it all. I also saw that Fastlane has the motor assembly still available for $540. oh dear. Well, I can check all the electrical stuff first, maybe its just a fuse.

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1995 MB E320 Wagon
2001 BMW 530i
2007 MINI Cooper S (!)

anything related to behind the dash is a major PITA.. the blinker is supposed to return on its own but then we're talkin 30y/o car..

the major thing with these cars, besides the rust, is all the rubber (bushings, seals...) Of course these things have point type dizzzy.. i love my car and it's really more reliable then almost anything i've owned.. almost always starts on the second try...

lot's of info on these beauty/beasts in the archives.. have fun and good luck.

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

On the turn signal not returning; unscrew the two (or 4) screws securing it to the steering column shaft and disconnect the 8 or 12 pin connection and remove it.
Its been about ten years since I have done this, but what happens is the top recess wears out and the spring piston can't grab onto the recess, all you need to do is file down the recess making it deeper so the mechanism can grasp. Don't file on the high points as this is what holds the shaft up and don't file too much or the shaft won't disengage. Takes about 30 minutes.
As for the blower, you should be able to pick one up in a wrecking yard for less then $50, those units are fairly dependable. Replacing the heater blower on a 114/115 is not too awful (compared to a 108). You do have to remove the center console and then I think you can dissamble your way in. I may be wrong but I owned 108 and 114's and I remember the 108 was a real chore.
Leonard

Thanks guys!
Leonard, do I need to remove the steering wheel to get at the items you refer to? Will it be fairly self-evident what you are referring to once I see it? I'm a pretty good DIY-guy, and I don't have a manual yet, but sometimes its easy to see how it all comes together.
Thanks again.

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1995 MB E320 Wagon
2001 BMW 530i
2007 MINI Cooper S (!)

The turn signal unit should come out from the side of the column. You may need to go under the dash and unplug the harness to get more slack.

As for the heater blower, the dash stays but eveything in the center comes out, consoles, radio, heater control assy, center-vent assy, heater box, etc....
With no AC, the job WILL be easier.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Congrats on purchase of Vintage Benz......

$540 for brand new blower motor?? Makes my scotish blood run cold, I'd take the old one to small eletric motor or appliance repairman first who can install new wraps, bushings and/or motor core hacked into the old MB blower motor chassis. The car will still be drivable with gutted dashboard, center console and heater core pulled, since you'll be manually shutting down the hot water valves at the firewall.

Repair manual aint gonna help you either on this. None of em completely explain the ritual involved at digging out the blower motor. Pick the best thread searched here from the archives, revive it and get talked through the process. It aint so bad on the 114/115, mostly common sense.

Regarding the signal switch, i might be wrong but am thinkin magnetic contacts that you'll find inside just need cleaning with pencil eraser.

(edit: and while you're in ther you might wanna take the heater core to the garden hose for thorough flushing with some kinda soap or radiator flush stuff letting it soak. Come Wintertime you'll be glad you did this. Does the 1973 have corner wing windows?? If so, its arguable you dont really need the blower motor for fresh air this time of year.

Don't think it has magnets. I think thats the turn signal stalk with a two switch wiper speed, high/lo beam, wiper on/off and turn signal all built into one. Pretty impressive design. You have to remove the rubber cover on the left side and then unscrew the 4 screws. You'll have to reach under the dash and disconnect the connecton and pull out the wiring harness. Be careful not to break the male/female bakelite connector housing. What your looking for is two springs that hold a roller against an aluminum block. That aluminum block has a small depression. That depression is where the roller sits when you give a turn signal. When you make a turn there is a notch on your steering shaft the pushes the roller out of the depression and resets the turn signal position. What has worn is the high point of the depression so the roller now just slips off. By filing down the depression your now building up the high point and giving the roller resistence again. I could have some of this wrong as its been over 10 years since I worked on one of these. I am thinking this is the same turn signal thats used on the 108's and early 114/115's
Leonard

OH one VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Use a strong thin flat tool to pry the connectors apart, do not pull on them as you will break the tabs that hold on the connection cover and then your screwed. Work one side, then the other and go slow. These connectors are usually on very tight as they have about 12 wires in connection and the bakelite gets brittle through the years
Leonard

thanks for all your help guys.

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1995 MB E320 Wagon
2001 BMW 530i
2007 MINI Cooper S (!)