Cruise control adjustment? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 05-30-2006, 01:08 AM

What are the steps to properly adjust the cruise control actuator cable? I've got the old-style (vacuum). Does the cable need to be tight or have a specific slack to it?

For a short time, I got it to hold 70mph steady yesterday. The rest of the time it picks a speed (55, 60, 65, or 70), powers up to it at WOT, drops to 0 throttle at the set speed, then 5mph below that set speed it goes back to WOT until the set speed is reached again. It will do this until I hit the brakes/clutch/off. Hitting resume will do the same. Decel.set won't do anything. Accel.set will only make it run WOT until the stalk is released.

Any thoughts?

pawoSD · #2 05-30-2006, 01:34 AM

Mine does the exact same thing, its a problem with the Amp, or both the Amp and acutator. Personally I have given up on the stock system. I got an Audiovox vacuum controlled aftermarket system on ebay a week ago, and when I have some time (it has a LOT of pieces

) I will get out there and put it in....it should prove more reliable than the prehistoric system in our cars.

markg612 · #3 05-30-2006, 02:04 AM

You need to send this question via email to a gentleman in Morro Bay California. His name is Peter Staford, he's an electronics engineer that remanufactures and reengineers a variety of electronic components for european cars, specifically mercedes first and others second, only because the others use the same VDO components or what ever brand mercedes uses and the net covers them all.

His company is called:
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES
DEDICATED TO INNOVATIVE METHODS AND SOLUTIONS
Since 1981

http://www.gdl-online.com/begin.html

help@gdl-online.com

Keep it short and to the point, he works in a very small shop and is very busy.

Peter has done 2 amps for me that have worked flawlessly for years. If you send him the amp and the actuator, he will guarantee them for life. He knows more about how these thing work than mercedes does, and he's made them better because the original units suffer from several design flaws that he has meticulously corrected through failure analysis and assessment, reverse engineering and extensive testing. If you have any understanding of electronics, after a short discussion with Peter, you will instantly realize this guy is the best. He has a perfection problem in that his work that he returns to you has to be just that, perfect. His prices are way reasonable and the end result is way better than new.

good luck.

#4 05-30-2006, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markg612

You need to send this question via email to a gentleman in Morro Bay California. http://www.gdl-online.com/begin.html

You found exactly what I needed.

I'll keep him in mind and take the amp/actuator with me when I go to Morro Bay next year (What a coincidence that I have family living in Morro Bay

).

Mismost · #5 05-30-2006, 08:41 AM

I second GDL & Peter...he rebuilt my amp and tuned up my actuator, they now work perfect. Not cheap, but done right.

At least take the time to read his entire website, informative.

TimFreeh · #6 05-30-2006, 08:44 AM

I've also used GDL for cruise control work over the years - I've never had one of their remanfactured units fail and the prices are reasonable. Their website also has a wealth of practicle diagnostic and technical information and it should be required reading for anyone troubleshooting a cruise control problem with any MB from the late 70's through the mid 90's.

pawoSD · #7 05-30-2006, 06:27 PM

I got an entire Audiovox system on ebay for $187 shipped. Thats way better than the $270+ that it'd take for GDL to rebuild my existing units.