Mark

I had a spot about six inches long from the clutch pedaj back along the sill. I patched it with sheet metal stuck with Fusor 108B panel bond. Still holding tight after 3 years. Yours may need more attention.

Rick

I generally use galvanised sheet steel for most of my floor repairs where it doesn't have to support the seats or seatbelts. Galvanised is difficult, and some say, dangerous to weld and as I've never mastered welding anyway, I generally pop-rivet or screw the stuff on.
The 300D I repaired several years ago required a heavier plate because I had to form the hump where the rear outer leg of the seat connects, as well as reinforce the sill where the seatbelt was anchored. I wound up bolting two wide pieces together to form a large angle-plate and used up all of my heavy guage 1/16" galvanised sheet in the process. Thick galvanised is hard to come by but a friend that works in construction gave me some heavy guage galvanised steel studs that I think will work as most of my diesel's rust-hole isn't as wide as the one in that 300D. I'll just have to crawl around my attic now and try to find where I put it!

Happy Motoring, Mark

You sure have an extensive post history to not have a sig full of your autos........
We need to know stuff like that. :D
Hope you take pics, before during and after on the rear subframe replacement. Interesting stuff for us to see.
Welcome to the diesel dark side.....:grim:

the gazzers are the dark side man.. we know how its supposed to go

Well, I'm hanging on to my gassers so I can have it both ways - clattering and plodding along in stately dignity with my 240D, or hearing the silence, then feeling the rush of power that makes me feel like king of the road in my Fintail!

Happy Motoring, Mark

Well, last night I spent a couple hours figuring out why the interior lights were so dim AND BLUE! Found the previous owner's kid had installed blue plastic under the bulbs for 'mood-lighting'. Why would fixing that take a couple hours you might ask? Well I also found out why the rear headlining was hanging down and blocking part of the rear window. Turns out the rear headliner bow had popped loose from a pair of rotten rubber sockets, that had been installed in two 12MM holes in the inner roof. So I fabricated a pair of metal replacements, that will never crack or rot, from scraps of galvanised steel, then clipped them into the 12MM holes. Of course, I first had to remove the rear-door edge-trims, assist handles and rear pillar covers for access.

This mornng, I jacked up the left rear, removed the brake caliper and rotor, then, in my continuing quest to 'enhance performance by lightening the car', I pulled off some more rotten undercoat and rust flakes! Then I began my control arm replacement. Got the left shock and stabilizer link free, but now have to run to 'Home Despot' to get a longer 'all-thread' rod.
I'm going to unbolt the diff mount and left crossmember, then lower that end using the all-thread inserted through the shock hole. Hopefully, this will lower the crossmember enough to relieve the remaining tension on the coil spring and allow access to the outer wishbone bolt. Will keep you all updated.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Well, the left rear wishbone is installed. Turns out the threaded rod throgh the shock hole wasn't really needed as, once the diff mount and left crossmember are unbolted and lowered about 4 inches with the help of two jacks, there's no more spring pressure.
Taking a break now. Need to clean rust off the hub before I can install the rotor, finish hooking up the brake cable and vacuum the piles of rotten 'horsehair' from under the back seat!

Happy Motoring, Mark

Well, today I took my very first test drive in my very own diesel. Fortuately there wasn't a 'county mountie' lurking nearby, searching for motorists with irregularities in their state inspection or registration.
Runs well enough, but sluggish starting out unless I put my foot in it, then it revs until it up-shifts to second with a jerk. Other upshifts seem OK, or at least less jerky than the first one. Unlike older Mercedes automatics, I don't see a shift control rod on this one connecting the tranny to the accelerator linkage. Maybe I can adjust the tranny modulator, otherwise I'll have to learn to like it, or 'shift' with the accelerator.
Decent ride (better than my Nissan), and despite the rust, she felt tighter than I expected. No significant squeaks or noises except the accelerator pedal rattles if my foot isn't resting on it (missing spring?) and there's a low speed ticking (speedometer or cable?) coming from under the dash that varies with road speed. Next big task - to deal with the rust!

Happy Motoring, Mark

Mark, you will like the insulated and soundproof cab construction of the w123. The ticking has gotta be speedometer related, should be easy to repair. Electric windows and sunroof? If they're manual be happy. And saving grace of the 240D is they generally have manual heat controls. But the AC on em rarely works, design flaws in the compressor. And when do you ever take your foot off the accelerator? Should mostly be driven hammer down, pedal to the metal.

Amazingly, the electric windows and vacuum locks all work, and the sunroof is manual, like the one my dad had years ago in his '60 Fintail 220SE - twist the handle and throw it back! As for the AC, I'm just happy it isn't the ACC. This 240D does have the infamous GM R4 radial compressor but it still turns easily and the AC clutch bearing seems to be OK.
The condenser has a broken tube, probably from the P O teenaged son's fender-bender 8 years ago. A local salvage yard wants $75 for a used one (but a new one lists for around $400 - ouch!) and I can get a new filter/drier for about $35. Then I'll have to decide if I want to retrofit to R134a or stay with the R12.

About the pedal rattling, I'll still need to take my foot off the gas pedal when I use the brake, unless I want to use BOTH feet everytime I'm stopped at a traffic light!
As for the "insulated and soundproof cab", we'll see how well that goes after I repair the holes in the floor.

Yep, and interesting diesel feature is they continue to combust even when you take your foot off the throttle. Foot off accelerator with gasoline engine will actually slow the car down more in spite of diesel compression. Thats one reason big-rigs have jake brakes to make diesel compression work against itself.

Common mistake driving diesels is riding the brakes, resulting in warped rotors. Frequent brake pad changes too. Callipres on diesel cars get more of a workout then gasoline car counterparts. Flushing hydraulics with fresh fluid will deffinitely pay-off.

Well, last week I stopped at Potomac German Auto near Frederick, MD, to check out some blue MB Tex seats for a friend's 280SE and wound up getting those, plus a decent driver's seat for my diesel. (Guess how many Mercedes seats can be stuffed ino a '98 Nissan Altima)
Now I've spent a good chunk of the last two days fabricating a new floor and reinforced sill so I'll have someplace to attach my new seat. Cutting, grinding, bending, hammering, drilling! Hope to finish tomorrow. So tired. Must rest now.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Hope you're taking pics Mark. Keep it going, it will feel very good when you're done.......

i usually dont disagree with the dieseldog, but on engine braking i will. i find the diesel engines to have excellent engine braking. i find the brake pads on a 240 stick will last a very very long time if driven with saving them in mind. let off the gas a ways a head, and if possible keep it rolling a bit at stop signs and just drop it in second to go. of course with an automatic much of the engine braking is lost. it still will pay to let off ahead and not push on the brakes too hard.

i had a whole huge discussion with the bhd a year or so ago about this, but this is my experience with engine braking.

tom w

Well, except for some minor finishing at the base of the rear seat, my new driver's side floor & sill repair assembly is installed and sealed. Also patched a couple of small holes behind the left rear wheel while I was back there. And the new driver's seat is in. It's so nice to have a seat that isn't full of holes and lumps.
As my rear seat is also holed and lumpy, I decided to go back to Potomac German Auto today, to get another seat, better floor mats and a few other odd bits, including a replacement for the split plastic pocket on my driver's door, and a right side mirror. Apparently they were optional on this model. Don't you think these cars look 'unbalanced' without both side mirrors? Hope to get her on the road by next week!

Happy Motoring, Mark