Assuming the W116 is like the W123, there is no electric "stop" for the motor when the window reaches full up or full down. This causes the motor to keep twisting then the window can no longer move. This twisting transfers to the regulator and over time bends it...and then people keep using the window in this state without fixing it and wear off the teeth or actually crack the regulator.

Additionally, the regulators go without lubrication and people keep using them despite their slow operation. This leads to wear on the teeth and bending as well.

This is why every original regulator on every W123 I've touched is bent. It's just inherent, it seems.

None of this applies to the manual regulator. Therefore they last longer...

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My brother noticed it is doesn't have a passenger side mirror. I assume that was an option on these, do you think he should try to retrofit a mirror or should I tell him to suck it up and not worry about it?

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Is he driving a car right now? I would cover the mirror in whatever car he is driving with something and see how it is driving without it. I like my passenger's-side mirror for parking and backing up.

OTOH, I could see that retrofitting it might be a bit of pain.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

He just noticed it in the pictures.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Right, I meant to cover up the mirror on whatever car he is driving right now and see how he likes it. Of course, I suppose he'd get the idea if he ends up driving this one, too .

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

So does that mean that he's passing time by closely examining the CL photos of the car? Not something I would EVER do.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Yes it was an option and it's quite easy to install. I put one on mine (junkyard find) many years ago when I first bought it and then again a few months ago after I buggered that one backing out of the garage The recent one I found on EBay for about 20 bucks if I recall correctly. A quick search on EBay turned up a couple available right now but the owners are pretty proud of them....Pricey.

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Joe

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1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador'
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Former Family Members
95 C280
73 280SEL
90 300D
87 300SDL (X2)
86 560SEL
84 300D
80 300SD

My 1979 300D didn't have the passenger mirror. It never bothered me really. The visibility out of it was more than adequate, and I'd imagine its very similar to the w116. It just meant you had to shoulder check a little more often on the right side, no big deal.

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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

On my 78, I don't have one bent regulator, I still need to relube three other regulators eventually. But I use my windows very gentile.

Now on my euro, I have lost 2 regulaors because there is no ac on the car, so the regulators were used more....the pressed in fitting they used to secure and tension the spring pops and the window drops....I just noticed one of my replacements is going bad too...That means I have lost three manual regulators in 7 years and I have had the 78 for 4 and have not lost one....

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my 300D didnt have a passenger mirror either, but i put one on so i could see bicyclists coming up behind me on my right. if the 116 is anything like the 123 it takes maybe 15 minutes to do the install

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1981 NA 300D 310k miles

Going to go look at it tomorrow. I know how to check suspension parts, is there any way to test the ACC unit when the AC compressor is not hooked up? What about any engine wear tests?

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Engine wear test would include a leak down test and compression test.

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83 SD

84 CD

Well I mean more so are there any engine wear tests that do not require special tools? I cannot go out an rent a diesel compression tester and no where near me carries one to buy.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Hm. So there isn't an Autozone or Advance or equivalent that you could rent from?

Beware; if you remove the injectors, you will have to replace the heat shields.

There's always the blow-by test.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I absolutely love the W116 300SD, but the climate control and power windows tend to go bad and make the cars difficult to sell. You can educate yourself on repairing the climate control, and can probably rig it up to work manually. Taking it to the dealer (which is probably the only place that could work on it) would be expensive.

The electric windows almost always go bad, but if they are properly maintained, they can last a long time. The motors themselves never seem to go bad, but lack of lubrication and pressing the switch too long seems to bend and break parts. Also, the vertical aluminum guide rails tend to bend so that the glass doesn't slide up and down well even with the regulator disconnected, and people replace every other part only to have the new parts bend.

I'm the one selling the manual window regulators on eBay, by the way. I can confirm that they are in excellent working condition should you decide to go that route. You're welcome to read my thread on my 300SD that was linked to in a previous post if you want to see more about installing them.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles