Sounds like it goes into the passenger compartment on that side. You could pull up the front carpet and see if the tube is in the wire tray that goes to the rear of the car. I wonder if it's related to something with the tailgate on the wagons...? I don't recall seeing anything vacuum-related on that side on my sedans.

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It does take a second or two for all the doors to lock when locking the back hatch by hand. I did check under carpet, behind metal plate and in the tray with out any luck. In the tray one of the braided sheaths feels like it may have vacuum lines in it. Maybe I will cut a small section and take a look. I'm still going to go back out and plug the red/blue line from the check valve and start testing everything hopefully find something.

Thanks for the help gsxr!! This is a very informative thread. I didn't know anything about testing climate control vacuum lines before reading it.

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2003 C240 Wagon 4-Matic Black
1995 E320 Wagon Black
2000 BMW 528i 5spd M-Sport package Black

Plugged the vacuum on the left side of the check valve and everthing on the car works perfect....including all vents in the climate control. Don't know what that line was for but all door locks, all vents work and Tranny shifts smooth so not going to worry.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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2003 C240 Wagon 4-Matic Black
1995 E320 Wagon Black
2000 BMW 528i 5spd M-Sport package Black

Recently replaced my vacuum pod on my 300d for the defrost vent as well all the other diaphragms in the other pods. I also purchased one new switch over valve just in case. The vendor also told me that since the car was an '84, it would be safe to just replace all five as he did, since there was no way new of to test the valves.
At $30 dollars a pop, i don't think so. Last time i checked, my personal labor rate was still pretty cheap. The new valve and pod came in, so replaced the pod immediately. No worky, worky for the defrost vents. Screwing around with the new valve, if figured a battery would trigger the valve to operate. It did. Holding the battery to the terminals caused the vavle to trigger. You can hear it and feel it. So i tested the my valves in the car to find that two were non-functional. I did not have to remove the valves, only the electrical connections.
I am not criticizing the vendor, as he was very kind and helpful, maybe he just did not know about this.
Hope this helps someone out as this forum has helped me.
Email me at [email protected] if i can help you more.

Thanks everyone,
airedale2

Is there a way to manually hold the fresh air recirculation flaps in the closed position? (W124 1986 300E). I'm assuming that they default to full open on no vacuum, or when the pod is bad. In my case they must be open as hot outside air is being drawn in while the system is in AC and reducing the efficiency of the system. Trying to avoid pulling the dash just a bit longer.

This tread should be made into a "sticky" as it contains very valuable information. Hope it can be revived...

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W163 ML230 EURO SPEC 1999
W124 300E 1986

Since I doubt an 86 300E has a passenger side airbag, see how much you can reach through the glove box opening after removing the glove box liner. The liner is held by a row of anchors top and bottom at the opening of the glove box. Remove the pin at the center of the anchor the remove the anchor. Then remove the light and maybe the striker and shuffle the liner out.

Sixto
87 300D

If you order parts be sure you have the VIN on hand, the CCU vacuum-pod arrangement changed mid MY-1987.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

You're right no passenger side airbag. I've dismounted the glove compartment a couple of times to check on other things, but the linkage of the air recirculation flaps (at least the right side one) seems to be too far to be reached, at least that was my impression last time I tried, quite some time ago. But every hot summer I am reminded how much BTU's are being wasted because of those flaps staying open so I set myself up to give it another try.

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W163 ML230 EURO SPEC 1999
W124 300E 1986

Thanks for the heads up, but since my car is MY 1986, I believe there won't be much of a doubt which one to order, when it comes to it. Your remarks are still being much appreciated. Thanks.

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W163 ML230 EURO SPEC 1999
W124 300E 1986

The only pods that were different for 1986 to early 1987 were the footwell pods... early type has two round pods, but from mid-87 onward there was a single rectangular pod. All the other pods in the system are the same from 86-95.

The recirc flap does indeed default to full open with no vacuum. It is controlled by a pair of dual-chamber pods in parallel, and if either one leaks, it may not close properly. The "large lift" section will close it about 90%, and when the large lift AND small lift sections operate together, it will close 100%. You can't access either of these pods without pulling the dash. Click here for photos, look at the last three photos in the directory... you can see how buried they are. Even with the dash out they're a pain to access.

That is what I also remembered from my previous attempts. I could just barely reach to the body of the passenger side recirc pod through the glove compartment opening, and later on when I removed the instrument cluster for another unrelated repair I remember being able to see the driver side recirc pod very buried inside the dashboard.

So no hope of a shortcut I guess...

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W163 ML230 EURO SPEC 1999
W124 300E 1986

Unfortunately, no. The good news is, the dash R&R job isn't that hard, just slow and tedious. If you pull the dash, replace all 4 pods that cannot be changed with the dash in place (left recirc, right recirc, diverter, and center vent pod). The defrost and footwell pods can be done at any time, so if they're working OK, you can save a little $$ and leave them alone for now.

Yes, if I where to take that route, which I will have to sooner or later, I would definitively change them all out. BTW, is it also necessary to remove the steering wheel? Would have to get an extractor if it does.

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W163 ML230 EURO SPEC 1999
W124 300E 1986

Yes. The steering wheel needs to come off. No extractor is needed, just a 10mm (?) hex driver to remove the VERY tight bolt holding the wheel on. The wheel then slips off easily. Disconnect the red connector under the passenger footwell before unplugging the airbag, btw.

I almost finished this job up last weekend. LOL

Turns out my 300D had the two small pods in the footwell and my parts guy sent me a single square one. For now the console remains out until the two small singles arrive. One was good, one was bad. Might as well get them both knocked out at one time.

It took me a Saturday and a half to do. The next one will take maybe 4 hours max. I left the steering wheel in place. For some reason it never crossed my mind to pull it. Next time, that thing comes off.

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1987 300TD ( under resto )
1987 300E SOLD
1987 300D
1993 400E
1997 Dodge/Cummins 3500
2004 E320 Wagon SOLD
2006 BMW M5 Yes, they will go 204 MPH SOLD
2008 BMW 535i SOLD (POS)
2011 BMW X5 Diesel
2013 X5M Tuned to 700+ HP Stupid Fast SOLD
2016 Nissan Titan XD Cummins 5.0!
2004 Audi Quattro ( track car ) AutoX machine
2010 BMW 328i ( sometimes track, but the Audi is faster )


I own maybe 100 t-shirts and they all smell like Diesel fuel and test oil......