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  #1  
Old 11-22-2014, 10:55 AM
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123 hood release cable lube or alt mechanism

Quote:
Originally Posted by aieeegrunt
""I got so tired of hood release shenanigans that I keep a perfect length screwdriver in my driver door pocket instead""

I am trying to figure out how to lubricate my hood release cable....
First question....
This quote made me wonder if there is a direct emergency access from the front of the hood to serve the purpose the release cable serves.....
Second question....
I have CRC white lithium grease spray can with the little red tube.... can I access the end of the cable and use that to lubricate it ?

I assume gravity would indicate that if an end is used it should be the front...

or am I even in the correct ballpark ? Thanks, Greg
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  #2  
Old 11-22-2014, 11:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leathermang View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by aieeegrunt
""I got so tired of hood release shenanigans that I keep a perfect length screwdriver in my driver door pocket instead""

I am trying to figure out how to lubricate my hood release cable....
First question....
This quote made me wonder if there is a direct emergency access from the front of the hood to serve the purpose the release cable serves.....
Second question....
I have CRC white lithium grease spray can with the little red tube.... can I access the end of the cable and use that to lubricate it ?

I assume gravity would indicate that if an end is used it should be the front...

or am I even in the correct ballpark ? Thanks, Greg
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The problem with the cable system provided by Mercedes is that both ends are "permanently" fixed at either end of the cable.

Here's a picture stolen from the Pelican =>



In the world of mountain biking (or just plain old cycling if you prefer) the trick to getting stuck cables to work again is to remove the cable from the conduit and then spray down some lubricant to clean and later to lubricate.

This is not possible with the W123 hood / bonnet release cable because you can't remove the ends to pull out the cable.

I reckon the best solution is to replace the cable as getting oil down there is very difficult with the cable fitted.
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #3  
Old 11-22-2014, 11:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leathermang View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by aieeegrunt
""I got so tired of hood release shenanigans that I keep a perfect length screwdriver in my driver door pocket instead""
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I was waiting for someone else to reply, lest I discover I did not try hard enough when I had the idea to lube my TD's cable last year, it has issues in cold weather.

On the screwdriver, I am trying to imagine what aieegrunt meant. Would be useful info for an emergency. Maybe a long-shaft #2 flat head inserted on an angle from the left top side of the grille across to the latch?
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2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #4  
Old 11-22-2014, 12:00 PM
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Thanks for those posts..... Perhaps they did not think the car would last so long that a well made release cable would ever need lubrication...
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  #5  
Old 11-22-2014, 12:04 PM
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Well in fairness I suppose if it were easy to lube, it would also be easy for moisture to penetrate as well. And we would then be complaining about the lousy design and corrosion inside the sheath....
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #6  
Old 11-22-2014, 12:14 PM
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I guess... if only they had concentrated on the firewall behind the battery, the drain at the back of the hood, the seat springs, the air filter support bracket, etc...
LOL
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  #7  
Old 11-22-2014, 12:51 PM
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I have thought of a solution to save an old cable.

What you could do is

1) cut the cable in half (conduit and cable together) - cut it more or less in the middle of the length

2) remove the cables from each (now split) conduit and shorten the conduits by a length slightly longer than the length of travel of the wire when you pull the hood release lever

3) make up a little C bracket that you can bolt / fix to the chassis of the vehicle - the bracket needs to be slightly longer than the length of travel of the wire when you pull the hood release lever (as before)

4) screw two bowden cable adjusters into each end of the C bracket



so that you can tension the conduits on either side of the C bracket

5) fix the two ends of the cable fitted to the pre-cleaned and pre-lubricated conduit to each end of the C bracket (with adjusters fitted)

6) join the cable that is in the middle of the C bracket with a cable joint like this



7) tension the conduit so the wire is tight (tight enough to allow the mechanism to work)


Clear as mud?
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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  #8  
Old 11-22-2014, 12:59 PM
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Mine is working ok.. just feels stretched and a little rough... suspect original from 1980...
Still intrigued about the possibility of sticking a screwdriver or something into a magic spot from the front to sub for the cable in emergency....
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  #9  
Old 11-23-2014, 04:39 PM
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Are you sure the cable is the problem? The best thing I've done is to grease the latch assemblies. No more tugging and broken release handles. Difference of night and day.

(WD40 or similar light lubricant wasn't sufficient)
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84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )
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  #10  
Old 11-23-2014, 04:51 PM
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I will go test it... spayed it with crc lithium white lube.... but it just feels like it is on its last legs...
is there an adjustment for the travel of the lever under the dash? ... maybe that would make it feel more secure...
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  #11  
Old 11-23-2014, 05:21 PM
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Hmm...I'm not sure on the W123 cable. The W126 has an adjustment on the cable, near the left headlight once installed. The photo that Stretch provided doesn't show this same adjustment on the cable for the W123.
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84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )
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  #12  
Old 11-23-2014, 07:25 PM
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Remember,,, I have the cheapest MB you can get.... if an adjuster can be left off.... it was...LOL
After checking everything.... everything works perfectly... it was all in my head.... I must have spent too much time around Lucas this last week....the hood opens just fine... the tongue sticks out just right... the hood opens easily and smoothly....
I am just into preventative maintenance on things I would like to avoid having to deal with...and I can't even see where the cable runs to the passenger compartment...
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
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  #13  
Old 11-26-2014, 11:34 PM
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Hey whoa there, cable maintenance is important. I just stumbled across this, after I lubed mine today. Lol

I sprayed the white magic stuff into the end as best as I could. Pulled the latch up and down. Stuck my air nozzle into the edge between the cable and its housing and blew a little. Repeat (3x).

Under the hood I just sprayed the hell out it and pulled the latch in and out to work it in.

The thing is, you really only have to worry about the ends, that's where moisture gets in.

I have a brake cable from a motorcycle hanging on my wall that I've been spraying Pb blaster into daily for almost two months. Finally ordered a new one.

Man you really called that one.
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  #14  
Old 11-27-2014, 11:15 AM
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I personally do not like white lithium grease when it dries out, it becomes worse than a lack of lubricant and turns into glue. PO of my TD used this on the drivers rear door for the door check, it froze open one day when temps were below freezing. Had to take the damn door apart and spray it with brake clean to get it free.

I would use something like Aerokroil or ATF as a lube, it won't seize anything later. I realize the mechanisms between the two are different, but....
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  #15  
Old 11-27-2014, 11:46 AM
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I was reading something about Mercedes using beeswax as lube for the door back in the day. Won't stain your clothes if you get it on you.

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