brooklyn/queens nyc mechanics for w123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

allenying · #1 08-18-2017, 01:50 PM

hi,

has anyone brought their w123 to
1) silver star mercedes dealer
2) rheinland motors

both in LIC, queens?

i usually go to kraft german auto in south brooklyn but it's a bit further from me... they're $125/hr.

wanted to get some feedback, thanks.

allenying · #2 08-18-2017, 09:37 PM

update
silver star and rheinland are around $150/hr

funola · #3 08-19-2017, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenying

update
silver star and rheinland are around $150/hr

That is a lot of money/hour to get work done on an old Mercedes! Why would you want to go to a stealership? Unless they have an old mechanic who's still there and been there since the early 80's, you probably shouldn't bring your car there. The young mechanics probably don't know much about them.

What kind of work do you need done? You should learn to DIY with these old cars otherwise it is not cost effective. Unless cost is not important to you.

dieseldan44 · #4 08-19-2017, 11:46 PM

+1000 to funola

Quote:

i usually go to kraft german auto in south brooklyn but it's a bit further from me... they're $125/hr.

it's worth the drive. I dont know them at all - i just know that indy's are much better at old cars.

allenying · #5 08-23-2017, 12:23 AM

thanks, sometimes the time lost on learning and doing work and troubleshooting is more costly than taking it to the shop, especially if you don't have all the right tools, or a garage. i can do basic things like changing fuel filters, fuel sending unit, but have also broken things thinking i can do it myself.

with that said, right now i think i need to check out my fuel tank screen, as i'm losing power, and getting shakes, which are lessened by pressing on the accelerator pedal. someone suggested valve adjustment as well, which i haven't look into.

checking out the fuel tank screen seems easy enough, but i don't have jugs for the fuel, and anything with getting under the car when it's parked on the street is a tough one for me to do...

dieseldan44 · #6 08-23-2017, 10:45 AM

have you changed the fuel filters?

to quickly clean out the tank screen, folks reverse the fuel return and send line temporarily. this will pull fuel from the return and blow it through the screen. it cleans off gunk and temporarily help out.

alternatively, the same effect can be achieved by blowing compressed air back through the fuel send. you could use a tire pump at a gas station if you dont have access to a air compressor.

possibly given WVO usage, you may need the tank cleaned out.

pulling the tank screen on the ground sucks. no two ways about it.

funola · #7 08-23-2017, 11:06 AM

If you have installed a new clear pre filter, has it collected debris in it yet? If not, it's probably not a clogged tank screen since you ran biodiesel which tends to keep the tank very clean (unless the bio was made poorly, i.e. non ASTM spec).

Did changing the secondary filter help? There are other items in addition to a clogged tank screen on a 30 year old W123 that can cause loss of power and the shakes.

Problem with going to a dealer or shop is that per polls taken, 50 to 75% are dishonest. That is another good reason to learn to DIY. Breaking things is part of the learning process. We all have to start somewhere.

PM me if you want to stop by and I'll check it out for you. The first 15 min. is free. In that amount of time, I'll be able to tell if it is a clogged tank screen or not.

allenying · #8 08-23-2017, 11:25 AM

i changed both fuel filters under the hood.
i just brought it to kraft in south bk, and he also said it's probably not the tank screen, based on fuel coming in the pre-filter.

we'll see what he diagnoses it with,
thanks.

Father Of Giants · #9 08-23-2017, 11:27 AM

Don't go to a shop because, you'll pockets will run dry.
One of the three things will happen to you if you go to the shop/dealer.

#1, they'll fix one thing and break/f*ck up another.

#2, They'll fix what you want and MUCH MORE, essentially replacing parts you never asked to be replaced, end result being a gargantuan bill.

#3 They'll do nothing but blindly throw parts at it all day.

I've broken things while DIYing, but it was careless mistakes, you won't destroy your car while working on it.

The great people on here will walk step by step if need be, they did for me when I replaced my lifters. My 300SDL was the first car I worked on.

Your 300D is a bit easier then my car.

funola · #10 08-24-2017, 11:11 AM

I lent my first car to my sister who just got her license (big mistake) and she hit a curb and broke a ball joint. I brought the car to a local shop and they replaced the ball joint and whatever else was damaged. A few months later, I brought the same car to the same shop for an inspection and he failed it citing it needs ball joints. I told him his shop put in a new ball joints only a few months before but he insists it needs new ball joints. I wanted to burn his shop down (but didn't) and went to another shop for the inspection. Ever since then, I have worked on my own cars and not used a shop except for tire changes.

allenying · #11 08-27-2017, 01:35 PM

ok i paid $231 to change the fuel tank screen at kraft.

let's examine this. his method is to put in a new screen and tank outlet hose, so he can just take out the old one and pop the new one in, skipping draining the tank, which would be time on the lift that they would have to charge for.

the charge for parts is comparable to prices on pelicanparts, $33.50 for fuel screen, $19.50 for hose.

the time charged was $1.25 hrs x $125/hr.

after sales tax, $231.23

i also had to spend an 45min-1hr each trip, and it wasn't done same day cause i didn't get there early enough, 11am, so alltogether it was 2 round trips, which is like 3-4 hrs of my time.

the fuel screen was pretty dirty, despite him initially thinking it wouldn't be it cause plenty of fuel was coming through the clear pre-filter. the car shaking only slightly improved, and he thinks the next step is checking out the injectors, and then injection pump, way bigger jobs i can't afford.

so, is $231 to change a fuel screen a lot? yeah... but do i have a way to lift my car and collect the fuel spilling out? or all the tools for each job? no... i also have to think about the time lost that i'd be missing paid work, to work on the car. i don't make $125/hr but how much time would i have spent trying to do it myself? but also 2 round trips is a time killer, 1 round trip would not be as bad.

with that said, does anyone here want to help me work on my car next? funola?
who can help me get the shakes out? whether it's injectors or pump?

thanks

dieseldan44 · #12 08-27-2017, 05:52 PM

I don't think you're going to get s lot of positive responses to paying that much for a tank screen swap in a DIY forum :-)

If money is a factor, and you don't want to or have the time to work in this vehicle, you really should consider selling it. It will cost a fortune to repair it at a shop or a lot of time.

The shops diagnosis of it either being the tank screen or injectors is not correct - there are a lot of things to check before going there.

I think you have the right idea - find a friendly forum member and pay them 50/hr to straighten things out for you and go from there.

funola · #13 08-27-2017, 08:39 PM

$231 is a lot money for work that did not fix the problem. Why did he change the tank screen if he knew it was passing a lot of fuel? Tank screen could have been easily cleaned in less than 5 minutes rather than replaced. Tooth brush, hot water + some de-greaser, compressed air and it's good as new. Either the mechanic is not well versed on diesels or he's milking the job.

Get in touch with me tomorrow to talk about it if you want help.

funola · #14 08-27-2017, 08:48 PM

" his method is to put in a new screen and tank outlet hose, so he can just take out the old one and pop the new one in, skipping draining the tank, which would be time on the lift that they would have to charge for."

How much fuel was in the tank? If less than 2 or 3 , I can see jacking one side of the car up high so the tank screen can be removed without spilling fuel. If more than 2 or 3 gallons, I don't think it's possible to change the tank screen without draining the tank first.

allenying · #15 08-27-2017, 11:44 PM

thanks, for 1.5 yrs i've been taking my car to kraft. i know it's not cheap but i didn't think i had much options, not having a garage and tools. and he does seem very knowledgeable about the w123s, maybe some guys here know more from working on their own cars, but kraft service and communication has been good, and it's reassuring having a trustworthy mechanic that warranties his work. each time i've gone has been a good experience.

Kraft German Auto | Mercedes Benz Repair
"Owner and technician Steve Kraft began his career at the New York City Automotive College and upon graduation trained for 10 years at Silver Star Motors, Rallye Motors, Sovereign Motor Cars and Helm’s Bros. Taking all he learned from college, years of hands-on training at various dealerships, mechanical and technical workshops; he opened Kraft German Auto, Inc. in August 1986."

i think the tank screen was a fair more affordable choice for potential fix, considering the pre-filter had gotten clogged, and it turned out the filter screen was in fact pretty dirty.

$231 is a lot for a problem not being fixed, but i didn't think i had another option for changing the tank screen. there was 1/3-1/2 tank left still, so definitely more than 2-3 gallons. seems like it doesn't hurt to change a dirty screen.

i'll be in touch funola, i have a busy work week this week.
thanks,