My new car! Good, bad , and I like it - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

1stimer · #1 02-07-2003, 01:30 AM

~~~Good~~~

The new car is running great! I had her up to 95 and she still had some left, but I ran out of road.

Oil pressure pegs at 3 when cold, but drops down after warming up. I gather from posts this is normal due to 20w 50 oil?

Trans shifts seem normal. Light acceleration=around 2000 rpm, heavy acceleration closer to 4k rpm. I can control 4th gear shift with throttle. Just let up a little and it slips right in. I like having that control.

Kickdown switch works well from 4th to 3rd gear if I need it for passing.

~~~Bad~~~(more of a list for my own use)

1. I hear a high pitched whine or squeal occasionaly that can be alleviated by turning wheel. That is, it only occurs when going straight. Any thoughts?

2. I have some acc issues----don't know when I'm gonna have the time for those. I NEED AC for summer though.

3. Low Fuel Light came on...I filled up...Only took 11 gallons...I've since gone almost 300 miles...Low fuel light about to go back on..

4. 1 out of 10 times glow plug light will not illuminate...when it does not illuminate it's a little rough starting.

and the I like it...

1stimer · #2 02-07-2003, 03:34 AM

I'll post a few more this weekend

http://groups.msn.com/mercedes300D/shoebox.msnw

240 Ed · #3 02-07-2003, 06:31 AM

Congrats on your new car, it is beautiful!

And the top isn't even rusted!

240 Ed · #4 02-07-2003, 06:38 AM

When you say you have issues with the acc, we all assume you mean the auto cruise control. Join the club!

AC is straitforward stuff. Either it leaks, or your York compressor has a hole in it! Look on the sides.

Your Transmission is sweet! You avoided a headache here with this, and it sounds like your vacuum system works too! and doesn't leak.

Door locks work?

You should get better oil pressure with 20w50 than 10w40. Don't worry about oil pressure, you only need a little anyway.

Aaron · #5 02-07-2003, 08:48 AM

On the glow plugs:

You either have a bad relay or a bad plug or two. However, the symptoms you are experiencing are most probably caused by the 80amp fuse in the glow plug relay not making contact. There may be a very small hairline crack in the fuse which you cannot see. The thing to do is take a screwdriver and bridge the connection where the fuse is (just lay the shaft of the screwdriver across the two screws and jump in the car and turn the key. If the light comes on every time over a few cyles of the key on and off, replace the fuse.

The relay is in the driver's side inner fender well. A Black box with a black plastic cover on it. When you take the cover off, you'll see the flat fuse in there along with two other connections and another wire which remains hot all the time (even with key off, so be careful!). If you're iffy about working on the relay with that hot wire right there, disconnect the negative battery terminal.

On the oil pressure:

Sounds right. It will remain at 3bar when cold but will gradually drop as low as 1.5 bar when at hot idle. It should rise immediately upon acceleration.

On the fuel gauge:

Either a bad sending unit or a bad gauge is the culprit. In most cases, the sending unit is at fault.

On the front end noise:

I would need more description before being able to offer a diagnosis.

rwthomas1 · #6 02-07-2003, 03:28 PM

Nice Car!! I've got her twin...... RT

JimSmith · #7 02-07-2003, 08:11 PM

1stimer,

Great looking car. Sounds like it is in very good shape. As for some of your problem areas:

The squeal needs a little more data to figure out and I am not familiar enough with fixing air conditioning to offer much help there. But the fuel filling procedure on these cars is one of those items I am familiar with, and one you will also become familiar with over time.

The tank is a 17 gallon tank, I believe, so a full tank should be worth over 450 miles. The level indicator is something it seemsMB created, and then reused in many cars for decades thereafter, from left over parts from some electromechanical device that never worked in WWII. They never seem to indicate anything like the real tank level, with the exception of that light. You will get used to either fixing it all the time, or judging fuel available by keeping track of mileage between tank fill-ups. I set the trip odometer to zero at every fill up, and in the mid 350's will fill up if I pass one of my known Diesel stations. Diesel fuel foams like crazy, and if you pump it into the tank at full flow, it will partially fill the tank volume with foam. The more foam in the tank, the less volume available for liquid Diesel. And the foam will activate the fill nozzle shut off valve. So, you learn to avoid filling the tank with foam. On my Diesels, a full tank will indicate past the full mark on the gage.

The oil pressure gage indication you have described is normal. When you have the engine running under load, above idle speed, the needle should be pegged. At idle, fully warmed up, it is ok to drop down even below 1 atmosphere.

The erratic glow plug light performance is an indication something in the system is amiss. Either a bad plug or two, or the fuse as noted, or the relay. I have seen many plugs go, and have yet to actually experience a blown fuse, or a bad relay.

Good luck, and enjoy the new car. Jim

1stimer · #8 02-08-2003, 12:54 AM

Thanks for the replies.

I think the tank is 21 gallons, but I'll check again. It took 14.5 gallons today when I filled up. low fuel light had not gone on again.

My door locks do work...Fuel door does not. I dont know how I can fit my hand in through the trunk to the fuel door? I have one line with a golf tee in it, but everything seems to work except for climate control/AC.

ACC meant automatic climate control to me. My cruise doesn't work, but I dont need it untill I get off of this Island.

I'm very satisfied with the car except for the AC issue. Thanks again...When I have specifics I'll ask.

Any parts I need Fastlane gets the nod if price is in the ballpark. I will gladly pay to help support this forum. Thanks again...Aloha

84300DT · #9 02-08-2003, 03:25 PM

1stimer
fuel tank is 21 gal. your oil pressure seems to be acting normally.
re acc does any setting of it work ? defrost should be full heat as the default.
squeal - you could check the alternator belt tension - sometimes the one squealing is elusive ie: if the weather is wet or dry out etc.

great looking '84!

mikemover · #10 02-08-2003, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 240 Ed
When you say you have issues with the acc, we all assume you mean the auto cruise control. Join the club!...

ACC is the usual "Mercedes-speak" acronym for Automatic Climate Control, which was consistently HORRIBLE on late 70s/early 80s Mercedes, unfortunately. Also can be expensive and tedious to repair...How bad do you want air conditioning?...

Congats on the new ride...Looks like a nice car, overall!

Mike

#11 02-11-2003, 01:57 AM

Very nice, 1stimer. I have an '84 in dark blue with 230+K. The car amazes me consistently.

BTW, my ACC doesn't really work either, but I can't complain.

240 Ed · #12 02-11-2003, 08:28 PM

RE; ACC---...my apologies! Shall we call cruise control, CC?

re; the fuel gauge. There is a critter which grows in diesel fuel, and subsequently clogs the sending unit and low fuel sender inside the tank... And the product "Diesel Doctor" is supposed to take care of this problem. But there are threads on this forum which tell you how to take the sender out and clean it. It is accesible underneath the package shelf, behind the top of the rear seat.
When the Diesel Doctor works, it shakes a lot of junk loose and your small line filter will likely clog up, but that's okay, because it is ridding your system of critters!