Hello everyone,

today I thought I'd give that bloody CC amplifier the last try. Last chance before either resigning over it or throwing it in fire.

I took the amplifier out this morning and resoldered it once again. Mind you, I resoldered it a fortnight ago. It didn't work. This time while resoldering I paid special attention to every and each joint. (Not that I did not the last time). I took my time with the microsolder and used tin with silver instead of regular one. When finished I recoated the underside of the board with liquid flux.

Guess what? It works!!! So in the end, having also taken apart the electric actuator, having resoldered the amplifier, having thought it would never work, I resoldered it again and it works.

Far out! Now I am open to bets what breaks next.

My advice to everyone with CC playing weird would be resolder the board, using a microsolder and silver tin. And a lot of time.

Ok, post your address and I'll send you mine.

Seriously though, congratulations.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

What symptoms did you have? Any special tools to get it out or any special methods? How long to just get the amp out? Does the upper floor panel need to come off? (over the feet, under the steering counsel?) My dad's works intermittently and will surge or not hold speed as it should. Would this same procedure work for a w116 300SD?
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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What wattage iron did you use? One of the tiny 15watt deals?
My trusty and ancient 25watt pencel iron seems to be giving up, it had a hard time getting the joints to flow.

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

I just love it when someone repairs a defective part instead of just throwing money at it. Good show.

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You can get farther with a smile and a gun than you can with just a smile.

1984 300D
1985 300CD
1980 300SD
1993 SL500

That bit of info from dieseldiehard is why we keep tuning in. Never could figure out why my soldering iron was so hard to use. I guess for my next adventure I will buy a temp controlled model.

DAMN!!! I went to the Sears store just last weekend and agonized over which soldering iron to get to do my CC amp. I opted for the el cheapo $10 Craftsman 30 watt unit made in Taiwan, over the $20 Weller temp controlled (w/LED) 25 watt unit made in Mexico. I figured they were both junk, so I wanted the least expensive piece of junk--idiot!

I've started soldering my amp and the tip goes dead every third joint I heat up...grrrrrrr!

Some of the joints seem worse now that I've heated them up--what's up with that? I'll try re-applying some tin solder and see how that works...

Wish I had been a member of this discussion before I plunked down $199 for a rebuilt cc that didn't work. I sent back two of them at my expense before I got a good one.

Thanks for the follow-up dieseldiehard. I'm a pretty decent at brazing with my oxy/acetylene setup, but for some silly reason, I can't seem to get a handle on soldering.

Over the years I've inherited probably five or six different types of solder, but the stuff I have that most closely approximates what you describe is advertized as lead-free rosin core solder. It's 96% Tin and 4% Silver--.032" diameter. Is this suitable?

What applications require acid flux solder?

Thanks again.

Hello Dave,

the symptoms were described at http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=81836

Basically all symptoms you could have with CC, apart from the mentioned also including surging and not keeping a set speed - slowly slowing down if working at all.

There are neither special tools needed nor a special procedure. Remove both panels and the amplifier is there - a big silver box fixed with 2 screws. Remove the screws, pull the amplifier box out as far as you can, unplug a connector in the rear, take it out completely. The whole procedure with undoing and redoing the amplifier and the panels took an hour and was straightforward, no catches. It took so long because I paid special care putting the panels back, ensuring they return to their previous positions so that they wouldn't start making noises when driving.

I have no idea about your W116 but if the amplifier is an electronic one (instead of a vacuum controlled CC) then this procedure will work. Provided the fault is in the amplifier and can be remedied by reheating the solder joints, naturally.

I have no idea! It is an old solder, exterior worn with age - the badge hinting to a model has long been torn off. The manufacturer is Tesla. I found it in say 1988 and ever since then it had been down in my cellar. I forgot all about it till yesterday. It has temp control though - there is a thermostat wheel with which you can set and keep a desired temperature. No fancy digital solders are needed. You will be fine with one that has temp control which keeps the temp constant no matter whether idling or soldering (when the temp drops down). Naturally I would go for a digital one should I be buying a new device.

I use flux that is used with violin bows. As for acid-based flux a tablet of aspirin will do in emergency.

"like the Mad Hatter (some turn of the century person who went crazy from chewing on the rims of hats that were dyed with lead based dyes)"

Mad Hatter = Mercury poisoning .....

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=mercury+poisoning+mad+hatter&btnG=Google+Search

You've been worried about that for two weeks?

__________________
Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Rick , have you finished the floor work on your boat ? If not, you are watching the forum WAY TOO closely.....
Actually I did not see this thread until it was referenced by his latest thread....