On the note of removing gunk, I was able to clean mine with a propane torch. I did it outside(obviously) and it took around an hour to burn off the gunk inside. Once burned to a crisp I was able to easily scrub it out.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I had to remove the 300's EGR tube to replace the coolant bypass hose. Here is what waits inside the intake...

Attached Thumbnails

   

!!!!!!!!!!!!

That really puts mine in perspective! Mine had 1/8 to 1/4 inch of build up everywhere.

Good luck with that.

-Jim

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1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

that seems normal

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

That looks like the pic I took last night.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

While we are removing EGR items,
I have been told that the Aluminum unit under the air cleaner housing
(looks like some type of Air Flow meter on a SDL)
seems to be very restrictive -
and that it's only purpose in life is to adjust the EGR valve to match incoming air???

is this correct and if so, how about offering a "level 2" EGR kit
with the necessary plumbing to eliminate the Air flow meter completely
and plug the vacuum lines, etc......

Yes, the airflow meter is only for the EGR (and ARV) function, and is not required if these items have been disabled. I jammed the door open, but there was zero - and I mean zero - change in performance. There is no restriction here, at near-stock power levels anyway. If you remove the sensor assembly, it will save a few pounds of weight, but that's all. It doesn't "clean up" the engine compartment at all since the assembly is almost entirely hidden by the air cleaner, at least on a W124 with OM603 engine.

The ideal solution is to buy the European plumbing for a non-EGR engine, which is a plain S-pipe with the appropriate mounting bosses. It's callout #199 in the image below (for a 124.133 chassis). It may be the same for the 126 chassis as well (SDL).

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Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

On the W-126, the airflow meter prevents the removal of the bulb on the Euro lights. This necessitates removal of the entire headlight to change the bulb............a one hour procedure.

So, although "cleanup" might not be the proper term...........I'd like to get rid of it for ongoing maintenance reasons.

Yuck! Is it easier to pull the air cleaner instead? On the 124, it's a tight fit, but you can remove the rear cover from the Euro healights, and change the bulb with the air cleaner in place. And the 124 is smaller and more compact than the 126. It seems bizarre that MB would design something that requires headlight removal to change the bulb. Any other 126 owners have the same problem...?

I deleted it years ago, probably one of the first to do so. No gains in doing it, it just allows the car to make more noise at low throttle.

I stuffed a 617 air intake tube in there from a W126 car. Worked fine on the SDL

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

That's great! It's like a pre-made EGR block off plate! Doubt much sooty gases are getting past that...

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HUH? You used a propane torch to clean the soot build up in the air intake passages? Is that what you are saying?

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more