w140 300SE

[BenzOnline]

Is the 1992 300SE W140 a slugish vehicle with that engine?? I think it has 200 something hp but I saw one leaving a stop light today and it looked like it was struggling.

I have also noticed many w140 leaving slowly from a stop. I guess it is the weight or the way people drive them.

Don't the early W140 cars start in second gear?

Also, 200 some lbs/ft of torque at high rpm (4000 or something I'm guessing) probably doesn't help off the line pep too much.

-Sam

They are huge. But I think they still pack a little punch. I drove a 88 300se and did'nt like it all that much it seemed gutless when I stomped on it. It had power but it was a fake sense of power. no Hp with the torque just like my BMW.

[stephenson]

I was considering buying a W140 - and, would only consider it with the 3.2L ... I drove 97-99 models and they were FAST ... off the line would wind rapidly to redline in every gear. I like the balance better than I did on the two V8s ...

I never felt like they were struggling.

[BenzOnline]

The 97-99 must have been some changes in the engine. I want to know about the early ones.

I have been in a 92 400SE and the thing had a lot of power but mostly torque.

And the best thing to me about the w140's has to be the BOSE Beta sound system!!

From which year because the changed it in like 94 Because of complaints about it having to much bass (can't happen)

[BenzOnline]

The early w140 BOSE systems I think were the best. Too much bass??? I think it was just right!

Yep thats the one they got the complaints on. I don't understand how there can be to much all you have to do is turn down the bass setting.

[BenzOnline]

LOL......Bass is one thing that Benzes were lacking on their stereos system for many years! erhmm...the w126 can explain that!

I have heard a 95 140 system also and it was just as good.

[jjrodger]

The early W140 300SE was fitted with the 24 valve 3 litre motor from the W124 300E-24 and the R129 300SL-24. It was a good and powerful engine, packing between 221 and 231bhp. I don't know what the torque figure was.

A 300SE will obviously be slower than a 400SE (as they then were) or a 500SE. But it is not a slow car. It will pull 0-60mph in a little under 9 seconds and will go on to 140mph. To extract good performance out of it will obviously require the driver to rev it more than a large capacity V-8.

There is no way this car would "struggle", though!

[BenzOnline]

So a 92 300SE would have the engine as Ashman's 300CE?

[jjrodger]

Originally posted by BenzOnline
So a 92 300SE would have the engine as Ashman's 300CE?

Yes, except without the blue bits!

[akry]

W140 300SE has 3.2L I6 found on '93+ 300E/E320s pumping out about 228HP/229lb-ft... it isn't fast off the line, but will move along nicely once pick up some speed....

P.S. If my memory serves me right, 300SE has 5-speed auto instead of 4 speed ones....also, 1992 uses LH management and 1993+ switched to HFM....

Andy Kuo

Out of curiosity, how was this 300SE you observed "struggling" to get itself off the line?

I find that interesting, since I drive (and will be driving again as of Friday when the head work gets done on the 3.8....only damage was two bent valves after all, but car needed valve guides and seals anyway, so yeah. Funny thing, after 197K miles, I would have thought there would have been some cam wear, but apparently, the cams are fine) an S-class with less power and torque than the 300SE (worse power-weight ratio) albeit it makes its peak torque lower in the RPM range. It never feels like it struggles off the line, even with 4 people and baggage.

-Sam

[BenzOnline]

The way I saw it struggling was the sound of the engine that I heard with my windows opening (high rpm but may be normal) and the car was lurching as in when you accelerate, the back in goes down quite a bit and the front goes up but the car isnt going fast.