Have posted several times regarding my sunroof problems - Since I can't seem to resolve the mystery problem I bought a complete used motor assembly.
Please - - can anybody tell me how to remove and install the cable? It looks to me that the shaft nut has to be loosened and then to just pull down on the motor but I am not surre and don't want to damage anything.

You'll need to remove the headliner on the sunroof. This is much easier if you can get your sunroof open about 1/2 way. Its only held in place by 3 spring like retaining clips. Insert a long, flat head screwdriver in the front of the sunroof between the headliner and the body. The 3 clips are evenly spaced and you should be able to find them and pry them loose without too much trouble. Once you've carefully removed the headliner (i think its easiest to pull it outside the car rather than inside) you'll have to close the roof. The cable is held to the roof by a clip in the middle rear section. I believe its 2 8mm bolts that hold it in. Once you remove that clip, grab the cable and if the motor still works a little push the "Close" button on the sunroof to feed the cable into the car (careful its really greasy!) If the sunroof motor isn't working you'll have to unbolt the motor in the trunk and then you can probably feed the cable out through the trunk.

When reassambling be sure to grease the cable a lot. You can buy "Sunroof cable grease" from MB but its expensive and you get like 5 lbs of it. I just used wheel bearing grease (about the viscosity of vasoline) and mine has worked great for 2+ years now.

[QUOTE=skiier3_9]You'll need to remove the headliner on the sunroof. This is much easier if you can get your sunroof open about 1/2 way. Its only held in place by 3 spring like retaining clips. Insert a long, flat head screwdriver in the front of the sunroof between the headliner and the body. The 3 clips are evenly spaced and you should be able to find them and pry them loose without too much trouble. Once you've carefully removed the headliner (i think its easiest to pull it outside the car rather than inside) you'll have to close the roof. The cable is held to the roof by a clip in the middle rear section. I believe its 2 8mm bolts that hold it in. Once you remove that clip, grab the cable and if the motor still works a little push the "Close" button on the sunroof to feed the cable into the car (careful its really greasy!) If the sunroof motor isn't working you'll have to unbolt the motor in the trunk and then you can probably feed the cable out through the trunk.

If it just pulls out of the motor assembly - why can't I not just unbolt the assembly in the trunk and pull it down and out of the cable?

The cable is attached to the sunroof, but once you've got it un-attached there its up to you which direction to pull it. I only pulled it that way because i was regreasing mine without removing the motor.

Thank you again but just one more question -- is the sunroof cable a regular steel stranded cable or is it like a worm gear or something similar ?? It seems to me that if it's just a regular stranded cable I could just unbolt the motor and pull it down and slip the cable out. Am I wrong?

Does your motor work at all? Because if it does, you could unbolt the motor and then push the "Close" button to push the cable out of the motor. The cable is a worm gear or similar i believe. I would unbolt the motor and then see if you can turn the motor to push the cable out of it. That will be much eaiser than removing the headliner.

Are the clips permanantly attached to the headliner?
About how far from the edge of the headliner are the outside clips? (Assume center clip to be in center)
When the headliner is pulled forward are there rails in it that can be bent or broken (made of plastic or steel)?
TIA

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831799&postcount=13
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831807&postcount=14

The plastic clips are attached to the headliner (permanantly? - i dunno, maybe they're screwed or glued on) and they are maybe 4-6 inches from the front of the sunroof (i'm not too sure on this, its been awhile since i removed mine). Once you've gotten the clips out there are no rails on the headliner to be broken or damaged, you just have to be careful not to damage the headliner in the rest of the car. That is why I recommend that you pull the headliner out from the top. Hold on to it and slide the sun roof all the way open, then you should be able to take the headliner out through the top of the car without bending it too much.

I didn't mention this before, but the work I did was on an 86 190e. The 300e from that era may have a different headliner with more clips. I would just start along one end and gently pry the headliner away from the sunroof with a screw driver.