w126 top speed ! HELP
 

Hey guys, i had my car in the shop for like forever they were putthing the front cover of the engine on...anyways..ever since i got it back.. it takes FOREVER to gain speed after like 120mph...before it use to clim pretty fast...at the same strecth i use to hit 155mph, now im having trouble hiting more then 130 mph !! my brother who was behind me said the car was throwing alot of black smoke compare to before...any ideas guys ?

p.s. i noticed that the last 1,000 rpm its slow in every gear and it dosent reach 6k if i hold it in gear...running to rich or something ?

Mine used to get up to just under 185mph, but fell back to around 170mph after I changed spark plugs. I had been using Autolites, but switch to the recommended Bosch plugs. That was a bad idea. I reinstalled the Autolites and gapped them at .065 and managed to get back to top speeds of right at 185mph.

Disengage your parking brake.

I think he means KPH not MPH.

I couldn't do that speed with this if I wanted to.

if i add a large turbo to my 240d will i be able to go that fast? if i install a k & n filter and one of those large ended exhaust fallic thingise?

tom w

Has to be.

115 mph would be about the limit for the six cylinder.

you dont want an K&N filter on a diesel.

Wow wow i didnt know their was so much hating ! I'm being serious here people...

http://media.putfile.com/part-1-

http://media.putfile.com/part-2-

Model? Engine? Why was the work done?

No W126 that I'm aware of will do 155 mph (are you in Canda -- kph?)

Peter

If the problem started after you had work done, why not take it back?

How big is that crack in your windsheild?

Glad to know someone is holding a video camera while driving 120 mph:rolleyes:

Where do you live?

500SE euro setup... 117.963 1980...i have another windshield that im going to put on it soon...its been cracked like that since 1990...so im not worried...save your comments about the preaching about speeding etc, thanks.

it only reaches 130mph......Have you tried shifting in high gear?:eek: :eek:

The early 500SE/SEL's were indeed very fast. I rode shotgun in a '81 500 SEC in '84 heading west from Munich to Stuggart and we easily cruised at an indicated 250 kph. The owner said at the time that his car was produced before MB changed the rear axle ratio. From my technical data book I note that the ratio was changed in Sept. '81 from 2.82 to 2.24, a very meaningful difference. While the earlier car would pull redline in top gear the later one would not. We owned a Euro 500SEL that was produced in 1982 that my wife drove as a replacement for a very rusty Euro 450SEL. She frequently complained to me that the 450 was much quicker than her 500 was and peladed with me to resurrect the 450 (she was a very fast driver). Also, keep in mind that the later 500SE/SEL had a taller rear axle ratio than the 560SE/SEL did (2.47). In short, I believe that egutie's 500 could run 155 before the shop work. One question for egutie, was the front cover removed to replace chain rail guides? If so, did they mistime one or more camshafts and/or ignition timing (Euro ignition timing is 16 deg. +/- 3 BTDC with vacuum connected at idle)? Mark

Oh yeah I remember you form MBworld. Racing in traffic, blowing up your engine...with kerosene in it.:rolleyes:

Did they change the timing chain or just re seal the front cover? If they changed the chain they probably got the timing off a bit.

My SDL has hit around 115mph before, maybe 112mph something in that area. I posted upon it a while back.

Can an early 2.24:1 LSD be installed in a later W126? My 420 is receiving a M117 (US 560) transplant and will be nice to have a limited slip back there. If the entire case can't be stuffed in there, anyone know if I could have just the ring, pinion, and carrier installed into my current case?

Don't think the earlier ('85 and before) diffs will fit into anything later ('86 forward). Can't comment on whether a transplant of the gears and carrier will be successful or not.

Yes, I recall something of that nature due to mounting lugs and such per the late/early subframes.

I know where an Euro 500 is ('84), driveline is gone for the most part but the diff is still in the trunk. Same with a 380 but I do not believe those have LSDs in the back.

Yep, the diff on the Euro 500 would work. I recently got a 2.47 diff from a 500 SEL, but not a Euro.........and it has LSD.

i am jealous. where did you find that lsd?

darn, i thought for sure i had indentified a punny thread here!

i was for sure joking about the turbo and k and n filter on my 240. hey i dont even own any 240s any more.

tom w

Hrm, when did MB change from the 2.24:1 to the 2.47:1? I'm out of town and don't have that PDF handy I sent ya a while back.

Kerosene? Should I ask?

"Hrm, when did MB change from the 2.24:1 to the 2.47:1? I'm out of town and don't have that PDF handy I sent ya a while back."

I can't think of any MB that used a 2.24 rear end before the 400E. Even the 6.9 used a 2.65. Other markets may have had different options, though.

That PDF is conflicting. It shows a 2.24 for the 500SEL, but, other data for US vehicles show the 2.47 for the 500SEL. I rolled the dice with the one that I received. It could have gone either way.

It might be the case that the 2.24 is restricted to European vehicles?? I'm just taking a WAG.

Pushing back a 25.35 sq ft, and 0.36 cd, it would be need to be making more than a Euro 560SEL.

Using the math, and assuming no tailwinds or headwinds, a Euro 560SEL, high compression 300 hp, should top out at around 150'ish mph on a straight. This is ACTUAL speed, not the speed indicated on the speedometer.

Hrm, weird. I'll just have to look on the case to see what I can find. I know where a US 500SEL is now too come to think of it.

Hopefully the 2.24:1 is for the Euros, I'll stick that in the 420 and the 2.47:1 into the SD.

Were all of the 500SEL ones all Limited Slip?

Having gone well over 130 in my 4.5, I find it hard to believe a newer MB chassis with an "Improved" V8 (debatable) could not SURPASS what I've done in my 4.5 - so 140+ should be as easily attainable for a 126 V8 as mine, right?

Definetly sounds like either you're way too rich, or your timing is way too late. If they had the front cover off, they could have set the distributor a tooth off and not been able to get the proper timing on it, and just left it. I dont know if late cam timings would produce that high RPM stutter on a 5.0 m117, I know on my 4.5, with late cam timings, it was sluggish at low RPMs but still had plenty of power in the higher ones. They might be too early if anything. But check your timing!

Sounds like they messed up your timing in the shop. I'm doing timing guides on m119 right now. Mechanic opened my timing chain cover and while he was putting new chain in there he skiped 2 teeth on crankshaft. Thank god I noticed it and said to him that I will do timing myself and will put cover back on myself. It is very easy to skip at least 1 tooth on crankshaft gear. Check your timing.
One more example of if you want to have something done right-do it yourself.
Good luck.

PS. That is some crazy video you got there posted. Car is fast.

Hahaha i love your wife! she seems like a fun gal! And thanks! about time someone supports me! haha and dont forget pre set 1981 have about 10 hp more!!! and i changed the engine a diff one-- i fergot but i remember the engine i got gave me and additional 10 hp more as well... ill call my mechanic tomorrow morning and let him know about the timing issue, also i have noticed it has been using alot of oil lately due to that! I did get a new timing chain on it and rails ---about hmm 5 months ago...and then the front cover of the engine cracked because a shop next to my house placed the distributor wrong--so i took it away from them and took it to my mechanic i usually take it too...he probably put ebverything back to spec -- as said here-- so ill let him know im not getting the most out of this engine and that i have been burning alot of oil since i got it back! and the car doese not leak oil...sooo its weird..!


p.s. plus the SL linkage that i have gives it 11 rwhp and 15 rwtq...so i know im pusshing a bit more power then stock

haha i posted another one on benzworld about 7 months ago-- before they did the timing cover and with a bad transmission doing 150mph in the same streach....thats why it bugs me that i cant even reach that anymore....and in top of that a honda beat me ! disgrace!!!

i guess the car is fast for its good old days hehe i love my car !

i tried to do it myself but the chain jumped one tooth on me which freaked me out, being that im only 20 years old and dont want to mess up my car --with my luck ! haha i took it to my mechanic--he usually does a good job but this time im dissapointed....

Its one heck of a good story thats for sure!:D

See I guess this gentlemen decided to flush his engine with kerosene after his oil change to "flush the sludge out":D

1.He would drain the oil.
2.Start the engine to make sure all the oil was out
3.Add kerosene and run it some more *I think*

I don't remember how many times he did this but the engine blew up in short order.:D The valve noise as he was running it was kerosene in the crank must have been amazing!:D

Sorry dude I just couldn't resist telling the story, we all learn from our mistakes I guess.:)

yeah, i have known folks to run kerosene thru a motor. i never thought it was anything i would want to try.

i ran into a couple of guys in morroco in the campground in marakech in 1973. they were arguing... they asked me to judge who was right. one fellow wanted to drive their car out into the desert and drain the oil and then drive it back to the campground and refill it. (not withstanding the environmental issues).

the other guy wanted to replace the oil before starting the motor.

needless to say i sided with the second guy.

tom w

I have had mine to an indicated 125mph. I can think of nowhere that I would feel safe enough or not causing danger to others that I would risk more. Mine is a 1991 560 SEL with AMG LSD with 2.73(Ithink rear gear). 0-60 in about 6.5sec.yarrgghh :pirate:

Changing engines
 

I wonder if it would be possible to put a 6.9 engine into a 126. It certainly fit into the 116 chassis. Another interesting car would be a 140 with a V12 or even better a V12 R-129 (lighter weight).

Might I make a suggestion? Your video is evidence of wreckless driving. Might be best not to put stuff like that online. Many states will revoke licenses on first time offenses of wreckless driving.

i would like to have the opportunity to run my 500sec out and see what she will do. there is noplace i can feel safe, but i have enough room to get up to about 125. i am pretty sure there is quite a bit more avalilable if i had more room. maybe i will be able to get it out on a track day one day.
the 6.9 will surely fit, but it would be quite a bit heavier, and the handling would suffer.

tom w

Going to a 6.9 would be a step down from a euro spec M117. Actualy the M120 and the M119 will bolt into the W126 without to much difficulty. Getting the package to work with the electronics is where the work would be.

An AMG 6L M117 is of course the ultamte W126 power plant.:cool:

i had a conversation with a benz nut named andy from somewhere in illinois on saturday. he called regarding my son's 300te for sale. he said he had had previously a 560sec amg (i think) that had twin turbos. he said it dynoed with (was it 500?) hp. and it would go 165, he said. it sounded pretty fantastic.

i have no knowledge of such a car, except for this (believable by his manner) conversation.

anybody know of such a model?

tom w

I am no AMG expert. But I would say that it is possible that such a car was built by them. Back in the 80's you first bought a car from MB, then had it sent to AMG for mods. This cost lots of money so unlike today only people with real $$$$$$ could afford these.

Since it was a custom car more or less AMG would probably do whatever the client wanted for a price of course.

Lots of these heavly modded W126's went to Japan and are recently surfacing. Some were $150k+ cars back when they were bought in the late 80's!:eek:

So while I have never run across or heard of a super charged AMG SEC, certianly their could be a handfull of example's out there.

I have run across only the cars with the 6L V8, I think that engine came in a couple different configurations.

it could have been a 6L that he was talking of. just cant remember. he said all the trim was painted body color which was navy.

tom w

I agree, this Dec when i was in Japan, holy smack aru- i saw so many w126's in MINT condition -- i swear they look all brand NEW. And everyone that i saw was modded some way with AMG...it was stunnung--infact most BMW's and Mercedes i saw were modded to some degree- it was an awsome experience totally out of this world.

My 4.5 has nowhere near that off the line - damn the combination of a high gear and 3-speed auto! ;) But I have felt safe enough on a local 4-lane highway with virtually no police patrols and long, fairly straight shots to get my 4.5 above an indicated 145. It was hairy on some corners at an indicated 125-135! I would NOT do this now... my front suspension needs some thorough inspecting and adjusting first. This was AFTER fresh subframe mounts, a LF kingpin, and thorough greasing and inspection. Since then my flex disc has developed some visible cracking...

Also, this is with 3.5 heads and cams. Will a stock 4.5 do this speed at all? I dont know. It was quite an effort to accelerate above 140, and 145 was achieved going downhill.

holy penguin doo doo batman, that 4.5 still has kingpins?

i wouldnt have thought so.

tom w

The car you are talking about was a grey market 560SEC AMG with a Mosselman TT kit. It was destroyed in an accident with a non-attentive semi-driver in Cincinnati two years ago and subsequently parted on EBAY. Having ridden in the car, I will tell you that it looked like a beater but it would bring the rear out in third. FAST! I have pics somewhere here.... That car is what got me into the "AMG movement":D

interesting the fellow i talked to seemed for real but i was reluctant to say too much about it here because as i wrote it it sounded a bit far fetched!

i would enjoy seeing the pics if you can locate them.

tom w

when I bought my 1990 560sel 3yrs ago,I drove it from FL to NY and got it up to 130mph. The idle was very rough.After running a compression test,found out that the car had two dead cylinders.Have not driven it that fast since it's been fixed.I imagine it could get up to 155mph,I don't know about 185 though.

I've had my 1985 euro 500SEL euro over 140 and it was still climbing fast- but I need my license, and my kids need their daddy. I dont believe I will find out how fast the car will go.:rolleyes: Is the diff marked with ratio figures on the exterior?