My 'New' '89 420SEL
 

It's got 256K miles, idles poorly, starts even worse, is dirty inside (the front seats are bad), runs well when warmed up, has the check engine light on and a 100% duty cycle w/KOEO, duty cycle all over the place w/KOER and needs front end work (what else is new).

I ordered tires from Tire Rack on Saturday and they came today (Monday) so I'll mount them during my car class in the morning (Tuesday) and I've already removed the spindles so I can get new ball joints installed. I'll get a new steering idler arm and there is a steering leak that has eaten the large rubber bushings in the brake support (I wish I'd kept the old ones from my 300SE).

One really odd thing is that I noticed there was no hood catch. I got the parts from the dealer, the catch and pull handel but there are no mounting holes for them. I check the 300SE, same year, and they were there. Later I remembered the PO said the car had hit a deer. So someone sometime had fixed the car with junkyard parts from a pre 86 and the saftey catches are in the hood release clamps in the radiator crossmember support. I'll have to drill some holes for this to work.

The PO also gave me the air bypass hoses and the manifold gaskets. I'm sure it needs injector seals and new manifold donuts. I have my work cut out for me. It needs shofter bushings too.

The 220S is running well, the front and rear brakes look fine but needs new hoses and a brake fluid change, so does the the 420.

The duty cycle meter is controlled by engine vacuum. The more you push the go button (the throttle) the less vacuum there is in the intake manifold. The less vacuum there is, the higher your duty cycle meter goes. Well, when you shut off the engine, the duty cycle is going to read 100% because when the pistons aren't pulling any vacuum the intake manifold sets out to atmospheric pressure (or no vacuum at all) and the duty cycle meter tops out. If it's all over the place with the car running, I would imagine that indicates a vacuum problem.

Warren, I'm glad to see you're such a worthy custodian of the car and can see beyond its flaws. These are really nice, safe long lasting cars and I am glad you are bringing one back.

Well, I was going to mount two of my new tires for the car during my automotive class. I pulled the Crown Vic into the lab and just then we all found out that a bomb threat had been called into the school. We all had to get out of the building and wait outside. About an hour later, security came around and told us school was closed for the rest of the day. I was also going to take the ball joints out of the spindles. Not today!

On Tuesday, I couldn't mount my tires due to bomb threat that had been called into the school and it was closed for the rest of the day.

Wednesday, I picked up a new steering idler arm and installed it. Next, ball joints and new ipper control arms and new big rubber bushings on the drivers side. There is a power steering leak up there in the dark inner reaches of the engine compartment. :confused:

I checked some of the rubber hoses. I checked the pipe under the air cleaner and it looked like it was clogged with blowby crud. I cleaned it out with a screwdriver and lots of carb cleaner. It's much better. I hope the last 3 digits of the VIN, 666, aren't an indication of things to come.

I'll get it inspected next week and then on to the emissions problem.

I can't believe this BS. Right after class on Thursday, the fire alarms were pulled. The buildings were closed, again. I am so pissed off at this. I went to a local indie and dropped off my spindles and new ball joints and they should be ready in the morning. I spoke to one of the instructors and I can get into the shop Friday night to mount my tires. I have new upper control arms to install and a new set of bearing bracket bushings for the drivers side due to a PS fluid leak.

I'll do all this in the morning. I also hope the brake bleeders are not frozen but I need new brake hoses.

Friday night I got threee tires mounted. Saturday I put the drivers side spindle on. Today, I'll replace the big rubber bushings in the brake bearing bracket. Then the brakes and front tires. I'll get a state safety inspection and emissions. I've ordered vacuum related engine parts from ********az.

Pictures, I Have Pictures!
 

Here are some pics of my emission work.

Engine compartment

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/wb300se/DSC_0052.jpg

Dirty V

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/wb300se/DSC_0084.jpg

This is what I'm up against, lots of carbon

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/wb300se/DSC_0085.jpg

Before cleaning

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/wb300se/DSC_0087.jpg

Missing parts, on both sides

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/wb300se/DSC_0098.jpg

You must like punishment :)

Everything's all carboned up huh... those are premium gasoline engines right? If someone constantly used regular and retarded the timing perhaps that may account for it.

Cams are another thing to check on those engines, if the PO didn't change oil enough they are often ground down.

I posted on another thread, about O2 sensor wire location, how the small air intake pipe on the bottom of the air cleaner housing was also blocked. The EGR pipe at the lower intake plenum was also blocked. They are clean now and ready for service.

The missing chain guides really concern me. The cam oiler pipe clips need replacing but they seem frozen. Any suggestions other than breaking or cutting them?

Fantastic news. It passed emission testing. All that work was worth it. The engine still starts poorly and idles like crap, but at least it passed.

15 mph

HC Limit ppm 65
Reading 48

CO% Limit 0.26
reading 0.01

NO ppm limit 857
reading 659


25 mph

HC limit ppm 119
reading 75

CO% limit 0.38
reading 0.02 (a 100% increase)

NO ppm limit 833
reading 308


So, new wires, cap and rotor. I'll then delve into the inner workings of the FI system and check all the sensors.