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  #1  
Old 05-09-2013, 01:13 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 27
Question W124 - replace automatic climate control with manual system?

Hi,

As is apparently common I have some issues with the climate control in my 400e.

The car was originally delivered to Japan before finding it's way to Canada and seems to be more basic than the North American 400e's. e.g. Manual drivers mirror, cloth seats, seats not heated, etc.

Were any of the W124's delivered with a manual climate control? If so I'd rather replace the automatic system with a simpler system than to keep chasing ACC problems around.

Here in Canada we only really need three settings.
1. Super hot cause it's really fn cold outside.
2. Medium hot cause it's pretty cold outside
3. Lots of AC cause the sun is shining and my pale Canadian skin is melting!

Thoughts?

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  #2  
Old 05-09-2013, 01:49 AM
compu_85's Avatar
Cruisin on Electric Ave.
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: La Conner, WA
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No W124 has completely manual climate control, cars that didn't have the automatic system had something called "Tempmatic" which was dual zone, temperature controlled only - you selected the fan speed and air direction.

A lot is different - temp sensors, heater control valve, wiring, control head... It would be simpler to just repair your ACC. For one thing parts for the ACC are *much* easier to get as ever W124 sold here originally has them. Plus the tempmatic system still uses vacuum pods and a heater valve (duovalve instad of a monovalve) to control things - those parts will go bad no matter what is running them.

There aren't that many parts to the W124 ACC. What problems are you having?

-J
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  #3  
Old 05-09-2013, 02:06 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 27
Thanks J,

I appreciate the info. I suppose it was a bit naive of me to think there would be a manual controller that simple replaced the ACC.

I was simply admiring the still working cable and lever system in my almost 30 year old Landcruiser and thinking how great it would be to have such simple and robust system in my 400.

As for my climate control issues.

Heat and AC work fine. (hot is hot, cold is cold)
Thermostat seems fine.
Fan speed changes fine.

The amount of air coming from the vents doesn't really change. When the fan is on high it sounds like it's pushing against restriction. There is only the slightest change in air volume.

Which button is selected does not effect which vents are open.

Any tips you can provide or a link to a good thread on this issue would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Ian
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  #4  
Old 05-09-2013, 06:22 AM
jay_bob's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 3,941
I suspect you have no vacuum

Simple thing to check:
- Acquire a MityVac vacuum tester
- Remove your glove box lining
- behind the glove box near the center of the car is a vaccum manifold with one green line (the vacuum source from the engine) and seven hoses going out to the pods.
- Start the car, unplug the green hose from the manifold and see if it has vacuum if not track the problem back to the engine compartment. That hose runs behind the gauge cluster and out a grommet near the master cylinder. I had a plugged restrictor orifice at the vacuum pump splitter.
- If that checks out try applying vacuum to each of the 7 vac pod lines. See if the pods hold vacuum and the air flow changes.
- I have heard of the manifold going bad, it has 7 electric valves in it and there was a member who had a bad solder joint causing the valves to not work. Can be fixed, pull from a wreck, or I believe still available new but $$

The factory manuals for the 124 are online from M-B, chapter 82 has the AC trobuleshooting procedure.
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  #5  
Old 05-09-2013, 10:09 AM
compu_85's Avatar
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2x - sounds like you have a vacuum leak someplace. My car had a leak in the vacuum manifold / solenoid assembly itself (GenII W126 cars use the W124 climate control system).

-J

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