Advice on a w111 Sedan (230 fintail, etc) Carbs vs Injection.

[Treozen]

Hello folks -



As a gluten for punishment, I am considering adding a "fin-tail" to the Mercedes barn - to join the R107 and W126. I've previously owned a '72 300SEL and '72 280SEL. All of my prior Mercedes cars have been fuel injection - which is generally not something I get along with, but I've been learning. Most of my non-Mercedes cars have carburetors however - everything from your everyday small block Chevy to a dual S.U. Jaguar 3.8 XK in my '62 MKII. So I am not afraid of the carburetor, but, I don't find much love for the dual carburetors in the Mercedes vehicles. I read a lot of posts about dumping the stock units (Zenith?) and replacing with something else, and challenges getting the car to run properly and syncing the carbs seems to be something nobody remembers how to do properly. I am used to setting up dual SU carbs on my jaguars, but I have no experience with the....unique nature...of the Mercedes dual carb set-up and have zero idea how it works.


My main question is should I just avoid the carbs? Are they as bad as it seems or just misunderstood? I don't really worry about the difference in gas mileage or anything - but I do want to be able to set up the car and have it drive out as expected (not that the injected cars are necessarily optimal either). I am finding significantly more carb cars than injected - and so just want to understand what sort of difference and headache the carbs are and whether its something I should just avoid all together.



Thanks,

Allan

[t walgamuth]

There were a few years where they put a single four barrel carb on those sixes. If you can find one a quadrajet will bolt on with a few minor adjustments in the base plate.....or a new edelbrock.

[Todd Miller]

If you have the talent for dual carbs, it will transfer nicely to any other car.

[Frank Reiner]

T:

If the car that is under consideration has a carbureted engine (dual Zeniths), consider using Holley two-barrels rather than Webers as replacement. The Holleys remain in production, while the other US made carbs (Carter, Rochester, etc.) are long gone.

[Treozen]

Originally Posted by Todd Miller

If you have the talent for dual carbs, it will transfer nicely to any other car.

"talent" may be an overstatement, lol, but I have tuned and tweaked my fair share.



Thanks for the replies all - I don't have a specific car that I am looking at - there are a few options, but I'm happy to wait for the right car. It doesn't sound like the carbs are that big of a concern, if you are willing to tune them.

[cth350]

>> a dual S.U. Jaguar 3.8 XK in my '62 MKII
You will wonder what all the fuss is about. Carbs is carbs and dual carbs just have to sound right or it's all wrong.

I always considered the benz dual carb manifold as screaming out for a pair of EFI throttle bodies. I just haven't had a car with them for about 15 years now to prove it.
-CTH

[subforry]

If you are not fussy about gas mileage, Zeniths are just fine. Webers can be great but require a lot of modifications beyond the Redline kit.

That said my MFI cars run fine even after having sat for 10 years. The supply pumps don't like to sit but they can be cleaned.

For a finny, be more concerned with rust and getting a high spec model (230S or 220SE). Make sure all the trim is there and the tail lights are good.