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climate control

Started by wicked, 13 July 2005, 10:40 PM

wicked

hi i own a vary nice 450se i love it when i bought in 1973 in hollywood ca i have had it ever since but two things i want to know one is on the passanger side there is no mirror to look down the side of the car only on the drivers side came like that from the dealer there are no holes just a chrome plate. then when i looked on the online manuel for the air condtion controls it says i have a automatic one but i have a differnt one that is like two circle controls and 4 sliding knobs but my 450sl 1980 years has auto can you please tell me whats up :roll:

Mforcer

I believe the passenger side rear-vision mirror was made standard from 1794 onwards. They may have been optional in 1973, the first year these cars were available.

As for the air-conditioning, it sounds like you have the same setup as the rest of the world which missed out on the climtae control. From memory, the top dial (white) sets the fan speed and the bottom dial (blue) sets the air-conditioning strength. You should also be able to see a small black notch on the blue mark which shows where the airconditioning closes the vent for outside air.

The 4 sliding knobs from left to right control heat on the left side, vents at the bottom of the dashboard, vents on the tops of the dashboard (windscreen) and finally heat on the right side.

Also, just for your information, you should notice the air vent that flows into the front door cavities which will heat or cool that space for the purpose of keeping the windows from fogging and also for maintaining temperature in the front of the cabin.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

wicked

so are you saying that the climate control never came auto on the se but did on the sl ???
and do you think this car would be a good daily driver for a 16 yearold going to school and taking his friends around

Mforcer

I suspect that the climate control air-conditioning became available after 1973. I am not able to say for sure but perhaps someone else can confirm. Does your car have the Euro bumpers or the US bumpers? I believe the US bumpers were introduced post-'73 too.

As for being a suitable car for a 16 year old, I would say it would be difficult to find a better car. It is big and strong in case he does do something silly but it is also very difficult to do something silly. I often regard one of the best safety features of our cars is the way it encourages to be driven safely. It is difficult to race around streets not because it can't but because it simply is not that quick. These cars were made to cruise at +150km/h and everything else, including reaching cruising speed is done leisurely.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

wicked

ok i see thanks agian how would i know if i have euro or american bumbers the bumbers are pretty small hard to sit on them but i have the quad circle headlamps

Mforcer

The Euro bumpers have the upper and lower bumber the same size. The USA bumbers have the lower bumper MUCH bigger than than the upper bumper. If you can't sit on the bumpers, it would sound like you have the Euro bumpers.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

wicked

looks like my se has euro bumpers and my sl has the wide long american bumpers

AMG69

I love these Forums - 450SE Classic has just taught em something I didnt know! I always wondered what those vents in the doors were for - now I know. I also wondered what teh "break" in teh blue swirl means (closing vents!) and finally I really had no idea what the four slides did! So, one last question - with the heater on, should hot air ever come out the centre two vents, or just the side vents???
sigh....sitting back contemplating the next purchase..!

Mforcer

I was just thinking this the other day! On my car, the heat only comes out the side, dash or foot vents depending on the position of the sliding controls. I am fairly certain this is the way it is meant to be as only a few years ago I had most of my centre console worked on with numerous broken parts replaced.

Also something that many people do not know, the owners manual recommends that the heat and airconditioning be on at the same time when defrosting the windows and the air-conditioning helps to dry the air. This should actually apply to all cars and most people a very surprised when made aware of this.

Further to this, I personally run the air-conditioning year round and adjust the heat in winter. I have found in the past that the a/c unit would seize if not used and figure the cost of fuel of running the a/c year round is cheaper than replacing the a/c unit.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

AMG69

OK, can I ask a "dumb" question!!  With the slide controls if you put both "red" slides to the top this is heating both sides of the car in theory is it? (sounds like an early version of the now dual zone climate control!!!)  My query is if you have the second from left slide up (near the up arrow) I assume air comes out the top of the dash - if the slide is down then that's effectively "off" right?? Same with the slide and the down arrow, yes ? (either footwell is "on" if up or "off" depending on whether the slide is up or down?

Lastly, day one of ownership of 116 (six weeks ago) I put the air cond on (original gas, never been changed!) and after 15 minutes a white haze came in thru the centre vents....I almost drove off the road as I thought it was smoke!! Infact I think it was just condensed air as the a/c is so bloody cold...there was no smell or anything and it just looked like when you open the freezer at home.....make sense...is this normal???!!!!!!

Cheers!!
sigh....sitting back contemplating the next purchase..!

Mforcer

Quote from: "Chris M"OK, can I ask a "dumb" question!!  With the slide controls if you put both "red" slides to the top this is heating both sides of the car in theory is it? (sounds like an early version of the now dual zone climate control!!!) My query is if you have the second from left slide up (near the up arrow) I assume air comes out the top of the dash - if the slide is down then that's effectively "off" right?? Same with the slide and the down arrow, yes ? (either footwell is "on" if up or "off" depending on whether the slide is up or down?
This is all correct. The heating system was rather advanced for its time and would often appear as part of the marketing material, I believe. When ever I show my passenger that they can adjust the temperature of their side of the car they never seem as impressed about it as I am! :o

QuoteLastly, day one of ownership of 116 (six weeks ago) I put the air cond on (original gas, never been changed!) and after 15 minutes a white haze came in thru the centre vents....I almost drove off the road as I thought it was smoke!! Infact I think it was just condensed air as the a/c is so bloody cold...there was no smell or anything and it just looked like when you open the freezer at home.....make sense...is this normal???!!!!!!
I saw this once in my car. It was rather cold and wet outside and the condensation appeared as soon as the airconditioning was switched on but was over quickly. After the initial concern I thought it was pretty exciting but was never able to reproduce it. I would be concerned if it happened often.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

AMG69

well I'm impressed its got dual zone - cant wait to brag to my wife that her 2001 model doesnt (ML320) and mine does!!!!
sigh....sitting back contemplating the next purchase..!

Mforcer

Let me know if you get a better response! I have even thought about reading quotes from old magazine articles about the innovation in having dual zones! :lol:
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

oscar

Just to make it easier I've added a photocopy of the vent controls which are out of a manual for the 116, albeit one without a/c.  Click on the picture to make it bigger and readable.  My 350se has the two dials, white ring for fan and green ring instead of blue for a/c.

It's true too that the centre vents will only blow out external or a/c air, they'll never blow warm. I don't think the sides blow a/c air.  Don't know the rationale but this design has carried thru to VW and MB vans I drive at work.
1973 350SE, my first & fave

Mforcer

Thanks mb350. Very helpful upload.
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200