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What have you done for your W116 today?

Started by BWalker82, 18 May 2011, 06:27 PM

ptashek

#180
Got a fair few things done today.

Biggest job was getting the heater valve swapped. The 450SE had the newer type, sealed black actuator and plastic (?) valve (A1168300684). It was leaking vacuum,  permanently open and thus blasting hot air all the time. The 350SE had the older type aluminium valve and the pear-like pink actuator (A1168001775). I thought there may be issues fitting the older type, but it's a direct replacement. I finally have fully working heating :)

This was part of my vacuum-leak hunting and eliminating process, but hasn't helped much in term of the cruise control behaving any better. I've swapped all diaphragms in my central locking earlier (Kent Bergsma sells them), except trunk and fuel tank flap (those use different diaphragms). That hasn't helped the cruise control either, but at least my central locking is like new now.

While I've been in the engine bay already, I've swapped the water box drain pipes with ones from the 350SE, which surprisingly were in a much better shape then the ones in the 450SE, despite being older and the fact the car was never garaged. Go figure...

I've also swapped the throttle return spring (A1179930310) and one of the throttle bushings (A1800720393) with new parts. The new spring is about 15mm longer then the original one, and thanks to this the throttle pedal response is much smoother as the spring does not stretch as much and pulls back with less force.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

Green74280se

Hmm, Last week was a big week of repairing everything required mechanically.

Yesterday and this morning (Before work) has been tidying her up cosmetically... Can't believe how much deep seated grime there is in a 37yo Cream MB TEX interior??!!.

Apart from a deep vaccuum and starting with the vinyl foam I repaired a tiny crack in the dash with Black silicon, painted sills with satin black stone guard and changed the wipers.

Tomorrow morn will be re-installing the washed and disinfected front seat sheepskins that came with the car and adjusting the steering wheel back to centre!!!

The day after will be replacing the two front door speakers.... fun fun fun! ;D

Tony66_au

MB Tex seems to soak up and hide a lot of grunge but the transformation when clean is amazing!

Havent done much to the 450SEL as i have been busy with mt 350SLC  but tonight is the night to sort the oil line once and for all, Got a mate who does hydraulics popping over to make me a new hose!

Depa77450sel

Today I finally got rid of those plastic w126 hubcaps, replaced them with bunts and got a wheel alignment and balance :D
1976 450SEL off the road for now
1977 450SEL ZMQ642 (SOLD)
1979 450SEL  W116MB (SOLD)
2003 C180 KOMPRESSOR (WRITTEN OFF )
2005 C200 KOMPRESSOR  (SOLD)
2010 E250 CGI current daily

shadetree77

unplanned repair since my entire exhaust fell off while driving home from work. I stopped by mcparts store to pick up and install 4 new muffler donut hangers....check your muffler hangers; i only had one holding on the entire exhaust and it let go; totally forgot to check them when i got the car and i'm busy focusing on other repairs...
1979 300SD
1983 300SD
1991 420SEL

gf

Ripping out the fuel rail-IT STINKS!!!!!!

kastad

Changed water pump and associated rubber hoses!  :D

navigator

Had park brake light switch fixed

New master cylinder and bled brakes

new rear exhaust box

instrument and heater control backlights replaced

Fixed leak on gearbox sump - new g/b filter oil and gasket for g/b sump


caleboar

New speedometer cable (no longer flickers or clicks) last week.
New Bilstein HD shocks all the way around last month.


ptashek

Replaced both upper control arms over the weekend. Man they're bastards to get in right! You have to be really careful mounting the control arm to the sway bar - if there's any tension whatsoever, you're in for a bad time pushing that M24 bolt into its place. After 34 years the rubber was hard like rock and was starting to deteriorate really bad. One of the joints wasn't all that great either.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

scraf

Time to sort out some gremlins in the fuel system, it's starting rough, flat patches in the acceleration, no on board computer thingy, need to sort out the gas mix before I go any further.

The gas man requires it to run on petrol before looking at the lpg system, as it not idling on petrol I tank 15 liters in anticipation of playing around with the fuel mix on the carb.

Come out of the petrol station foyer to see a huge puddle under the car, uh oh, step in, wonder if this is going to be my last moment on earth and get the hell out of dodge.

Manage to get it idling while the remaining fuel dripped out, removed the offending hose between the filter / pump and the 'accumulator', I think it is.

Turns out the 'accumulator' end has a circumference of around 12,5 cm and the pump 15, plus a lip.

So off to the Mercedes garage to get such a tube, find it in the files, available by the meter only. Duh!

After a long day smelling of petrol I eventually managed to force a pipe on the fuel pump, and we're running on petrol.

Yay !

beagle2022

So far this year:
New sump.  No more oil leaks!
Replaced all those tiny bulbs in the instrument panel.  Looks like a Christmas tree now.
Checked the pressure in the K jet system.  All good.
Repaired the exhaust y piece. Bad mistake.  Need to find a proper permanent solution.  Why did MB screw this RHD issue up so badly?
Replaced the fuel accumulator.  Starts properly when warm now.
Repaired three small rust patches in the lip of the boot/trunk. No rust visible anywhere (for a while at least).
Replaced the power antenna.  No more fear of vandals.
Got every bit of the central locking to work.  Small miracle of persistence.
Overhauled all the power window mechanisms and regulators.  All working smoothly!
Replaced the sound proofing mat on the bonnet/hood.  Much quieter.
Replaced the drainage tube from the petrol filler through the floor. No more wet patches in the boot/trunk.

And most importantly: drove the old girl on three long trips of more than 700km each without a glitch.

Stiill to do: overhaul the cruise control amplifier.

Sydney, Australia

scraf

.... and I'm running ( with acceleration ) on LPG !

Many thanks to this guy ....

http://www.performanceforums.com/forums/showthread.php?67202699-DIY-LPG-Tuning

.... who happens to be an Aussie, as shown in his "cork and string" improvisation story. :)

Quote
A friend of mine has a 4wd on lpg. It very very occasionally backfires. Due to where he often drives, it's not practical for him to risk blowing out the airfilter and it's connections, as it would leave him stranded. So he's drilled a hole in the carb hat/snorkel (whilst off the engine) and filed/sanded it to get rid of any sharp angles. he then literally sticks a wine cork (with a little electrical tape around it to help it go in without tearing, and to help wedge it in tighter. As long as the cork is tapered (slighly triangle shaped) it can't get sucked all the way in. And if it backfires, it just blows the cork out, and keeps the rest protected. He's got the cork on a string tied to something in the engine bay (I forget where, but it's unimportant) and also carries a spare in the glovebox just in case.

HAKO

Quote from: ptashek on 07 April 2013, 04:39 PM
Replaced both upper control arms over the weekend. Man they're bastards to get in right! You have to be really careful mounting the control arm to the sway bar - if there's any tension whatsoever, you're in for a bad time pushing that M24 bolt into its place. After 34 years the rubber was hard like rock and was starting to deteriorate really bad. One of the joints wasn't all that great either.


I am willing to do the same replacement. How is the car performing after replacement? Is there any big
difference?

HAKO

ptashek

Quote from: HAKO on 10 April 2013, 05:26 AM
I am willing to do the same replacement. How is the car performing after replacement? Is there any big
difference?

To be perfectly honest: I don't know. The car drives just as good as it did before.
In my case the old bushings, while hard as rock, were still intact, and only one of the joints was worn (not worn out though).
My take on this was that, at ~54EUR a piece, those control arms are cheap enough to justify a replacement of a 34 year old part just for the sake of it.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE