Casey's 1978 Euro 6.9

[oversize]

I'd be focussing on getting the car running before you do any modifications...

[Casey]

I'd be focussing on getting the car running before you do any modifications...

I'm not doing any modifications at present...  I'm not really doing anything with the car at present - it's going to just sit parked and wait until I have more time and funds available.  Also need to get my garage better organized after the move so that will take priority.  I need to get some wheel dollies at a minimum to shuffle things around better, then get it into a more long-term spot in the garage, and put up on jack stands.  I also need to find a hose for the exhaust pipe so I can run it outside and work on getting the car running without worrying about fumes.

Some further questions though:

• The headlight wipers do work with the lamps on.  I need to replace the rubbers on the wipers though - where can I buy them?
• Although I can turn the fog lights on without the headlights (not possible on US-spec cars), I cannot have both the fog lights and low beams on at the same time (possible with US-spec) nor the high beams and fog lights at the same time (not possible with US-spec).  I'd like it to be such that I can have lows+fogs or highs+fogs if I want.  Any wiring advice?
• There is an extra burlwood trim piece installed behind the main center console shifter surround trim piece.  It looks like pictures I've seen from cars which had an added Becker accessory with a dial switch mounted there.  Mine just has a square piece of black plastic mounted there, with a red light in the center.  It looks factory because the carpet insert for the center console is shorter to accommodate this addition.  Sadly there is a carphone mounted into the remaining space of the center console - screwed through the carpet into the center console trim.
• The hat deck is modified to have two rectangular speakers same as mounted on the front doors on either side, and a large subwoofer in the center.  I'm a bit worried about possible modifications to the metal underneath but not too concerned about the hat deck as the carpeting is brown (?!) rather than black, and melted by the sun into an unpleasant hard texture, so it needs replaced anyways.
• The blue horns are Fiamm (made in Italy) brand, and not connected to anything.  They have rubber hoses connected to a Y-joint and then a single rubber hose going to nothing towards the front of the vehicle.
• There's a mysterious "on/off" toggle switch mounted on the left side of the glove box interior.
• The wiring is in really bad shape, with exposed ends of wires coming right out of the front of the glove box, the wire connection to the brake fluid reservoir severed, and some other exposed/severed wires that seem to connect to the same harness.  I wonder if the wiring on a D-jet 450 is the same, because I don't think I've removed that from my parts car yet.
• I thought I'd turn the key and see what happened, for fun only, not expecting anything really.  The starter just made a loud clicking noise - the engine didn't turn at all.
• Can somebody provide a picture of what the fanfare horns look like or where exactly I should look for them?
• The oil on the dipstick seems very thick - the portion showing oil looked about twice as thick as the plain metal stick.  It doesn't look dirty but I have to wonder why it is so thick-looking.  I reckon I'll change that as soon as I can get the car started and warmed up.  I'm a bit confused about the dip stick though - it seems to have three markings on it very far apart from one another, and as the stick doesn't go down into a tube how does one ensure they are getting an accurate measure?  I suppose I need to find an owner's manual in English - perhaps the US-spec 6.9 coming later this month will include one.  Should be able to look up an oil change manual on the library...

[arcijack]

CASEY IF YOU GO TO THE M 100 SIGHT AND LOOK AT MY 77 EURO, YOU WILL SE THE HORNS, THE POST SHOULD SAY ROCKER PANELS,,

[adamb]

The oil on the dipstick seems very thick - the portion showing oil looked about twice as thick as the plain metal stick.  It doesn't look dirty but I have to wonder why it is so thick-looking.  I reckon I'll change that as soon as I can get the car started and warmed up.  I'm a bit confused about the dip stick though - it seems to have three markings on it very far apart from one another, and as the stick doesn't go down into a tube how does one ensure they are getting an accurate measure?  I suppose I need to find an owner's manual in English - perhaps the US-spec 6.9 coming later this month will include one.  Should be able to look up an oil change manual on the library...

Assuming that what's in the crankcase and reservoir was originally standard oil, it sounds like it's turned to sludge. Do yourself a favour, drain everything and fill with generic 10W40, remove all plugs and turn the engine by hand without the starter.

For an abandoned car it's not unusual that the starter is not working properly. On mine occasionally the solenoid on the starter motor fails to engage when the engine is very hot after a long run. I've had a spare M100 starter motor on my shelf for a while for when it eventually goes kaput.

[Casey]

CASEY IF YOU GO TO THE M 100 SIGHT AND LOOK AT MY 77 EURO, YOU WILL SE THE HORNS, THE POST SHOULD SAY ROCKER PANELS,,

You mean this?



Those  horns look exactly like mine, just mounted very differently.  Are they Fiamm brand also?  What does the rubber hose from them going to the right attach to?

[arcijack]

yes they are identical to yours, the hose has been cut, not sure where it goes

[arcijack]

i did a little research on horns,  they were primarily used on ferrari cars and the hose goes to a small compressor, that looks like a coil, might want to loo look around in the bay, might be hiding some where close to where they are mounted

[TJ 450]

Drain all that tar out and change the oil filter before you turn the engine over... you don't want that crap circulating through the engine.

Try rotating the engine with the spark plugs removed. I wouldn't rule out seizure due to water ingress.

I presume the battery is fully charged, a DIN88, and the terminal clamps were tight?

The engine oil is supposed to be checked with the engine running, and at operating temperature. Do this once you have changed the oil, and topped off to most of the required quantity. Adjust level with the car running.

Tim

[wbrian63]

From what I've been able to tell from EPC, fanfare horns look more like the typical US-spec shell-shaped items. They mount to the frame under the car behind the front bumper.


Standard MB horns of this era look like a pie-pan, and mount in front of the radiator:


Several years ago, I purchased from Germany what was supposed to be a OEM set of fanfare horns. Came in an MB box, if I recall. They don't have the grill-covered openings, but they are shaped similarly to the picture above.

[s class]

Brian, you are correct.  6.9s optioned with the 'town and country' horn system had the standard circular horns, plus the snail shell type in your EPC pic. 

The FIAMM air horns were not factory, but seem to have been popular in the aftermarket.  I've seen quite a number of 6,9's with them, including one of mine.  There is no uniformity in these installations on these cars, further suggesting that it is aftermarket.  Personally, I think they sound shyte and very un-MB-like. 

[s class]

Read here some notes on changing the oil in a 6.9 :

http://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/450-sel-6-9-water-pump-and-oil-change/msg111147/#msg111147

[Casey]

A few loading/trip pictures:

[Squiggle Dog]

Beautiful and nicely-optioned. There sure are a lot of extra parts.

[oversize]

That's one scary trailer and winch setup!   

[Casey]

Here is a picture of the mysterious extra trim and light installed in the center console.  Can anybody tell me what it is?  There's a carphone mounted behind it:



Extra switch for unknown purpose installed in the glove box - what country is the phone number on the sticker from?:



I found this ridiculous flashlight at a thrift store for $10.  It has a rechargeable 12 volt lead-acid battery and appears to use a car headlight bulb for the light source - there are two switches in the picture - one which appears to turn on the "low beam" portion of the bulb and the other which appears to turn on the "high beam".  Both can be turned on at the same time.