Hello,
I just purchased this 1977 280sel.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z76/brookhouse/w116%20280sel/PC070102.jpg)
Collected it from from Albury and drove it home to Moss Vale on a permit.
It has a couple of issues.
Firstly the A/C is dead. I think i will swap out the York for a Sanden (feel free to pass on thoughts on this)
Secondly there is exhaust leak at the manifold. Have not taken it off yet to confirm, hoping its not a head gasket!
It has just had a fresh respray that needs a good cut (waiting for the weather to cool down a bit)
The interior is like new (but the drivers seat is a bit saggy...it is on the list of jobs...pool noodles apparently!)
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z76/brookhouse/w116%20280sel/PC080172.jpg)
All the chrome is perfect which is nice on a 70's car.
The only other thing I want to do is source an original stereo to make it right.
I think I will club register it as i have an ML and CLK cab for the mundane aspects of life.
All the best,
Adam
PS. More images here.
http://s193.photobucket.com/user/brookhouse/media/w116%20280sel/PC070001.jpg.html
Welcome to the forum Adamp005, looks like you picked up a very clean example.
cheers
Robertd
looks nice. i really like the hubcaps and if my car originally came with them they would be on it.
keep up the posting!!
HI Adam ............welcome.
Great looking example. (wedding car history perhaps?)
check out my drivers seat article a few weeks back in the "Interior" section. Might be helpful.
Not sure about the exhaust leak. As a thought perhaps look a bit lower and see if the Y section is not the culprit. This model develop cracks in this component often.
Happy motoring.
The exhaust noise is most likely the Y piece (alternative spelling: WHY piece).
It connects two 3-1 exhaust ports and is prone to cracking. Length of the head, heat/cold... eventually it will crack.
It can be welded, good for few years, depending on driving maybe longer.
Congrats on a fine example.
Some advice on your planned AC compressor swap. I had the same idea in mind when I did a euro engine transplant on my 6.9. The rotary compressor pulleys would not line up with those on the engine and I had to fall back to rebuilding the York unit that was on the car. The may or may not apply in your case but just a heads up to be aware. I have pics showing both compressors and the differences with the pulley alignment if that would help. I was disappointed as I really wanted the rotary compressor but we could not make it work. Hope this helps! - Tom
Hi and welcome to this wonderful fellowship of generous enthusiasts.
I have struggled for two years to get an annoying, recurring manifold exhaust leak under control on my 79 280sel. As others have mentioned, it will almost undoubtedly be the mongrel Y piece. It is a truly awful piece of design compromise and no matter what you do it will eventually fail again. The Y pieces are NLA and really hard to find as they only apply to RHD M110 models. Repairing them is fiddly and only a temporary fix.
My advice is to bite the bullet and replace it with a twin system. I got a quote in Sydney of $350 to do this and I wish I had taken it rather than waste more money and a lot of angst. Of course you need a really good exhaust guy to do the work as it is fiddly. You will find a number of illustrated examples if you do a web search.
The other possible culprit is the exhaust gas return valve on the front of the forward exhaust manifold. I ended up removing the whole EGR system and getting a plate welded/brazed on to seal it off.
All the best as you enjoy the car. They are really smooth, just learn to accept the high revs!
Thanks for the welcome.
Hoping to get into the engine in the morning and start pulling bits off to find the issues.
Not a bad idea replacing the Y piece with twin pipes.
I think I will order the sanden unit and bracket and give it a go...have seen a few images on the net of it in so hopefully (famous last words and all that)
Need to get some form of registration on it soon....wife finds it hard to comprehend buying a car that just sits in the garage unable to be driven.
Will let you all know.
Adam
OK!
Finally had a chance to get under the bonnet.
But I am going to continue the thread in the mechanical section.....see you there!
Adam
Welcome and nice car! Yes to replacing the Y piece with the later (W126) type twin pipes! The original radios are pretty rubbish but it depends what you're after