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The "Goldilocks" restoration thread

Started by ptashek, 28 March 2014, 07:56 AM

gavin116

#285
Hi Lukazs

What a great feeling it must be to drive off into the sunset in what is essentially a new W116.  None of us need to tell you it just gets better with each mile travelled, you know that already.  Good luck to you and Goldilocks, you're sure to be a sensation wherever you go.  Congratulations on your stunning achievement, a real testament to the preservation of the W116.

Enjoy the road ahead!

Gavin
1979 450SE "Mrs White"
2022 Touareg-R 3.0TSi Hybrid
[url="http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/"]http://forum.w116.org/test-drive/my-first-w116-here-at-last/[/url]
[url="http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613"]http://forum.w116.org/the-org/british-near-london-meet/msg97613/#msg97613[/url]

Zaxxon

Quote from: ptashek on 19 June 2016, 02:59 AM
After much testing we think we've narrowed it down to the fuel pump and it's return valve. Both are getting replaced.

That would have been my guess and first shot to do as well - those check valves do give out eventually. Had to replace them on a few cars over the years.

--Zax
---
Mercedes: '99 CL500, '86 500SEC, '96 SL500, '06 R500, '02 ML320, '78 450SEL
Porsche: '80 928S 5-Speed, '86.5 928S RogerBox '86.5 928S 5-Speed, '83 944
Others: '84 Callaway Alfa Romeo GTV6, '83 Tiara, '87 FZ

Beastie

Congratulations! It's a wee smasher!
1979 280SEL

"She's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro."

ptashek

All critical parts of the fuel system have been replaced or checked out, and the exhaust has been fitted. Old downpipes were refurbished, painted with high-temp black matte paint (rated safe to 680*C) and assembled with new hangers and silencers. She's purring like a kitten now.

All wheels have been re-balanced, and final alignment will be done tomorrow.

The warm start gremlin remains to a small extent, but the system is now in perfect shape, including new Bosch fuel pump. Nothing leaks, and all pressures are within spec. I don't think there's anymore that can be done here.

First tank on new injectors - 12.6l/100km on 98RON fuel, mixed cycle. I like that!
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

w116john


I'll assume that 98 RON fuel was on the continent? or can you get it here

john

floyd111

Djeez, that's 1 in 7! :o
That's good? Guess I never drove a 4.5 liter V8, haha!

ptashek

Quote from: w116john on 22 June 2016, 06:07 PM
I'll assume that 98 RON fuel was on the continent? or can you get it here

Yes, that's on the continent. We get all sorts of weird stuff here from E10 with 10% ethanol to 100RON "racing" fuel.
I have Goldie setup to run on 95, but 98 is not much more expensive and has better cleaning additives which makes it great on long trips, and especially now after 2 years of no action.
Technically our V8s were designed to run on 98 unleaded, but can go down as low as 90 if memory serves (translating to 8 deg. BTDC timing advance).
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

s class

12.6l/100km is exceptionally good.  I presume you weren't pushing it too fast then?


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

ptashek

Quote from: floyd111 on 22 June 2016, 09:11 PM
Djeez, that's 1 in 7! :o
That's good? Guess I never drove a 4.5 liter V8, haha!

That's a great result for our V8s, considering the manual has the 450 at 14.5l/100km at 120km/h sustained, going up to 30l/100km at top-speed.
The 280 isn't much better than that - 12.5l/100km. It's a big hunk of metal to haul.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

ptashek

Quote from: s class on 23 June 2016, 03:22 AM
12.6l/100km is exceptionally good.  I presume you weren't pushing it too fast then?

I've had her at top speed a couple times, but that tank was mostly spent on the motorway just below the local limit of 140km/h, and maybe 1/3 of it was on minor roads in start-stop traffic within the 50km/h range.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

ptashek

OK folks, the project has concluded as of this evening, and I'm picking the car up tomorrow morning.
I will be driving it under its own power, how else, 2000km to France, then it's 18h on a ferry to Ireland.

The entire project took 2 years and 13 days from start to finish (13 days longer than contracted), with 2055 man-hours of labour, and over 200 individual OEM part numbers replaced.
In terms of cost... it's hardly a secret this wasn't cheap - and that's all I'm going to say. Percentage wise, it came out as on the chart below. The number may change very slightly as I file the last invoices, but that's the gist of it.

The cherry on top is a 3 year + unlimited mileage warranty, which I hope to never need.



Major thanks to everyone who lent their support, advice, critique and kind words over the last two years.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

rumb

A hearty congratulations on the completion of your car!  It must be glorious to cruise across europe in your "new" car. Happy motoring!
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

s class

Awesome stuff, and thanks for keeping us updated.  There are so many projects out there, its really nice to see one completed. 

And the 13 days overshoot on a two year contract is really not bad at all. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

Peter

Thanks for the pie chart its excellent

ptashek

So here I am, at the Dutch border in Aachen, averaging 14.4l/100km with a decent average of 105km/h. And if anyone ever wondered if our cars are autobahn worthy, yes they are - the old girl can comfortably keep top-speed (GPS confirmed!).

Everything's still attached and running fine :)
Upwards and onwards!
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE