Discussion
Some of the B C D and F-in' bumpy roads I've been on today shook the HT leads from the plastic cover and number four melted on the exhaust.
While I wait for the expensive £16.99 leads to arrive in the post...
...I've fixed the burn with duct-tape and used the exhaust wrap left over from my X1/9 to help stop it happening again.
She's back to ticking like a clock again.
While I wait for the expensive £16.99 leads to arrive in the post...
...I've fixed the burn with duct-tape and used the exhaust wrap left over from my X1/9 to help stop it happening again.
She's back to ticking like a clock again.
Before...
...lots of banging, swearing, burning myself with a heat gun, more swearing...
...after.
I gave the subframe a wobble with a crowbar to see the passenger side was looser. I managed to do that one first before it was too late. I waited until half nine for it to cool down enough.
A short drive up the road and back and the ca is completely transformed. No tramping under load and nowhere near as much roll from the rear. I can't wait to swap the other one. Probably in the rain tomorrow.
...lots of banging, swearing, burning myself with a heat gun, more swearing...
...after.
I gave the subframe a wobble with a crowbar to see the passenger side was looser. I managed to do that one first before it was too late. I waited until half nine for it to cool down enough.
A short drive up the road and back and the ca is completely transformed. No tramping under load and nowhere near as much roll from the rear. I can't wait to swap the other one. Probably in the rain tomorrow.
The center of the other bush was separate from the rest and popped out as soon as I lifted the subframe from the floor. The passenger side I used a metal bar on a second jack to push the old bush from underneath while applying head to the outer edge of the subframe cup. This one I had to use a hammer and chisel. slightly more satisfying, took longer to clean the cup out and slide the new bush in but now both are replaced it's like I've hit a factory reset button and the car feels as good as new. 
One of my best friends had a red 190E while he was dating his wife. In September for their 30th anniversary they are renewing their vows and wants to rent my car from me for a couple of weeks so he can respray it and use it for the second honeymoon. 
I think I'm going to give the car to him instead of selling the old girl.
I think I'm going to give the car to him instead of selling the old girl.
The invisible bright red car was nearly written off yesterday morning. About fifty yards from my drive there's a turn off. I reversed out ready to go to work at about ten past six and a battle ship grey Vectra streams out of the junction the driver looking left. Failed to stop, failed to indicate, failed to look both ways but did manage to stop inches from my passenger side front door.
As it was ten past six on a Sunday morning and the speed limit in my village is 30mph I stuck to it. Mr Vectra sat inches off my back bumper for about a mile. Braking for corners I've never needed to, catching me up and sitting on my bumper again. If I were going anywhere other than work I would have stopped to avoid an imaginary cat to see how Soviet Steel compares to crumple zones but alas Mr Vectra was too impertinent and reversed into someone's driveway to turn around and take another route. One of those days I wish I had mounted my camera.
As it was ten past six on a Sunday morning and the speed limit in my village is 30mph I stuck to it. Mr Vectra sat inches off my back bumper for about a mile. Braking for corners I've never needed to, catching me up and sitting on my bumper again. If I were going anywhere other than work I would have stopped to avoid an imaginary cat to see how Soviet Steel compares to crumple zones but alas Mr Vectra was too impertinent and reversed into someone's driveway to turn around and take another route. One of those days I wish I had mounted my camera.
I thought I'd have a go at doing the prop' bearing and crunch drive today.
It took all of twenty minutes to get the exhaust heat shield off, rear crunch drive nuts and bolts out, centre bolts removed from the support bearing and then I hit a wall.
The adjusting nut in the middle of the prop' just before the bearing support.
How the are you supposed to get any tool in there?
I couldn't even get a micrometer in there to see what size it needs to be. So I tried a stelson, not enough room. Pipe grips, either too small and can get in there but can't be adjusted or too big to get in there. Smaller monkey wrench, fitted up and adjusted but I could barely turn it a fraction of a millimeter. Next I tried holding it in place and turning a rear wheel. No use as there was no way of transmitting enough torque through the diff' to the turn the prop' with the wrench in place.
So it's either a 40mm or 42mm nut and I need to cut a hole in the floor to get to it from inside the car!!!
bks to it! Twenty five minutes putting the car back together and no I need to get ready for work.
Twenty minutes taking it apart.
Three hours finding out there is no tool on the planet to do the job!
Twenty five minutes putting it back together.
Ten minutes moaning about it on the internet.
I did manage to get one thing done today...
...I have a load of welding to do in the near future so I thought I'd make my mask a little more presentable.
It took all of twenty minutes to get the exhaust heat shield off, rear crunch drive nuts and bolts out, centre bolts removed from the support bearing and then I hit a wall.
The adjusting nut in the middle of the prop' just before the bearing support.
Haynes Manual said:
Use a large open spanner to loosen the retaining nut.
What size? How the
are you supposed to get any tool in there?I couldn't even get a micrometer in there to see what size it needs to be. So I tried a stelson, not enough room. Pipe grips, either too small and can get in there but can't be adjusted or too big to get in there. Smaller monkey wrench, fitted up and adjusted but I could barely turn it a fraction of a millimeter. Next I tried holding it in place and turning a rear wheel. No use as there was no way of transmitting enough torque through the diff' to the turn the prop' with the wrench in place.
So it's either a 40mm or 42mm nut and I need to cut a hole in the floor to get to it from inside the
car!!!b
ks to it! Twenty five minutes putting the car back together and no I need to get ready for work. Twenty minutes taking it apart.
Three hours finding out there is no
tool on the planet to do the job!Twenty five minutes putting it back together.
Ten minutes moaning about it on the internet.
I did manage to get one thing done today...
...I have a load of welding to do in the near future so I thought I'd make my mask a little more presentable.
The prop' locating nut spanner is a special order tool available from nowhere in town apart from the Mercedes dealer.
Very helpful chaps but £96 +VAT for a tool I'm only ever going to use once would be ridiculous. There's one on eBay so the repair will have to wait another week for my next days off.
In the mean time I'll be driving to Stoke tomorrow so look out for me on the A52.
Very helpful chaps but £96 +VAT for a tool I'm only ever going to use once would be ridiculous. There's one on eBay so the repair will have to wait another week for my next days off.
In the mean time I'll be driving to Stoke tomorrow so look out for me on the A52.
You never get a flat tyre on a sunny day do you?
Time to discover more things about the 190E that makes it one of the best cars out there.
The warning triangle doesn't need to be deployed if you're on a straight as it is clearly visible on the inside of the bootlid. Other cars (BME) pack theirs in little plastic boxes tucked under the spare wheel. You are visible from the moment you stop instead of faffing about for five minutes getting the wheel and tools out before you can place the sign on the road. Those five minutes could be the difference between being seen and squashed.
The little plastic clip on the floor tray that clips onto the bottom of the boot lid. This not only holds the tray up so you can use both hands to access the tools, jack and spare but it also holds the boot open so if it's a little windy you won't get hit in the head or hands while you're in the boot.
I'm sure the "E" stands for Ergonomic.
Time to discover more things about the 190E that makes it one of the best cars out there.
The warning triangle doesn't need to be deployed if you're on a straight as it is clearly visible on the inside of the bootlid. Other cars (BME) pack theirs in little plastic boxes tucked under the spare wheel. You are visible from the moment you stop instead of faffing about for five minutes getting the wheel and tools out before you can place the sign on the road. Those five minutes could be the difference between being seen and squashed.
The little plastic clip on the floor tray that clips onto the bottom of the boot lid. This not only holds the tray up so you can use both hands to access the tools, jack and spare but it also holds the boot open so if it's a little windy you won't get hit in the head or hands while you're in the boot.
I'm sure the "E" stands for Ergonomic.
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