Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
r129sl said:
I bought two clips in the knowledge I would drop or break the first. As it happens, I dropped both and had to take the under tray off to fish them out. At least I didn't break anything else.
I have a magnet on a 1m long flexible coil. It's a very handy tool for the many-thumbed mechanic. Additionally, the mini-grabber with the same set up is very useful for non-metal clips. Both are available from Halfords or similar. Apologies if I'm pointing out the obvious and top marks for persistence. There are no boring posts on here, or perhaps it is all boring and I'm simply a massive nerd. 
^^^ High praise, for which many thanks.
I filled up at the weekend, the first since fixing the leak, and it is giving me 33.1mpg. I suspect it may have been dripping diesel for an awfully long time.
ETA: another fill after a long run to Derby and back gave 468miles out of 60litres, 35.5mpg. And I wasn't hanging around in either direction. On the way there, having left Newcastle at 8pm, I was very keen to catch the Wetherby Whaler before 9.30pm closing time. Made it with ten minutes to spare. An highly recommended alternative to the savagery of Wetherby Services. And on the way back I was keen to get, well, back.
I filled up at the weekend, the first since fixing the leak, and it is giving me 33.1mpg. I suspect it may have been dripping diesel for an awfully long time.
ETA: another fill after a long run to Derby and back gave 468miles out of 60litres, 35.5mpg. And I wasn't hanging around in either direction. On the way there, having left Newcastle at 8pm, I was very keen to catch the Wetherby Whaler before 9.30pm closing time. Made it with ten minutes to spare. An highly recommended alternative to the savagery of Wetherby Services. And on the way back I was keen to get, well, back.
Edited by r129sl on Thursday 15th November 21:04
That would have been me.
The car continues to delight. I especially like the way simple maintenance tasks become absolute unmitigated disasters. The fuel filter to fuel pump line continued to give trouble. I had noticed that, inconsistent with the EPC, the line on my car had push fittings at both ends rather than a banjo fitting at the pump end. So I ordered a new one, £9 or something, available over night, plus new fittings.
Here are old and new, side by side:
Fitting the line is simple in theory, press fit at the top and bolt up at the bottom. But in practice it is very difficult because of access. There is a washer either side of the banjo fitting, the flexible grabber was out a couple of times to retrieve one of them. And just getting the wrench onto the banjo bolt was tricky. But with care and patience, I got there. Here is the wrench in situ:
I then decided to replace the fuel filter and pre-filter. This was a mistake. I should have started and ran the car a while. I only had an after market pre-filter and it wasn't up to snuff. I couldn't re-start the car. When I looked at it, it didn't fit snuggly and so was letting air in, meaning the car is pumping air not fuel. When I removed the new pre-filter, it dropped to pieces. Today's lesson: do not buy a Vaico pre-filter from Euro. And my battery is too flat to bleed the system and start the car. Hey ho. I've put it on charge to start in the morning.
Old filter clearly past its best, but new filter is rubbish:
I'll do the engine oil and filter in the morning, too. Assuming the thing starts.
The car continues to delight. I especially like the way simple maintenance tasks become absolute unmitigated disasters. The fuel filter to fuel pump line continued to give trouble. I had noticed that, inconsistent with the EPC, the line on my car had push fittings at both ends rather than a banjo fitting at the pump end. So I ordered a new one, £9 or something, available over night, plus new fittings.
Here are old and new, side by side:
Fitting the line is simple in theory, press fit at the top and bolt up at the bottom. But in practice it is very difficult because of access. There is a washer either side of the banjo fitting, the flexible grabber was out a couple of times to retrieve one of them. And just getting the wrench onto the banjo bolt was tricky. But with care and patience, I got there. Here is the wrench in situ:
I then decided to replace the fuel filter and pre-filter. This was a mistake. I should have started and ran the car a while. I only had an after market pre-filter and it wasn't up to snuff. I couldn't re-start the car. When I looked at it, it didn't fit snuggly and so was letting air in, meaning the car is pumping air not fuel. When I removed the new pre-filter, it dropped to pieces. Today's lesson: do not buy a Vaico pre-filter from Euro. And my battery is too flat to bleed the system and start the car. Hey ho. I've put it on charge to start in the morning.
Old filter clearly past its best, but new filter is rubbish:
I'll do the engine oil and filter in the morning, too. Assuming the thing starts.
r129sl said:
Spotted this interesting thing while poking around at Baister's with Zonergem. It started life as a 260 E saloon but the observant will note the doors are from a coupé and the rear end is from a T-Model. The number plate seems almost inappropriate.
Interesting. Presumably your last will and testament dictates that such a conveyance should be used for your final journey? 
More trouble...
I am posting this from Swansea having had a truly awful drive here in appalling conditions. The 124 was actually very good, the big wiper and good lights and big windows doing their thing. It was very sure footed in the deep water, too, a benefit of narrow tyres I am sure. It even gave me 35.1mpg over 460miles, despite running at 95mph for the last 150miles or so. The M4 was closed in two places which was rather tedious. 7.5 hours from Newcastle. Ugh.
The trouble? It is making some very loud thunking from the rear end on low speed gear changes. My hope of hopes is that it is only a collapsed rear sub-frame mount. Not the end of the world to replace. My fear of fears is that the rear floor has rotted out where the subframe attaches. It is very stable, however, so I don't think it is that.
Current mileage is 379,330. The rear subframe bushes were last changed at a boot 245,000miles.
I am posting this from Swansea having had a truly awful drive here in appalling conditions. The 124 was actually very good, the big wiper and good lights and big windows doing their thing. It was very sure footed in the deep water, too, a benefit of narrow tyres I am sure. It even gave me 35.1mpg over 460miles, despite running at 95mph for the last 150miles or so. The M4 was closed in two places which was rather tedious. 7.5 hours from Newcastle. Ugh.
The trouble? It is making some very loud thunking from the rear end on low speed gear changes. My hope of hopes is that it is only a collapsed rear sub-frame mount. Not the end of the world to replace. My fear of fears is that the rear floor has rotted out where the subframe attaches. It is very stable, however, so I don't think it is that.
Current mileage is 379,330. The rear subframe bushes were last changed at a boot 245,000miles.
Edited by r129sl on Thursday 6th December 00:12
r129sl said:
More trouble...
I am posting this from Swansea having had a truly awful drive here in appalling conditions. The 124 was actually very good, the big wiper and good lights and big windows doing their thing. It was very sure footed in the deep water, too, a benefit of narrow tyres I am sure. It even gave me 35.1mpg over 460miles, despite running at 95mph for the last 150miles or so. The M4 was closed in two places which was rather tedious. 7.5 hours from Newcastle. Ugh.
The trouble? It is making some very loud thunking from the rear end on low speed gear changes. My hope of hopes is that it is only a collapsed rear sub-frame mount. Not the end of the world to replace. My fear of fears is that the rear floor has rotted out where the subframe attaches. It is very stable, however, so I don't think it is that.
Current mileage is 379,330. The rear subframe bushes were last changed at a boot 245,000miles.
Pretty sure I had similar symptoms when the rear propshaft joint was beginning to fracture. Replacing it and the prop bushing fixed it.I am posting this from Swansea having had a truly awful drive here in appalling conditions. The 124 was actually very good, the big wiper and good lights and big windows doing their thing. It was very sure footed in the deep water, too, a benefit of narrow tyres I am sure. It even gave me 35.1mpg over 460miles, despite running at 95mph for the last 150miles or so. The M4 was closed in two places which was rather tedious. 7.5 hours from Newcastle. Ugh.
The trouble? It is making some very loud thunking from the rear end on low speed gear changes. My hope of hopes is that it is only a collapsed rear sub-frame mount. Not the end of the world to replace. My fear of fears is that the rear floor has rotted out where the subframe attaches. It is very stable, however, so I don't think it is that.
Current mileage is 379,330. The rear subframe bushes were last changed at a boot 245,000miles.
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