Spartan Mercedes 190 (w201)
Discussion
I haven't seen this thread before OP. Excellent barging and very nice content. I had always dismissed these as they looked clunky and utilitarian to my eyes, then was loaned a 2.0 190E in Cyprus that was kept by a relative who seemed fastidious over maintenance. It was (polar?) white with a blue check cloth interior, really quite handsome.
My only experience of a Mercedes then, was my 380SEC and I was so surprised at how spacious and sturdy it felt. Your opening comment (waaaaay back in 2015!) was that it seems sturdier that your 124 - I remember thinking that the door shut was as sturdy as the 126!
Out of curiosity, how does one go about identifying and locating the quieter autobahns?
My only experience of a Mercedes then, was my 380SEC and I was so surprised at how spacious and sturdy it felt. Your opening comment (waaaaay back in 2015!) was that it seems sturdier that your 124 - I remember thinking that the door shut was as sturdy as the 126!
Out of curiosity, how does one go about identifying and locating the quieter autobahns?
There are a few websites which recommend autobahns, but I just looked at the map and identified routes which didn't go close to or between major population centres.
I have started tackling the broken speedo. Tonight I removed it and tomorrow I am sending it here: http://www.jdo1.com/contact_details.html
Pulling the cluster was easy enough, but getting the speedo cable off required some extra-long pliers designed for removing plug leads. I then took it to my bench and worked on it over a soft cloth to protect it from damage.
These things tend to come apart easily enough although there is always a Rubik's cube element to them. In this case, 7 screws separated the tach from the rest:
I had to do a bit of head scratching to figure out how to separate the speedo from the combination instrument. In reality it was just a matter of detaching the rheostat and whatever the connection above it is. They were bit stiff after 30 years.
Then separate the speedo head from its plastic frame, four screws.
Prepared for packing, I will but something soft in the type, put it in a sealed bag, then wrap it in bubble wrap and stiff card.
I am told it will be calibrated, too. That's a good thing as it is about 8% optimistic. Let's see. Getting it back in the dash will be interesting. One further thing, I left the part-complete instrument cluster carefully covered to guard against dust ingress.
I have started tackling the broken speedo. Tonight I removed it and tomorrow I am sending it here: http://www.jdo1.com/contact_details.html
Pulling the cluster was easy enough, but getting the speedo cable off required some extra-long pliers designed for removing plug leads. I then took it to my bench and worked on it over a soft cloth to protect it from damage.
These things tend to come apart easily enough although there is always a Rubik's cube element to them. In this case, 7 screws separated the tach from the rest:
I had to do a bit of head scratching to figure out how to separate the speedo from the combination instrument. In reality it was just a matter of detaching the rheostat and whatever the connection above it is. They were bit stiff after 30 years.
Then separate the speedo head from its plastic frame, four screws.
Prepared for packing, I will but something soft in the type, put it in a sealed bag, then wrap it in bubble wrap and stiff card.
I am told it will be calibrated, too. That's a good thing as it is about 8% optimistic. Let's see. Getting it back in the dash will be interesting. One further thing, I left the part-complete instrument cluster carefully covered to guard against dust ingress.
All fixed. What a brilliant service from JDO Instruments, absolutely first rate. The trip meter works for the first time in our ownership; the speedo works again; and the needle moves beautifully smoothly. It was a bit of a f
ker to get the speedo cable re-attached but brute force did it in the end.
ker to get the speedo cable re-attached but brute force did it in the end.Baister fitted a new speedo cable (£35 for Febi), two new engine mounts (£100 for the pair, Febi again), a new transmission mount (£15, Febi for the final time) and a steering damper (£21, Sachs) for a total labour charge of £186 inc VAT. Oh I also replaced the cracked plastic surround on the driver's air vent (£90 from Merc). The speedo works beautifully and, for the first time in this car's life with us, so too does the trip meter. Whether the other stuff was truly necessary is a matter of opinion.
I have polished it up tonight and cleaned it out and I am looking forward to running it for a couple of days.
I have polished it up tonight and cleaned it out and I am looking forward to running it for a couple of days.
You don't happen to have an impressive beard, do you OP?
I swear I saw this car being driven on the M6 southbound between Cheshire and Staffordshire around 1600 - 1630 yesterday.
If it wasn't you, there's another 190 in the same colour and on a 'G' plate that is your car's doppelganger.
I swear I saw this car being driven on the M6 southbound between Cheshire and Staffordshire around 1600 - 1630 yesterday.
If it wasn't you, there's another 190 in the same colour and on a 'G' plate that is your car's doppelganger.
Rosewood Red said:
You don't happen to have an impressive beard, do you OP?
I swear I saw this car being driven on the M6 southbound between Cheshire and Staffordshire around 1600 - 1630 yesterday.
If it wasn't you, there's another 190 in the same colour and on a 'G' plate that is your car's doppelganger.
Or a face wigI swear I saw this car being driven on the M6 southbound between Cheshire and Staffordshire around 1600 - 1630 yesterday.
If it wasn't you, there's another 190 in the same colour and on a 'G' plate that is your car's doppelganger.
The dear old 190 conked out last week. The AA man who brought it home diagnosed a failed fuel pump. The pump is mechanical, driven off a cam on the side of the distributor. A new one was sourced: amazingly, the cheapest was at the main dealer, £55 for Pierburg. The same thing from the various factors was a lot more.
I thought this would be an easy fix, just two nuts and the fuel pipes. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The nuts were extraordinarily inaccessible. Various brackets also were mounted on one of the two studs, which promptly fell off. Needless to say, I was doing this in the dark, on gravel, wearing a suit and a rather natty cobalt blue linen shirt newly purchased from New and Lingwood. And I couldn't be arsed to don the nitrile gloves I bought the other day. Two hours, two very oily hands and a lot of cussing later and it was fixed. Except it wasn't. When I parked up the car a week ago, I left the keys in the ignition and the ignition on. So I had to jump start it off the 124. Ideal when there is a lot of spilt fuel knocking around. But at last it works.
I wonder whether the ethanol in modern unleaded has done for the rubber diaphragm in the pump?
I thought this would be an easy fix, just two nuts and the fuel pipes. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The nuts were extraordinarily inaccessible. Various brackets also were mounted on one of the two studs, which promptly fell off. Needless to say, I was doing this in the dark, on gravel, wearing a suit and a rather natty cobalt blue linen shirt newly purchased from New and Lingwood. And I couldn't be arsed to don the nitrile gloves I bought the other day. Two hours, two very oily hands and a lot of cussing later and it was fixed. Except it wasn't. When I parked up the car a week ago, I left the keys in the ignition and the ignition on. So I had to jump start it off the 124. Ideal when there is a lot of spilt fuel knocking around. But at last it works.
I wonder whether the ethanol in modern unleaded has done for the rubber diaphragm in the pump?
Edited by r129sl on Friday 13th September 22:25
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