Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
r129sl said:
Basking in front page glory here...
It is an E300 diesel T. I must say, the rot set in when MB adopted the C/E/S/SL-class nomenclature. 300 TD makes a lot more sense to me. Tricky, I suppose, when you have 19 different model lines all powered by 2.0litre diesels.
Aren't they all 2.1 litres?It is an E300 diesel T. I must say, the rot set in when MB adopted the C/E/S/SL-class nomenclature. 300 TD makes a lot more sense to me. Tricky, I suppose, when you have 19 different model lines all powered by 2.0litre diesels.
Wow. What a thread - an epic story.
I too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
I too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
rickk said:
Wow. What a thread - an epic story.
I too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
An e39 you say? I suggest you have a look here: www.bmw525d.co.ukI too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
crosseyedlion said:
rickk said:
Wow. What a thread - an epic story.
I too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
An e39 you say? I suggest you have a look here: www.bmw525d.co.ukI too am a big estate fan - a dying breed, mine were Citroen CX Safari - well loved but not easy to own, Citroen XM - no substitute for a CX, Mercedes W123 230TE, good car but ours was not the best example, Vauxhall Omega which was huge and did the job and an E61 which is not roomy but was a very convincing proposition if you can ignore the half *rsed Navi and the blown turbo.
Now in an pretty non PH Outlander PHEV - it was that or a V70, which is a car I have time for, but looked like time to get out of diesel.
Also like the OP I find it agonising when I make the avoidable mistakes that feel so wasteful and frustrating - if it's any consolation the pros are quite capable of doing the same.
And I too find it hard to allow luggage into the passenger area! Sorry to say that even with the kids gone this demarcation line is still being crossed but only when we take her MX5 away.
One question for OP - how on earth have you managed not to fit a towbar in all this time and miles? Or maybe it's there but discreetly tucked away. Otherwise - well dodged sir.
And well done on keeping this car going through thick and quite a lot of thin - maybe I should look out for an E39 before it's too late - this was on the radar before the PHEV got my vote.
Chapeau!
Just been dipping in and out your thread for the past few days. Great dedication keeping the car going throughout everything.
375k is an amazing mileage. Lovely that your family are enjoying the car and its become part of the family.
I have an Audi A4 1.8T quattro (B5) that I have owned for 14 years alongside other cars. Last year it let me down when on Skye and its sat in the garage for 14 months. Last weekend I got to work on repairing it so I can use again over the winter.
People think I am mad keeping that car for as long but to replace it would cost a fortune, plus I have an attachment to it. The amount I have invested is far less than you have had to so thanks for helping me justify my expenditure!
375k is an amazing mileage. Lovely that your family are enjoying the car and its become part of the family.
I have an Audi A4 1.8T quattro (B5) that I have owned for 14 years alongside other cars. Last year it let me down when on Skye and its sat in the garage for 14 months. Last weekend I got to work on repairing it so I can use again over the winter.
People think I am mad keeping that car for as long but to replace it would cost a fortune, plus I have an attachment to it. The amount I have invested is far less than you have had to so thanks for helping me justify my expenditure!
I've spent my last two (quiet) night shifts reading this thread start to finish. Absolutely amazing, and if you haven't, R129SL, you must have all of these photographs printed and bound.
I'm local, too, and I believe Baisters is somewhere roughly on the opposite side of the Tyne to work. I've definitely seen at least the W124 and the W201.
I haven't owned a W124 for some years, but I feel like the itch will need to be scratched again. Mine was an '87 230E auto. Awesomeness.
Searching Mercedes Benz on PH was brought on by the W205 I currently have on loan.
I'm local, too, and I believe Baisters is somewhere roughly on the opposite side of the Tyne to work. I've definitely seen at least the W124 and the W201.
I haven't owned a W124 for some years, but I feel like the itch will need to be scratched again. Mine was an '87 230E auto. Awesomeness.
Searching Mercedes Benz on PH was brought on by the W205 I currently have on loan.
I don't know whether I have mentioned this, but twice in the last month or so I have looked in the rear view mirror to see a cloud of what at first appears to be smoke but then turns out to be diesel. Investigation showed that the pipe between the fuel filter and the injection pump was popping off at the injection pump, deep under the manifold. Each time I pushed it back on but obviously this was not secure enough. It turns out it wasn't clipped in place correctly.
I bought two new clips, about £4 each, outrageously. Fitting the clips was a bugger of a job. I removed the pipe, the fuel filter and the fuel filter housing to gain access. I part installed the clip on the end of the pipe, then pushed the pipe home using a socket set extension bar threaded through all the cabling and pipework under the manifold. Then I pushed the clip into place and re-assembled everything. 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.
This is ever so dull but I feel obliged to keep the record going.
The errant pipe:
New clip:
Dismantled fuel filter housing (oh so easy):
Here you can see the new clip in place, snuggly gripping the pipe end to the injection pump:
Thank goodness for my small lady hands.
So I set off up to town in the old dog. How I like this car. It is woefully short of the w210 E430 on refinement yet somehow so much nicer to drive. It just feels more of a piece, more at one with its driver. The weather is poor all of a sudden and... the f
king heated rear window doesn't work anymore. One step forwards... Will it be "just a fuse"? Will it fk.
I bought two new clips, about £4 each, outrageously. Fitting the clips was a bugger of a job. I removed the pipe, the fuel filter and the fuel filter housing to gain access. I part installed the clip on the end of the pipe, then pushed the pipe home using a socket set extension bar threaded through all the cabling and pipework under the manifold. Then I pushed the clip into place and re-assembled everything. 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.
This is ever so dull but I feel obliged to keep the record going.
The errant pipe:
New clip:
Dismantled fuel filter housing (oh so easy):
Here you can see the new clip in place, snuggly gripping the pipe end to the injection pump:
Thank goodness for my small lady hands.
So I set off up to town in the old dog. How I like this car. It is woefully short of the w210 E430 on refinement yet somehow so much nicer to drive. It just feels more of a piece, more at one with its driver. The weather is poor all of a sudden and... the f
king heated rear window doesn't work anymore. One step forwards... Will it be "just a fuse"? Will it fk. r129sl said:
This is ever so dull but I feel obliged to keep the record going.
Not at all, always enjoy your updates, big or small. 
Hope the HRW turns out to be a trivial fix, the tailgate has been replaced recently (hasn't it?) so any wiring connectors between where the loom exits the body and the glass itself would be my first port of call...
(edit to add) Along with the relay of course!
Edited by 99t on Wednesday 31st October 08:35
I've obviously done something wrong because it wouldn't start without turning over for a minute this morning. It does this when purging air from the fuel lines. It did it again when I went out at lunchtime. So I must have refitted the line wrong or lost a little seal or something. Gah.
A close daylight examination revealed it was leaking diesel, just a drip at a time, where the hard plastic line from the filter to the pump meets the pump (circled above). As a result, when standing for any period, the fuel pump slowly emptied of diesel. I.e., I hadn't fixed it properly. It was hard to see why. I removed the line and had a good look at it. The 'O' rings appeared fine. I cleaned it up carefully as it was a bit grubby and then re-fixed it.
It has started fine all day today, at one point after five hours. Fingers crossed I have done it properly this time. On the one hand, I am pissed off at my mechanical ineptitude. On the other hand, I am pleased I can diagnose and fix problems, even I am the cause of the problem in the first place and even if it takes a few attempts.
It has started fine all day today, at one point after five hours. Fingers crossed I have done it properly this time. On the one hand, I am pissed off at my mechanical ineptitude. On the other hand, I am pleased I can diagnose and fix problems, even I am the cause of the problem in the first place and even if it takes a few attempts.
It started on the button after standing all night. Great. Just the heated rear window to sort out now. I think I'll put the winter wheels on today.
Lesson? Take time, clean everything carefully, double check and be sure.
Lesson? Take time, clean everything carefully, double check and be sure.
Light17 said:
Your thread is probably going to end up making me starting my own thread about my W201. I've spent far too much money and time on it. I don't have many pictures of me working on it but I might give it a go.
Do: it is quite enjoyable to keep a thread up and a good discipline. But more than that, a lot of us really enjoy Readers' Rides-type threads.Edited by r129sl on Saturday 3rd November 09:09
Hopefully the heated rear window is sorted. I figured against the relay: it is a combination relay and everything else works. Also, the switch lights up, which tends to suggest the relay works. More to the point, the tailgate has been replaced recently, so it seemed likely the problem was there.
I stripped the tailgate trim and, sure enough, the heated window was not earthed. Here you see the 12V connection:
But on the other side, the earth is connected to nothing:
I found the earth strap nearby, bound up with another part of the loom. I wonder what the Man was thinking when he did this.
I cut it free and fed it through. I'm assuming it works but, obvs, I'll have to wait until it is all steamed up. I also liberally applied Dynax S50 to the inside of the tailgate, all along the bottom edge and in the vicinity of any fixings. I'm going to change the wheels over later on. A bit of a bore in the dark and rain but it needs doing.
I stripped the tailgate trim and, sure enough, the heated window was not earthed. Here you see the 12V connection:
But on the other side, the earth is connected to nothing:
I found the earth strap nearby, bound up with another part of the loom. I wonder what the Man was thinking when he did this.
I cut it free and fed it through. I'm assuming it works but, obvs, I'll have to wait until it is all steamed up. I also liberally applied Dynax S50 to the inside of the tailgate, all along the bottom edge and in the vicinity of any fixings. I'm going to change the wheels over later on. A bit of a bore in the dark and rain but it needs doing.
Edited by r129sl on Saturday 3rd November 17:51
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