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What did you do to your W123 in 2017?

25K views 210 replies 46 participants last post by  frank smith 
#1 ·
Today I pulled her back onto the ramps and jack stands. Once again the transmission is coming out. *sigh*
 
#2 ·
Man, mines been sitting for a couple of monhs waiting on me to rebuild the brake calliper. I even have the rebuild kit now.

I'd like to chop it up, after watching the MCM / Roadkill episode, maybe an MB ute or even better, build a small Luton box on the back and have a MB box van :D
 
#6 ·
Drained the transmission and torque converter, filled with fresh Febi ATF, replaced the K1 piston and springs with the updated kit, and replaced the flexible hoses between the transmission cooler and hard lines on the chassis. I thought I had a filter and pan gasket on hand, but when I opened them I discovered that they were wrong. Dang it! Had to reuse the existing filter and pan gasket, but both were MB parts so they were still in good shape. Ordered the correct Mann parts anyway to be put on in the future.

Pulled the cruise control amplifier as it was getting loopy and ordered new capacitors from Mouser. I'll replace the old caps and reflow the solder joints on the board when the new caps come in later this week.

Tomorrow I'm replacing the thermostat as the one in the car has been acting up. I've also got the parts to put a fuse in the power lead to the ACC circulation pump so that when it fails the fuse will blow rather than having the pump lock up and take out the pushbutton unit.

I'll order a new rear window seal tomorrow as the old one is drying out and cracking badly. Also ordering a new antenna grommet as the existing one is cracking.

Dan
 
#11 ·
Tomorrow I'm replacing the thermostat as the one in the car has been acting up.
This is one for the books:

A month or so ago, the drain plug in my radiator broke off. This is one of the blue plastic screw plugs with the hook molded into it. The head broke off so I had to drill the body out and use a screw extractor to get the remains out. I didn't get the top part with the hook out with it, but I figured it wasn't a big deal.

I don't drive the car regularly, so I didn't really notice until a week or two ago that it wouldn't get up to temperature very fast like it used to, or it wouldn't get up to temperature at all. All indications of a bad (stuck open) thermostat.

Figuring that the thermostat decided to crap out just after I had replaced the hardened seal on it a few weeks ago, I ordered a new one.

Went out today, drained the radiator and popped open the thermostat housing. Imagine my surprise when I saw the "J" shaped hook and the remains of the old drain plug stuck in the thermostat, keeping the disc from closing completely.

Grrr.

After prying the thermostat open and pulling the remains of the old drain plug out of it, I buttoned everything up and took it for a test drive. Right up to 82C and stuck there like the pointer was nailed in place.

:banghead:

Dan
 
#7 ·
Did parallel circuit fast glow plugs and put in H4 headlights in Cebe 7 inch housings and love both.
 
#8 ·
Have a new driveshaft center support ready to go in, need to balance the driveshaft, uprated Sachs clutch, considering a 2.88 diff.
 
#10 ·
service

Removed front bumper and prepped for a spray of bedliner, painted brackets, and replaced bumper. Have all the filters to do a complete service and have tracked down a leak to the primer pump so waiting for parts. Looking forward to spring. I just picked up the 300cd last month and am looking forward to the break neck pace of a non turbo 5cyl as compared to my 240d.
Great site. Thanks for you input.
 
#12 ·
And today I had to take her off again to have something to drive while the W202 is taken apart for her rear speaker installation.

I don't like driving a car without a working speedo, but it's only relatively short trips this week (hopefully only one short trip).
 
#13 ·
Called a local glass shop today and spoke with a guy who has "pulled the rope" installing windshields. He's coming out tomorrow to give the 240D a look. It is Safelite, but this guy has done lots of old cars. And I already have the gasket.
 
#15 ·
You make it sound like a dying art. Here in South Africa this is a common practice, probably because people tend to keep their older cars for longer as new cars become far too expensive to buy.

Anyways, today I'll be finalising the paperwork to scrap Donkey. Paying three licences for two running cars is illogical.
 
#14 ·
After failing emissions test in AZ, I ordered Bosio nozzles, and replaced them today. I didn't have the right socket, so I went to Sears to get the Craftsman one - its deep enough to remove the injectors, then i went to a local diesel shop to loosen up the injectors - they were too stuck for me to take apart. I was able to undo 2 out of 5!
I also replaced a radiator with a Nissen one, with the overflow tank and all the hoses. It turned out really well, and after a bit of cranking ( about 30 sec) the engine started, and the car run beautifully. I went to a gas station, pumped up the tires, and gave it a wash.
Feels good!

Also these Bosio nozzles work very well, they are made for the Bosch injectors. I knew that Italians are the true masters of diesel power!
 
#16 ·
Spent the last 3 nights removing the EGR and Cat from Bella the w123 wagon. Used a sawzall and pipe wrench to finish off the cat and the last bolt on the back side of the exhaust manifold. All told, a PITA for sure... Got the EGR hole plugged and the pipe fitted. Finish up tomorrow!
 
#17 ·
kylemason;15412889Finish up tomorrow![/QUOTE said:
So I finished up today! Finished the egr delete, cat trap delete, replaced the brake booster vacuum line, deleted the egr vacuum line, test drive for 2 hours round town, adjusted the headlights, and bought a new couch. This is after helping butcher a hog this morning in 45 degree weather and making sausage. Time for my beer....
 
#18 · (Edited)
I bought my 85 coupe in Feb of 2016.

First thing I did was to replace the steering damper. The wheel would twitch at speed when crossing defects in the pavement. Easy and cheap.

Then I added 3m Tint. Darkest legal on all the rear windows and the same (illegal) on the doors. The goal is to save the interior. Plus, keep it cooler and it looks good.

Changed out all four shocks with Bilsteins. The rears were easy. The fronts were a total PITA simply because I could not get a socket on the bolts. Kind of a lousy design if you ask me.

Tossed the Bundts and put the w210 wheels on and new, larger tires. 15 inch BF Goodrich radial TA's. Tire Rack. HUGE improvement across the spectrum. Looks great. Not as nice as AMG,s but that cash wasn't in the budget.

Diesel purge and filters. That was fun. First diesel for me so the whole process was interesting. Smoothed out the idle. Engine runs fantastic.

Pulled the seats and console. Installed Alpine head unit and amp plus 4 speakers. Managed to break the tab on the front left (blue) speaker grill. Need a set.

Shifter bushings were noisy as hell at cruise. But, the car had been sitting for a long time prior to purchase. Putting a thousand miles on it quieted them right up. Same bushings still in place. Quiet. Sweet.

Replaced the sunroof motor. This job was a PITA. Of course the roof itself had to come out along with all the bits. The cable proved problematic. The little clips that hold the cable tubes are a poor design. The aft one is easy enough, but the forward one is very very difficult to manipulate. I ended up breaking it. They are no longer avail. I ended up taking a hacksaw to the motor bracket, cutting a slot and using that slot and a small hose clamp to capture and hold the tube. All of this was agonizing and the car was in the garage for two weeks as I awaited parts, received wrong parts and then improvised. Lots of cussing during entire job. But, I can't live without a SR in a coupe. So....worthwhile.

Spent time detailing the engine bay. Nice cigar, tunes and some bourbon. Lots of steel wool on the fuel lines. Looks nice.

Compounded and then buffed the trunk with 3M Finessit. Some clod had scratched the paint by placing stuff on it, and then "sliding" it off as opposed to lifting. This car has phenomenal paint. How can people be so stupid?

Replaced the auto temp controller on the dash.

Took the sheepskins and just tossed them into the clothes washer. Water doesn't seem to hurt sheep, so what the hell. Used fabric softener. Hung them in the sun to dry on a windy day. Now soft as buttuh.

Replaced the AC evap drain tube with the top two inches of a plastic water bottle. Its inverted and acts as a funnel to carry the evap fluid to the hole in the trans hump.

Replaced the stock headlights with Euros. Not Bosch, but only 200 bucks for the entire assembly and clear corners. Glass lenses on the headlamps. Totally transformed the look of the car. Worth every penny. Used "silver" yellow corner bulbs. Unfortunately, I have them wired wrong. I need to get this figured out. The fogs and corners are fine.

Replaced the busted Air Cleaner mount.

Pulled off and blocked the EGR and ARV.

3 oil changes.

For 2017...

None of the windows work. They all worked when l bought the car. I need to replace the main relay behind the dash cluster.

Rebuild and grease all of the window regulators.

Install -

Amp and sub.
Curb Feelers.
Giant shoebox sized hood scoop.
Huge erector set style wing on the trunk lid.
Neon lights under the car.
Giant 6 inch, four-foot diameter exhaust stack coming right up through the hood.
Ginourmous LED display across the front of the car.
Trippin' curb feelers.
Spinners on 22's
TV antenna on trunk.
Velour curtains.
Dangle a CD from the rearview mirror.
Pom-pom ribbons across the top of the top of front and rear windshields.
TV screens in the back of the headrests, even though only Mini-Me fits back there.
Ah-OOga Horn, or the "I wish I was in Dixie" tune....
Spinner knob on steering wheel.


Remove the headliner and replace the forward sunroof drain tubes. They leak. The water wets the carpeting on the side wall immediately forward of the door jamb, and then the floor. My car is rustless and I refuse to allow it to get wet until this is rectified.

Find a decent wood shifter for less than a ton of money.

Refinish a Nardi steering wheel and install.

R&R Coolant, Brake Fluid and Trans fluid.

Pull and clean fuel tank quantify sending unit. My gauge is dead.
 

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#20 ·
I do not know about the offset. They did not require spacers. Check with Tire Rack and I'll bet they can give you the ET value. I simply looked on their site to see what wheel they offered for my car.

Sorry. The whole offset thing is a bit much for my tiny processor.
 
#21 ·
Last night changed rear end fluid. It was not too bad. Used a 28" long 1/2" drive to remove the filler and drain plugs.

Then installed my new potentiometer for the dash lights... Did not fix my lights out issue. The old one was shorting so I was hopeful that this was the fix. Now I pull the cluster for the 8th time and check the traces on the circuit boards. I love not having dash lights!

The new front door seals are on the way along with assorted vacuum line parts and miscellaneous bits of grommets.

Kyle
 
#22 ·
Pulled the cluster for the 9th time, and soldered a jumper wire to bypass the burnt space on the circuit board. Dash lights and rheostat working now! Whoot!!!

Replaced all 5 glow plugs with new Bosch plugs. #3 was not working.

Pulled all 4 wheels and checked brake pads. Needs brakes all round and rotors turned.

Also figured out what the clunking in the rear is when cornering. Axle joint on the brake side of the shaft. Bummer. Will do both axles in 2 weeks.

Slowly getting her up to snuff for a daily driver. Much closer now. Good thing since we sell back the VW Saturday morning.

Happy Thursday!
 
#23 ·
Pulled the cruise control box after work today, now to find out who rebuilds them and get it done. Since it's -6*C I decided to see how the car started after sitting untouched for almost three months in the cold and not plugged in, I followed the owners manual recommendation and the car fired right up, I let it run for ten minutes before putting it back to bed.
Not too much but I now know the car runs in the cold if I ever need it.
 
#27 ·
Mudflaps in LA. Because aesthetic.

Installed rear mudflaps from a junked Isuzu Rodeo at my local PaP. I didn't want to drill into the fender, so I made my own mudflap brackets.

Home Depot provided the thin aluminum bar, nuts (1/4"-20) and bolts (1/4"-20 x 3/4").

I measured the length and width, sawed the bar to size and bent it using a giant crescent wrench and vise grip. Then I marked the bolt holes on the chassis with the bent bar (not perfect but it worked), and proceeded to drill using a 1/4" bit for the chassis and mudflap.

After multiple fittings and alterations, I thought it came out decent. However it scrapes when I go through a dip, turn sharply or there's weight in the back. But no matter, I can adjust it anytime.

It's looking more like a bush taxi than a doctor's car :grin
 

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#29 ·
Sunday, replaced all 4 belts. Monday, performed rear brake job. Had 1 piston that would not collapse back in all the way. Had to clamp the others and pump and press 2 times to get it pas the sticking point. Since this is the original caliper, and 31 years young, I didn't fuss too much. Last night I replaced my last broken door striker. Nice to have all the doors close properly.

Sunset was nice last night also.

Kyle
 

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#30 ·
Since we are having some warm weather this week, I got the car out of it winter time nap and swapped out the 225/45R16's on it for the 225/50R16's that I picked up a few months ago. Ride is way better now and the bumps are not nearly as harsh. As the Toyo Proxes R1R that were on it, are basically a street legal racing tire that you shouldn't run below 38ºF. Plus they should not be stored below 15ºF on the car, as they will crack just from the weight of the car! They were already on the BBS rims when I got them, and I knew after riding on them for a few weeks, that I needed to swap them out. Plus the new tires match the size of the original tires in height.
 
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