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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*
 
#73 ·
It's been really raining here in sunny South Africa.

I discovered that, as a result, there is a puddle of water in the boot, on the plastic trim on the LHS. So I used a squeeze bottle to remove most of the water, before pulling the trim to see what goes on underneath.

Lo and behold, the drain is blocked. I unblocked it carefully with a cake tester, and it drained quite easily. I just had to clean and dry up the water in the stiffening channels, then reinstall the trim.

I will not let this one rust.
 
#75 ·
Replaced the forward subframe mounts. Ended up using a Cummins ISL piston skirt as a bushing driver. Easy 1 hour job, the dreaded Melye mounts went real easy with Sil-glyde and everything lined up without hassle.
Got rid of the slight tail wag I had while braking.
 

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#76 ·
Found an economy gauge from an 84 280CE with no burnt traces. Reset the needle to measure boost 5-14psi and painted them with Model Master Florescent Red.
Got the spare engine on a pallet, all the holes plugged, cylinders fogged and the block filled with coolant to prevent rust. I will make a valve port cover later.
 

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#78 ·
Pulled the overflow pressure valve and checked the spring length. 2 cm. MB says you can stretch it to 27 mm, so I did.

Idle is a little smoother, for sure. Didn't road test it, but I will in the morning when I make my grocery run at 5:30 am.

After being shamed over the condition of my windshield washer reservoir compared to the rest of the engine compartment, (make note of picture below taken prior to cleaning said washer reservoir) I removed and scrubbed it thoroughly. Replaced the grommet on the washer pump, as the old one had pretty much turn to stone.

Dan
 

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#79 ·
Quarterly update:

In January, I changed the right front turn signal bulb. In March, I got the oil cooler lines changed. (At last!) I did have to engage the services of a professional, but the job was competently done, at a very decent price. In between things, we went out and navigated the wet, wild roadways.
Next on the list: Give her a good spring cleaning, and find out why the brakes squeak so much.
 
#81 ·
Finally got the front and rear suspension components all in, the car goes in to the shop Tuesday for alignment and five new tires. I was surprised at how good of shape most of the original parts are in, they have wear but are not overly loose except the lower ball joints which were shot.
Now all I would like to find is an overdrive automatic to help with highway mileage.
 
#82 ·
I discovered a knocking noise when my car is braking. The entire front suspension was redone after I bought car 3 years ago, so I suspect that it must be the brakes.

Oh, well. I might as well take the opportunity to install the W126's ABS steering knuckles and the 1st Gen W126 brakes.
 
#83 ·
Now I hope you'll be taking pictures of that - nice goodies - getting harder to find these days...

...I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the knocking is coming from those big inboard brake stay ball joints (name escapes me again!) - they seemed to be particularly badly made a few years ago...
 
#88 ·
Did some general cleaning/quick detailing at home after driving the car to work and getting it some exercise. While stuck in rush hour traffic on the way home the AC kept me cool, and the car just took it in stride. No issues. Easily passed distracted drivers on the phone (I hate staying with the "pack" - I can better focus on less drivers than all of them at the same time).

 
#89 · (Edited)
Some time ago I ordered 12mm hubcentric wheel spacers to fit W202 8-hole mags to my W123. Well, they arrived this week.

And they don't fit...

Well, they almost fit on the rear wheels, but there is no way they would fit on the front.

They fit nice and snug inside the mags.


They just interfere by about 1-2mm on the back axle. Nothing a quick turn on a lathe can't remedy.



But at the front? Well...



I believe the guys I bought this from will agree that it was an honest mistake. I specifically ordered two front wheel spacers and two rear wheel spacers. But these four look all alike.

If they don't want to help me, however, I guess I'll ask a friend with a lathe to machine them down.

And then, the car and the mags could use a cleanup.
 
#93 ·
Well I hope you get it sorted - I've never bought spacers before so I can't tell but I'd expect a really decent fit is important. I'm surprised the bolt holes don't line up - Mercedes has used the same pattern since the dawn of time - how hard can it be to get that right?
 
#90 ·
Got enough accomplished today, started out pulling the console top and disassembling the window & hazard switches, after cleaning and reassembling them (Spilling coffee on them doesn't do them any good.) they work really nice now. Next it was valve lash and oil change time, I also checked the A/C charge it's been holding at 27 psi for the last month so I think I got the leak issue fixed. I also filled the gap in the fuse panel cover gasket with silicone and let it cure all day hopefully that gets rid of the driver side leak.
All that's left is the cruise control I soldered new capacitors in to the controller but still no go, once I get back from my Pennsylvania trip at the end of the month I'll pull the actuator and see if that's the problem.
 
#92 ·
Bummer - may be you'll learn something from the experience. I've learnt a fair bit about the KE system but that wasn't fitted to W123s so it is of little use
 
#96 ·
I started giving both my cars a much-deserved wash. I got the exteriors done, but the W202 has such tough-to-remove dirt that I'd probably have to spend a day on each panel to get them clean. (At least it does come off, it will just take forever.)

I didn't get to the interiors or glass of either car, but I did install Donkey's old mud flaps on Smokey - the reason why I needed her to be clean.

By then it was too dark to take decent photos.

I'm going to have a local indy former MB mechanic look and listen at my engine with me, to get his opinion on what could be wrong. I have, however, already decided the get a quote from Bosch DiesElec for a compression test on the engine and a bench test for the IP. Something is wrong with my car and I want it fixed. Testing everything will hopefully give some clues, even if only to what isn't wrong.

My W202's battery died last week, after 10 years. Actually, that was Donkey's last battery before becoming the W202's battery, while the W202's battery is still serving in Smokey right now. But I fear that the end is nigh for this battery as well.
 
#97 ·
I bought my first Mercedes home from Charlotte last September. In October, the water pump began leaking...a lot. Over the winter I decided to replace the pump, thinking it would be a quick job. Well, I just finished it all last weekend. But, the changing of the pump also had allowed me (sometimes forced me) to perform some other well timed maintenance:
• Water pump - cooling hoses; thermostat; water pump housing (broke off a bolt trying to remove the pump); added a high temp (207F) M18 coolant switch in the head for the aux fan; replaced all six bolts on the damper (broke off two trying to remove it).
• ATF - fluid, filter & gasket change.
• A/C - evacuated; replaced all o-rings (except on evap core) on dealer installed system; recharge with pure R134a w/2oz of PAG oil; re-wire the "control" system (relays now de-clutch compressor when cranking, added a high pressure fan switch and a higher pressure compressor cut-off switch).

Additional stuff I thought was prudent on a new-to-me car:
• Fuel leak at pump - replaced 3-way fuel line & fuel filter.
• Rear diff fluid - took a month of penetrant, heat, a breaker bar and a sledge to removed and replaced the filler plug and torqued to spec.
• Instrument cluster - Replaced chewed up speedo needle with one I found at a junk yard; replaced instrument lights with high-output, wide beam-angle LEDs; jumpered broken potentiometer/dimmer.


I took it to work yesterday for the first time since last fall. Everything was great!
 
#101 ·
Hey Guys,

I just cleaned her up and will be repairing the water pump housing soon. Ive added some pics of before and after under the hood. Interior looking better than before and i'll be painting my wheels like the ones below too.
 

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#103 ·
This year I traced a faulty vacuum issue down to the main line from the pump which was slightly pinched. Never thought it would have fixed it but it did. Also just lots of routine maintenance, oil and filter, fuel filters, etc. also replaced all rotors and pads, repacked wheel bearings.

I need to adjust valves and release tension on the Bowden cable to relieve the hard shift.
 
#106 ·
Dan,

I will look him up tonight. There was a noob on this site who was refurbishing his W123 and recommended the guy on eBay for these really thick cables and I took the plunge. Turned out to be really well made. I don't regret having done it in spite of all the veterans here who insisted it is a waste of money.
 
#108 ·
That just tells me they have never experienced the difference of a larger gauge battery cable. Like just tapping the key and the starter spins at unimaginable speeds...

In a former career I worked with large industrial welders and generators. As a part of the work we would often have scraps of 0000 and 00 gauge welding cable. This is very high ampacity, rubber jacketed cable. We would take the scraps, which would easily be pieces 10' or longer, and cut them down to make battery cables for our cars. The difference was nothing short of amazing.

Thanks for the information!

Dan
 
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