[hugedodge2000]

I picked up a 1967 250s mercedes benz yesterday from a preacher who's brother owned it but he passed away a couple years back (original owner). It has 105,000 original miles. Payed $1000.00 for it. Runs good and has a decent interior. Not a single rip in the seats could use new carpet. The passenger side bezel and side lenses need replaced on the exterior and it has some hail damage. It is a 4 speed on the column and has the straight 6 in it. The power steering doesn't seem to be working, anyone know reasons why? I looked in the container and saw a little bit of fluid in it but im not sure if thats where it goes or not. Also the break petal is stiff but when i press down hard it slowly goes to the floor and makes this blowing air sound. Anyone know why? other than that that's it. My first post by the way!!

 

[DrJfrmLA]

Welcome to Benzworld. You are the proud owner of a W108 chassis. Mercedes labels its models by chassis. Unfortunately there is no W108 forum on this site as your car is too old to get its own place.

The W108 is, in the eyes of many, the most handsome post-war Mercedes sedan. While the 250S is the least powerful and least luxurious W108 model, it is still every bit a Mercedes. Your car is also the simplest mechanically, which makes repairs relatively simple.

To address your questions directly, your power steering pump is likely leaking. Could be a hose or the pump reservoir. Might be the belt. Seals and gaskets get old and brittle and start leaking after 43 years. Brake pedal going to the floor is most likely a master cylinder, but could be a leaking brake line. If the pedal comes back up, it's the master cylinder.

It appears from your questions that you are not particularly handy with automobile repair or function. I don't say this to insult you; the two problems you describe are very common and are perhaps the easiest to diagnose if you are familiar with cars. If that is the case, I encourage you to find an independent mechanic who works on older German cars regularly. The car you bought isn't particularly complicated, but it does need the TLC of someone familiar with the idiosyncrasies of a Mercedes.

$1000 is a pretty good price. You could part it out and get more than that for it.

If you plan to drive the car regularly (and with only 105k miles, it could be a daily driver for another 100k miles), I suggest you take it to the mechanic I mentioned above, and have ALL the fluids (brake, power steering, oil, transmission, rear end, coolant) flushed and changed. In that process have all the filters changed (air, oil, fuel). Please, please, please don't ever take your Mercedes to a bulk oil change place like Jiffy Lube and have anything done.

Have the tires checked carefully for dry rot, have the brake pads checked for wear, and have all the lines (fuel, brake, vacuum) checked for leaks. The shock absorbers and steering gear should all be checked as well. With the few miles (relatively) on this car, the parts should not be worn out, but may have age problems that argue for their replacement.

Parts are mostly available without extensive searching. Dealerships have most parts readily available although they may not be in stock. Dealers will charge more for parts and labor than after market suppliers like the fine vendors who sponsor this site. I buy all the parts for my R129 from after market vendors. Unfortunately my W220 is more complex and requires OEM parts except for expendibles like brake pads and filters.

Again, welcome to Benzworld and to the world of Mercedes ownership. You can find a lot of help in this forum, and if you google "W108" you'll find several owner's forums just for your car.

Oh, please fill out your profile so we'll know where you're from. Sometimes people will know a good mechanic they can recommend in your area.

 

[thebenzbar]

Welcome as well and congrats too! I agree the W108 is very handsome and desirable. Having owned many W123 models myself, I would still tip my hat off to the W108/W109 sedans and W111/W112 coupes/'verts hands down... they are perfect examples of MB's finest vintage cars. :thumbsup:

Here are a few sites that can help you get familiar as well as educate yourself about the chassis:
Tom's 108/109 page: Tom's Mercedes Benz 108/109 Resource Site
French 108/109 site which I use babelfish to translate: http://pagesperso-orange.fr/w108w109/
The w108.org website
Jaime Kopp's 250S page: JaimeKop.com - Jaime Kopchinski's Website
Last but not least, Ali Al-Abbasi's page: The cars

 

[hugedodge2000]

I am actually very car savey but I have never worked on a benz. The pedal does come up when released and it does feel to have good pressure. The master cylinder was changed out with a brand new one in 05. There have not been any puddles of fluid under it anywhere so I dont think a hose is leaking. It just makes this loud air type sound and goes down very slow when I press it hard the engine run a little rought too when this happens. With the power steering I looked in the canister with the lid and the wing nut. Is that supposed to be full of fluid? It was almost empty...thanks guys!!

 

[Musikmann]

Seems like you got a good deal to me. He didn't drive it much did he?

You said the power steering was not working and later discovered the reservoir was almost empty? If that is the power steering system tank you might have answered your own question.

Good luck with your classic Benz.

 

[GGR]

Welcome and congratulations!

the power steering tank (black, round) sould be full of fluid up to 1 cm from the top approximately. If you need to bleed the system you have to undo the 11 mm bleeder on top of the steering box by two turns and put a hose from there back in the open tank. Start the engine, have the system bleed itself. You can then turn the wheels from max right to max left to chase the last bubles. Once done, screw back the bleeder by hand using the hose before removing it, to avoid air going back into the system. Take the hose out and tighten the bleeder.

Re the brakes, you may have a problem with your brake booster. A perforated membrane ends up with a rough idle as it is connected to the intake manifold. A perforated membrane can come from brake fluid having leaked from the back of the master cylinder into the brake booster. Take the brake booster out, and inspect the back of the master cylinder for evidence of leakage. If there is none this may have happened with the earlier one before it was replaced (and may be the reason why it was replaced). Replace the brake booster by a good used one and try again. You can take it out without disconnecting the brake lines from the master cylinder by bending the lines forward a bit when you pull the master cylinder. This will save you a complete brake bleeding session.

Good luck!

 

[David Robert James]

hi
dave here 73 yr ol benz guy. Congrats on a savvy purchase. I bought, fixed, and sold 108's and 110's along with several other benz cars all through the 60's 70's and 80's
they are great cars. easy fixes if you know repairs, parts getting pricy now. the master cylender in probably ATE licenced by lockeed, with inches parts inside. If so you may find american rebuild kits for master and wheel cylenders and hone and fix then yourself.
LOL Dave

 

[DrJfrmLA]

I am actually very car savey but I have never worked on a benz.

Sorry for making the assumption that you didn't know much about cars. You'll find MB to be more-or-less like any other car. They have some engineering quirks here and there, so what you know about American cars isn't directly translated to the MB, but those differences aren't usually with the major systems. Use what your experience and intuition tell you about what is what and where things are.

The obvious first fix attempt for the steering is to fill the PS reservoir with fluid and see what happens. There may be a mark on the inside of the reservoir up near the top to show what the fluid level should be. While you say there are no leaks, if the fluid level is that low the fluid had to go somewhere, don't you think?

Before you do that, let me suggest you get hold of an owner's manual if one did not come with the car. MB is picky about what fluids it wants you to use, and you should make sure you use what is recommended. I don't know how true that is for W108, but my W220 has a very limited list of non-MB fluids that are considered OEM-equivalent. I suspect the W108 is less picky.

What fun; a W108 in the garage.

 

[hugedodge2000]

well, the power steering works and took a lot of fluid to fill. As for the breaks when i press on them they are stiff but then slowly go to the floor. Has plenty of break fluid but also when I press the break it is wanting to kill the car......vaccum problem?