[ChumpooX]

qq, my driver door lock has a leak.
i found the leak in this black thing.
the one you see here is a spare.

can i change this without taking the whole door lock mechanism out?

I can tell it goes here:

Im wondering if I can:
1. undo the bolt at the bottom.
2. lift it out of the clips.
3. unscrew the plastic at the top from the gold metal lock rod.
4. attach the new one in reverse order.
5. move on with my life.

Is that how this can be done?
Ive seen A LOT of people talk about fixing this but NO detailed instructions on how to do it.

Thanks,
M

 

[TimeCapsule]

Known problem with a know fix by a forum administrator MAVA

Door Lock Actuator - installation question/video

Hi ! I'm replacing my driver side door lock actuator and i'm having 2 problems: -I have trouble taking the old one off. -The new one doesn't seem to have the same rang of motion Here's a video: Thank you!

www.benzworld.org

 

[ChumpooX]

None of the stuff ACTUALLY describes how to get the thing out.
There is just a bunch of "youll encounter this issue... and tada its out." or "its easy to remove... and tada its out." or "1500 word essay and tangents... and tada its out (sorry no pictures)".

 

[400 SE or S420 ?]

This might help

W140 Mercedes-Benz Door Lock Actuator Replacement/Repair

 

[ChumpooX]

Thanks. This video is another "tada" tutorial. He goes from opening the door, to magically taking out the actuator without showing how, and magically putting it back in and it working. Doesn't help much.

 

[MAVA]

Mr X,

You know we try our best to do the "right" write-up, but we all fail in one way or another, and I know I have got it wrong, but sometimes it requires a little tenacity to figure out. That is how it is here as we ALL volunteer here. That applies to me too.

I could say the same about your first post here on removing the center console on a 96-99, and we magically lift up from your step 11, but the crucial step of lifting the metal(or plastic) ring around the shifter one has to use plastic door panel spoons (the two on the left to be exact on link) to remove the ring, and ring has to be pried up from all for corners to avoid breaking the pockets in the shifter. Once the shifter ring is out, A release lever exist on the 96-99 cars to unlock the back of the center console that one tugs(pries) forward with a small technician screw driver to release the locking latches at the back of the wood center console, or the latches will break, and the wood console at rear will NEVER look flush with vinyl center console body at the back..

We all try our best, and sometimes we miss-it. Other times we just need to use our imagination and grit to figure it out. The link TimeCapsule posted gets you very close, but not I'm holding your hand through the entire process.

Be sensible of the process and the surroundings when working on these German motor cars compared to other makes of vehicles.

Martin

 

[daidnik]

I've replaced the door lock vacuum actuator on the driver's door of my '99 sedan.

It isn't a real easy job to pilot the actuator back up thru the plastic anti-theft shroud. The shroud is like a cone with a hole in the top and the metal 'lock-rod' has to get up thru the hole in the top.

There isn't much hand/arm room in there.

You can't place much stress on the lock-rod as it is pot-metal and breaks pretty easily. I know this from direct experience.

After breaking one lock-rod, the method I used to pilot the actuator assy up thru the shroud was to bend a piece of stainless lock wire ~Ø1mm to make an eyelet that fit the 90° bend at the free end of the lock rod. Call it a 'guide wire'. Fished the guide-wire down from the lock hole in the inner door skin. Attached the eyelet to the lock-rod, then pulled guide wire from above while feeding actuator assy from below.

Once you get that free end of the lock rod thru the hole on the anti-theft shroud, engaging the hook of the actuator and the the fixing screw in the inner door skin is straightforward.

Both the vacuum actuator lock-rod and the rod from the door lock handle engage in a bellcrank unit of the door lock.

Door trim panel R&R is fraught with detachment of nylon holders for plastic rivet/snaps. These are hot glued to fiber door panel and tend to come off, so you have to be prepared to deal with that.

Attachment/engagement of the upper edge of the panel in the rubber channel piece on the door skin is fraught with more issues. The metal pieces are supposed to 'bite' into the fiber door panel. Once the panel has bee removed, the teeth of these clips always leave scars in that fiber panel.

In removing the panel at the top, it's best to first use upholstery trim tool to widen that slot in the rubber channel nicely all along the top to minimize the scarring of the panel in the sliding upwards removal.

Before re-installing, I've found that gluing pieces of rectangular weave fabric to that edge of the door panel at each of the clip 'bite' areas along that top edge will give the clips something to bite into well.

Before reinstall, close the gap in the rubber channel piece to get a bit of squeeze on the panel. Caliper measure thickness of panel edge at top and take average of meas along the top. Subtract some for squeeze/bite. Select drill bit at target gap and use as a pin gauge for adjustment of rubber channel at the top.

Technique of rapping that top panel edge into the rubber channel is another minor art as you've got one shot at it getting it right. If it doesn't work well, you have to remove the top edge and re-do the whole pin gauge adjustment on that rubber channel.

This is the only reliable way to get a good straight line along the top of the door panel.

I've gone thru the whole install once only to find that I forgot to re-attach the door latch cable. Painful learning.

The W140 door panels are the toughest R&R on MB door panels that I've done.

Suggested tools:

Upholstery trim tool kit; about 14pcs of plastic tools; get on Ebay cheap

3M 08090 Super Trim Adhesive; This is the stuff for hood pads and is absolutely the best. For small applications, spray onto a surface then use a brush. Re-bond vinyl; anti-squeak edging on the panels, etc. Also used to bond those fabric pieces for the top edge clips to bite into. I always keep a can of this around.

Skinny artists paint/pallet knife; This works great for the levers at the seat memory switch panel

Epoxy; I use 3M 2216, which is an unusual epoxy in that it never gets brittle. I've re-bonded those nylon holders for the plastic rivet clips doing bond line to the existing hot glue.

Note that re-install of the seat memory switch panel is not simply the reverse of removal. Locking levers are first pivoted into locking position. The locking lever side is engaged first in the panel slots, then the clip at the curved front is snapped in. Sometimes the nylon piece that clip engages with will pop off; another hot glue joint. Check the integrity of that while the panel is off the car.

This should provide you with enough info to become an expert in the W140 door panel R&R should you so desire.

 

[ChumpooX]

How does a rehash of the console post help with the door actuator?

Did you let the OP of the other thread know my oversight?

 

[ChumpooX]

Daidnik, how did you get the door lock actuator out?
I'm not ready to put it back in... because I don't know how to get it out. I've taken the door panel off.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Grumpa]

I removed the vacuum line from it. Removed the screw fastening it. Went to top where the lock button is and removed the metal bracket with the cable to access the linkage and popped the linkage off the door lock mechanism. Unscrewed plastic from top of lock rod. Then dropped to to bottom of door. Took measurements of lock rod depth and noted orientation. Transferred to new actuator. To reinstall, I fished some wire down the top where door lock pops up and taped to top of lock rod. Gently pulled up to get everything in position and hooked all back up. Note: Be careful when unhooking the plastic keeper on lockrod to lock mechanism. They get brittle with age. If you have small hands, it really helps. I however do not. You may get some scratches. To remove lockrod from actuator, push down the funky disk shaped thing on top while holding lock rod. The rod does not unscrew, it just gets pulled out. eta: I forgot to mention, there's a bolt at bottom of door that fastens the guide track I believe, that I removed so I could push it out of the way to give my hand more room inside to work.

 

[daidnik]

Removal of the vacuum actuator (from memory):

1. Remove fixing screw at inner door skin that fixes the vacuum actuator.
2. Disengage door lock button/rod assy from lock bellcrank and remove the door lock button/rod assy from the top
3. Remove vacuum actuator by lifting the actuator from below (hand inside door). Disengage metal lock rod from bellcrank at door lock (right angle part is engaged in the bellcrank). As you lift the actuator, you will unhook the hook from the hole in the inner door skin right next to/above the screw you took out. That plastic tooth hangs the actuator; the fixing screw fastens it rigidly.

Oh, one other thing for the driver's door is that there is an electrical connector also on that vacuum actuator.

 

[daidnik]

Reading Grumpa's post makes me think maybe I fastened the lock handle rod to the actuator rod somehow, then guided that up thru the anti-theft shroud with the guide wire as cited above.

Grumpa seems to cite this procedure.

I decided to consult WIS on this and this item is hard to find. You have to trace from group no (80) in EPC to know where to look.

Well, WIS doc is attached. Sadly, it's pretty useless.

This is one of those procedures that isn't rocket science or anything, but you're working mostly blind, seeing only bits & pieces of the system. I did my replacement in the evening. This might be one that is better at that time so you can see down in that door with a good LED headlamp. In the day, the reflected light on the outside stuff you don't care about is too strong.

If you do unthread the door lock handle from the rod, make measurement of the amount of thread protruding from the bottom of the handle. This will set the vertical position of the lock handle from the top of the door panel. You don't want to find out it is poorly placed AFTER the door panel is in.

Hope this helps.

 

[ChumpooX]

Solved it.

First thing you need to do is to unclip the rod at the top of the door near the lock nub.
This is what you want to unclip.

You just have to turn the gold rod and it pops out of the clip.

Removing the screw at the bottom and unclipping the air supply line was straightforward.
Once you lift it up off the clips it just falls down.

It turned out not to be a big deal once you get over the fear factor of that clip.
Putting it back, daidnik's description/recommendation on how to get it back up works well.

Also, if you remove the door panel yourself and pull back the sound/water proofing; its less than an hours work at a Mercedes mechanic and they can just do it for you. Not a big deal for most.
And now... time to get back to my life.

 

[daidnik]

At less than 1hr labor, I'd be suspicious about that R&R of the door panel.

Did you have any of the nylon holders for the round plastic retaining clips pop off?

Sometimes you may find that some of the bonded vinyl outer covering is pulling away on the backside and needs a bit of re-bonding.

Usually the anti-squeak/creak trim strip around the perimeter is coming off at one to several places and needs re-bonding.

These little details start to add up quickly and it's hard for a shop mechanic to be burdened by any 'side projects'.

 

[daidnik]

Thanks for the pic of the lock assy showing that point of attachment.

Does the rod to the door lock handle at the top of the door come out at the top?

I seem to recall that the lock rod from the vacuum actuator and that lock rod to the lock handle come together at the junction you cite.

Can you tell some more about that junction?

 

[ChumpooX]

Hello Daidnik;

Yes, the one hour or less is if YOU take the door panel off yourself.
I did have some of the clips break and glued them back on with gorrila glue.
You are right also about the vinyl bonding I used the same glue and a small paint brush.
Basically its good to remove the door panel yourself because you can recondition it.
I also changed the silver door handle as mine was scratched and marred.

The rod to the door lock pull does not need to come off.
They DO come together at the junction and you have to push out the rod for the top part from the white plastic piece in the image above (different from clip for the lower rod you need to release) if you want to take it off but you dont need to for this specific change.