[Arhippa]

Hello All.

I bought another S320(1999) last weekend,and am very satisfied so far The seller bought it from an auction and only kept it for two weeks,so I assume he got it with even less money.

It has an awesome MOT history(passed every year at first attempt 2003-2016,but since then it has clearly fallen to the hands of poor owners. 370Km/247 miles on the clock.

I paid only 1400e,which may not impress american people,but here in Finland it´s a bargain..even if there are faults in the car. It´s got a lot of valuable parts in it,but if nothing serious shows up,I´m gonna try and make it a reliable and useful,beautiful car.

The car´s been painted with a matt grey colour,”the cheapest available”as the seller suspected
Actually,this is the best part of the whole project!Now that I don´t have anything to lose,I can choose some awesome colour and practise my spraygun (non-existing)skills .

If I am to go for an original Mercedes colour,then it might be Titanite Red(576?).

Here´s a quick look at the good and bad things I´ve discovered so far:

+ Engine and the whole drivetrain seem to be in order;very nice shifting and the engine is smooth.

+ Motor- and transmission mounts seem to be ok

+ No warning lights

+ No Airmatic problems,stays up.Arnotts in three corners and one new,unknown brand(chinese
timebomb?)

+ OBD test passed.Overall,iCarsoft didn´t show anything alarming.I think I finally need the SDS.

+ Incredibly good interior,although black is not my thing at all.

+ 2 good set of rims.The car had tyres 205/55/16!!! I have the original w220 rims+good tyres,so put them on.

+ Good windshield and wipers.

+ Sunroof works.

+ No dents (who knows what´s under the awful paint,loads of body filler?)

____

- Pixel problem in the odometer info section.

- Rust at the doors,but nothing too bad,really(?).Underbody seem to be fine.

- Only one keyfob,no metal key.

- Blower is not working at all,windows get foggy.I need a new one,because this is a FORD blower!
I discovered a burnt fuse and half melted fuse housing,which still works,but obviously I´m going to get the power elsewhere(you know where).Must test the regulator and buy a blower(or both).


- Driver side door module won´t work.Some previous owner have messed with wiring harness which goes to the door.That worries me much.I´m going to test the module by connecting it to the right side. Encyclopedia: ”The physical location of DCM is programmed into DCM. E.g., if left DCM is connected to right side, the DCM will still move left seat.”
If only I could move the chair so that it fits me,that would be good enough for now.

- Trunk closing actuator is clearly faulty:no soft close,and it loudly release air for a few seconds when I open the trunk.Also the hinges may be bad.In the picture you can see the upper part of the trunk is...upper. Sometimes it´s difficult to say,which is the cause and which is the symptom,but I guess that the hissing noise behind the lock would be the first thing to check and work on.
___

I can´t get the car indoors but I´ll slowly do what I can and keep you informed..in case someone there is interested.There surely will be questions,too.In fact,I have one right away:

I´m eager to get the hvac working,even if only temporarily,so at least I could test it.Is it safe to use, say,w210 blower with the w220 regulator?

 

[cowboyt]

I wouldn't. W220 blowers are not that expensive, at least here in the States. Use the one intended for your car. I'm amazed that someone stuck a Ford unit in that car.

You do have a bit of a project on your hands, but you can do it. Start with the mechanicals, of course, and then after that, you can get to the body.

 

[Arhippa]

Thanks.It´s not the price,I´m just impatient Can´t get an used or new one(aftermarket) in my hometown,so I had to order and it takes several days.
Just trying to figure out how roadworthy the car is,and I guess I´ll be driving it today without the blower.Sun is shining,no rain today.

 

[wallyp]

Repeatedly lubricate the trunk hinges (not with WD-40!).

Melted fuse and connector is due only to a poor connection. You can splice in an in-line fuse as a quick fix.

The regulator is more likely than the blower to be the problem. If so, you can plug the blower straight to the regulator power line - full-speed is better than no heat!

A metal key isn't too expensive at the dealer.

 

[Arhippa]

Thanks wallyp.Couldn´t help myself and took the blower from my other S320 and made a new power connection with a fuse in it(from the passenger side floor). Success! Also borrowed the DCM from the other car and everything works.So,the wiring harness is ok and only the DCM faulty.Great.

I drove around for a while and a new issue appeared: gear lever stuck a couple of times.I got it moving,phiuuh.
Here are the facts:

-One new-style fob with no metal key
-Previous owner may have had a starting issue;one used crankshaft sensor found in the car
-The troublesome plastic piece in the gear selector has been removed,no need to press the brakes to move the lever
.-iCarsoft shows DRIVE AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN REFUSED BY CONTROL MODULE N15/5 (Electronic selector lever module)
and some code/info was from the TCM too.I´ll take a closer look.
-P/R/N/D shows in the cluster
-No manual shifting

With all that,could it be that the PO has changed all the theft-relevant parts,but still something is not right.
I haven´t checked the transmission connector(oil leak?).

Another new thing:some trouble with the airbag,there´s couple of faultcodes,the other one is about missing warning light on the cluster.If it´s possible,I assume some bastard may have solved this problem by eliminating the light.

Even without all this,there´s so much to do...I´m starting to remember what it takes to make a very used car reliable.
I certainly need a STAR.But,no hurry,no worry and no regrets.This was a cheap car and it´s got a lot to offer even if it´s not going to be a "daily driver"anymore.

 

[markbenj]

Thanks wallyp.Couldn´t help myself and took the blower from my other S320 and made a new power connection with a fuse in it(from the passenger side floor). Success! Also borrowed the DCM from the other car and everything works.So,the wiring harness is ok and only the DCM faulty.Great.

I drove around for a while and a new issue appeared: gear lever stuck a couple of times.I got it moving,phiuuh.
Here are the facts:

-One new-style fob with no metal key
-Previous owner may have had a starting issue;one used crankshaft sensor found in the car
-The troublesome plastic piece in the gear selector has been removed,no need to press the brakes to move the lever
.-iCarsoft shows DRIVE AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN REFUSED BY CONTROL MODULE N15/5 (Electronic selector lever module)
and some code/info was from the TCM too.I´ll take a closer look.
-P/R/N/D shows in the cluster
-No manual shifting

With all that,could it be that the PO has changed all the theft-relevant parts,but still something is not right.
I haven´t checked the transmission connector(oil leak?).

Another new thing:some trouble with the airbag,there´s couple of faultcodes,the other one is about missing warning light on the cluster.If it´s possible,I assume some bastard may have solved this problem by eliminating the light.

Even without all this,there´s so much to do...I´m starting to remember what it takes to make a very used car reliable.
I certainly need a STAR.But,no hurry,no worry and no regrets.This was a cheap car and it´s got a lot to offer even if it´s not going to be a "daily driver"anymore.

That will keep you busy for a few months (years?) Ari . But it sounds like you enjoy a challenge . Good luck with it!

 

[Arhippa]

Thanks Mark .So far I´m optimistic,but who knows...you may soon testify my mental and financial ruin

 

[markbenj]

Thanks Mark .So far I´m optimistic,but who knows...you may soon testify my mental and financial ruin

Of course Ari. From my experience of owning ANY W220 you need 3 ESSENTIAL bits of helpful kit:

1. Up to date SDS
2. A Qualified Psychotherapist
3. A friendly Bank Manager

(not necessarily in any order of priority...🤪)

🤣

 

[Kraut56]

Naaaw; just a few grand in cash in your back pocket!
My success story!

 

[Arhippa]

A lot of progress with the cheap S320.This has proved to be actually quite a good car,and it´s been fun to work with it,since I already know the model and have done similar repairs before with my original W220. To new W220 owners,I hope this could serve as an example of what you may have to deal with.

Interior blower motor
No blowing.Bought an used one,everything is fine now.

Trunk locking
There was a leak in the solenoid unit,a few cracks in the plastic.Fixed the issue with strong epoxy.I found a similar case in the Forum,so big thanks to those who shared their experience some years ago.
I also bought an used trunklock with a key,so I´m safe now if the PSE fails some day.

No SRS light,when turning the key.
I discovered that two fuses were missing,engine left side.Now the light is on when I turn the key.

Gear shifter
There is some resistance when moving the shifter from park.I could tell the plastic lever had been removed,since there´s no need to press the brake pedal.I was slightly nervous to remove the shift module from the car,but then I thought,in a true cowboyt way,"why couldn´t I do it,if someone else can".It was easy and the module itself is not scary at all,quite simple.
Now I could see from the marking in the module that it´s from a salvage yard,and so the theft relevant parts are changed;that is,the shift module,ignition module and ECU.That explains why the only car key I got,is a newer model.Most importantly,I could see that there are two metal parts in the module,which make a contact when shifting from park,and that is the reason why the shifter is a little sticky.So,that was a big relief,nothing to worry about,no electronical issue here.Maybe the missing plastic lever is causing this?

Front left wheel is not spinning freely
This was a familiar issue,I fixed it with the other S320 few years ago,as a first-timer.I removed the brake caliper and changed three pistons and rubberparts.This is an easy repair,mostly.If your car has rusted parts,bolts etc.,then maybe not.Both of my cars are great underneath,so all the underbody work is easy.

Terrible squeeking at the back
This was no brainer:Rear axel outer bushes.I have done this before and have the tool,so it was easy.I changed all four of them;there´s the obvious two and also one at the bottom of each strut.You have to release the air from the struts either manually or with STAR.This is also a simple job with the tool,personally,I wouldn´t try it without it.I also adjusted the front wheel´s toe a little bit.Car drives good now,it might be very good with new tyres.

Rear Axle Control Removal Bush Subframe Tool For Mercedes A208 A209 W202 W203 | eBay

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Cluster
Information section is lacking pixels a lot.I think I´ll buy an used cluster and either swap it altogether,or only the information part,which can be separated.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
So,all in all,things seem good.Car is fully working,no hazard lights,suspension is perfectly fine..no sacking.Shifts great and the motor is smooth with no vibration.

All along I have waited for a terrible discovery of some nasty issue,which could explain why this car was so cheap.It seems there aren´t any.The ugly painting is enough to keep the buyers away,and of course there´s very limited population who want or have the courage to buy a 23 year old luxury car.To be honest,car like this one is a good choice only to someone who knows this model.And of course,I have to deal with the minor rust issue before painting..and I´m no painter,but we´ll see how it goes.

Wait,WAIT!There is the hidden nasty thing after all:

Missing catalytic converters
The rear cats have been replaced with straight pipes.Car is quite chirpy.This is not a big deal.I can get the cats with 100e/$ each,and labour 200e.

To be continued..

 

[markbenj]

A lot of progress with the cheap S320.This has proved to be actually quite a good car,and it´s been fun to work with it,since I already know the model and have done similar repairs before with my original W220. To new W220 owners,I hope this could serve as an example of what you may have to deal with.

Interior blower motor
No blowing.Bought an used one,everything is fine now.

Trunk locking
There was a leak in the solenoid unit,a few cracks in the plastic.Fixed the issue with strong epoxy.I found a similar case in the Forum,so big thanks to those who shared their experience some years ago.
I also bought an used trunklock with a key,so I´m safe now if the PSE fails some day.
View attachment 2810708

No SRS light,when turning the key.
I discovered that two fuses were missing,engine left side.Now the light is on when I turn the key.

Gear shifter
There is some resistance when moving the shifter from park.I could tell the plastic lever had been removed,since there´s no need to press the brake pedal.I was slightly nervous to remove the shift module from the car,but then I thought,in a true cowboyt way,"why couldn´t I do it,if someone else can".It was easy and the module itself is not scary at all,quite simple.
Now I could see from the marking in the module that it´s from a salvage yard,and so the theft relevant parts are changed;that is,the shift module,ignition module and ECU.That explains why the only car key I got,is a newer model.Most importantly,I could see that there are two metal parts in the module,which make a contact when shifting from park,and that is the reason why the shifter is a little sticky.So,that was a big relief,nothing to worry about,no electronical issue here.Maybe the missing plastic lever is causing this?

Front left wheel is not spinning freely
This was a familiar issue,I fixed it with the other S320 few years ago,as a first-timer.I removed the brake caliper and changed three pistons and rubberparts.This is an easy repair,mostly.If your car has rusted parts,bolts etc.,then maybe not.Both of my cars are great underneath,so all the underbody work is easy.

Terrible squeeking at the back
This was no brainer:Rear axel outer bushes.I have done this before and have the tool,so it was easy.I changed all four of them;there´s the obvious two and also one at the bottom of each strut.You have to release the air from the struts either manually or with STAR.This is also a simple job with the tool,personally,I wouldn´t try it without it.I also adjusted the front wheel´s toe a little bit.Car drives good now,it might be very good with new tyres.

Rear Axle Control Removal Bush Subframe Tool For Mercedes A208 A209 W202 W203 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Rear Axle Control Removal Bush Subframe Tool For Mercedes A208 A209 W202 W203 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Cluster
Information section is lacking pixels a lot.I think I´ll buy an used cluster and either swap it altogether,or only the information part,which can be separated.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
So,all in all,things seem good.Car is fully working,no hazard lights,suspension is perfectly fine..no sacking.Shifts great and the motor is smooth with no vibration.

All along I have waited for a terrible discovery of some nasty issue,which could explain why this car was so cheap.It seems there aren´t any.The ugly painting is enough to keep the buyers away,and of course there´s very limited population who want or have the courage to buy a 23 year old luxury car.To be honest,car like this one is a good choice only to someone who knows this model.And of course,I have to deal with the minor rust issue before painting..and I´m no painter,but we´ll see how it goes.

Wait,WAIT!There is the hidden nasty thing after all:

Missing catalytic converters
The rear cats have been replaced with straight pipes.Car is quite chirpy.This is not a big deal.I can get the cats with 100e/$ each,and labour 200e.

To be continued..

 

[markbenj]

Thanks for the update Ari, keep going with your new W220 project. I admire your patience & dedication! 🏆

 

[Arhippa]

Thank you Mark,very kind of you as always So far this has been very easy,cheap and not at all time consuming.Bit by bit.But as said before,this is suprisingly a decent car.I´m waiting for the spring to come(as we all),to get my hands on the body.If I ever get it right,I´ll post pictures and if I don´t,I´ll post anyway so we can laugh together 😂.Have a good weekend in dear England(where I would like to visit)and all the best to all of the forum members and readers,too.