From: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net (diesel-benz-digest) To: diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Subject: diesel-benz-digest V1 #1073 Reply-To: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Sender: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Errors-To: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Precedence: bulk diesel-benz-digest Thursday, June 19 2003 Volume 01 : Number 1073 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: My 190 bit me Scroungin' parts... Re: My 190 bit me Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT w126 wiring fun Re: w126 wiring fun Re: dealer price rant Re: dealer price rant Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 03:36:15 -0400 From: Robert Chase Subject: Re: My 190 bit me Ouch, I have a feeling that if I were being burned by hot coolant I might be in need of a new Grille and bumper assembly after ramming the uncooperative ones out of my way :). For everyone sake lets hope the S class models dont have the same issues :). Sorry to hear about your misfortune and hopefully your burns will heal soon. Its rather shocking that MB has not officially addressed this problem. Although this is "par for the course" these days. I had a 1988 Prelude with a leaking power steering hose that Honda had an "unlimited mileage and age" recall on. They would repair the power steering hose upgrade for free regardless of your cars age or mileage. I would suggest you make a NHTSA complaint about the car. Of course since NHTSA's gears are lubed by dirty automotive industry influence/money its doubtful that anything will happen anytime soon but at least you might save one set of ankles from burns. Could you imagine an 80 year old lady with health problems running into the same issue? Robert Chase. DerickAA wrote: >Hello, > >Well I should have stayed home Friday the 13th. I was on my way to work when >my heater core let loose a stream of boiling coolant on my accelerator foot. >Right in the middle of a jam. Just try getting over to the right hand side >with a steamed up windsheild and no cooperation from other motorists while >being sprayed by hot coolant. Reminded my of the tourture scene in the movie >Dune. ;) AAA comes through again. > >Second degree burns around my ankle. A few blisters but okay. > >Now that I have vented.... > >There is a roadside workaround to bypass the heater core using what is under >the hood, a 10 mm wrench, a tool suitable to remove hose clamps, at least 1 >gallon of water and 2 four inch wire ties). > >- remove cowling under windshield (four 10 mm bolts) >- remove the hose pax side under windshield >- disconnect vacuum hose off heater valve >- disconnect 4 inch piece of hose from hard pipe and remove vacuum valve and >hose assy. >- remove 10mm nut and bolt holding hard pipe to battery compartment wall. >- unplug electric coolant circulator motor >- remove electric motor from rubber motor mount >- remove hardpipe from firewall and disconnect other end. >- plug in vacuum valve assy into the hose you just disconnected the hardpipe >from >- plug in the hard pipe into the othe end of the vacuum valave assy >- place hardpipe across engine and secure with two wire ties. >- disconnect heater hose driverside under winsheild and pull back through >the firewall. >- connect this hose to the other end of the hard pipe. >- I had to also disconnect the cruise control link rod to allow routing of >the hardpipe. > >Well I was 2 min from having it fixed when the tow truck arrived, to play it >safe I took the tow.... > >Anyhow, I have since got a 4 foot piece of heater hose and put in a safer >bypass. > >I have till the fall to effect a core replacement. > >May you be wearing ankle high boots if this happens to you. > > >Later, > >Derick ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 06:31:21 -0400 From: "Jim Steere" Subject: Scroungin' parts... Stupid request......but it's not available from MB. Bought this absolutely gorgeous '93 W201....but the knob on the radio is missing. Anyone gotta' junk/takeout radio laying around with the same knob they'd part with? http://www.msdra.com/old/93benzradio.jpg Thanks! Jim Steere Everything Automotive Crystal, MI www.usedbenzparts.com (989)235-4000 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 07:46:11 -0400 From: Michael Frank Subject: Re: My 190 bit me So maybe the lawsuit against Mercedes for this problem isn't so frivolous.... Mike Frank At 01:00 AM 6/18/03, DerickAA wrote: >Well I should have stayed home Friday the 13th. I was on my way to work when >my heater core let loose a stream of boiling coolant on my accelerator foot. >Right in the middle of a jam. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 08:59:57 -0400 From: Andrew_Strasfogel-at-blm.gov Subject: Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT A very ugly car indeed! The only car uglier than this Spirit was a '77 motorcycle-blue Ford Maverick that was owned by a co-worker who himself looked like a deformed gnome, with a personality to match... BTW, who made the Spirit? Kevin Pekarek nk.net> cc: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Sent by: Subject: Re: My 190 bit me owner-diesel-benz -at-digest.net 06/18/03 01:47 AM On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 10:00:16PM -0700, DerickAA wrote: > Well I should have stayed home Friday the 13th. I was on my way to work when > my heater core let loose a stream of boiling coolant on my accelerator foot. > Right in the middle of a jam. Just try getting over to the right hand side > with a steamed up windsheild and no cooperation from other motorists while > being sprayed by hot coolant. Reminded my of the tourture scene in the movie > Dune. ;) AAA comes through again. never seen dune, but I've had heater cores go, one on my feet (in my brother's bronco... helped with the "why the F do I smell coolant" diagnosis), two others on passengers shortly after starting the car. The best was when I was taking a female friend whom I worked with at the time to lunch. We'd known each other long enough that she knew about my ecclectic taste in cars. It was my turn to drive, so I grabbed the keys to the 83 spirit I drove to work, and we headed out to the car. She got in the car (which wasn't locked because the driver's window didn't stay up when rolled up), and started in with the "what is this POS?" "oh, just some spirit I bought for a hundred bucks." "is it going to make it to the restaurant?" "yeah, actually, it runs quite well." "whatever, it's f-ing ugly. one of these days, you're gonna get yourself a real car and stop playing around with these pieces of sh!t." and she went on, and on, and on as I started the car. It fired right up, and dumped the contents of the heater core on her feet. Nice, rusty, nasty, unflushed, radiator water that smelled like dead coolant. I told her the car didn't appreciate her talking like that, and laughed my head off. She didn't think it was quite so funny. Yes, we're still really good friends after that. (for those wondering what an 83 spirit looks like, see http://www.punk.net/~kevin/Spirit1.jpg) > Second degree burns around my ankle. A few blisters but okay. ouch. from my minor first aid training, burn cream and butter only makes it take longer to heal. I usually keep an aloe plant around the house to cure burns - store aloe has alcohol in it which hurts like the dickens, and I'm enough of a klutz that I need to keep such a plant around :) > Now that I have vented.... Noted, thanks. I probably should print this out and put it in the glove compartment. > I have till the fall to effect a core replacement. I'd be interested to hear if this affects your cooling system performance. My fords would overheat if the heater core was bypassed, because of the fluid capacity that was lost when the heater core was bypassed. > May you be wearing ankle high boots if this happens to you. Aside from a cheap pair of sandles, I don't own anything but. But you've met me and you probably drew that conclusion :) Speaking of cooling systems, that radiator looks awesome. You wanted me to tell you when I unboxed it so you could leave feedback. K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (2.2, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 09:16:30 -0400 From: "Jim Steere" Subject: Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT > BTW, who made the Spirit? Who else? American Motors......which makes it kind of a quasi-Nash.....or at least the partially-legitimate offspring of one. I think I just "dated" myself knowing what a Nash is.... Jim Steere Everything Automotive Crystal, MI www.usedbenzparts.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 10:02:12 CDT From: acordova-at-texas.net Subject: Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT > > BTW, who made the Spirit? > > > Who else? American Motors......which makes it kind of a quasi-Nash.....or > at least the partially-legitimate offspring of one. > > I think I just "dated" myself knowing what a Nash is.... > > Jim Steere > Everything Automotive > Crystal, MI > www.usedbenzparts.com > While the Spirit may have been the partially-legitimate great-great---grandson of a Nash, wasn't it basically the Son of a Gremlin? I had a cousin in Massachusetts in the early 70's that paid a thousand extra to get a Gremlin X. My mother didn't understand why he paid extra to get just a three speed manual transmission. Alec ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 12:01:48 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: My 190 bit me SPIRIT On Wed, Jun 18, 2003 at 10:02:12AM -0500, acordova-at-texas.net wrote: > > > BTW, who made the Spirit? > > > > Who else? American Motors......which makes it kind of a quasi-Nash.....or > > at least the partially-legitimate offspring of one. > > > > I think I just "dated" myself knowing what a Nash is.... > > > > While the Spirit may have been the partially-legitimate great-great--- > grandson of a Nash, wasn't it basically the Son of a Gremlin? I had a cousin > in Massachusetts in the early 70's that paid a thousand extra to get a > Gremlin X. My mother didn't understand why he paid extra to get just a three > speed manual transmission. Actually, Alec's right. Spirit and Gremlin shared the same wheelbase, and in 1980 and 1981, the spirit sedan was offered, and it was a gremlin with a different name. The picture I posted is one of the more homely spirits I've seen, but some of them looked pretty cool (especially with the spoiler on the back). The spirit was Dick Teague's (one of the AMC VPs that was responsible for new designs) favorite design (actually, he liked the GT with the spoilers). Teague was also responsible for the gremlin, pacer, and matador coupe. Needless to say, Teague dared to be different. ;) The only two door I have left is an SX4, think that spirit, but white, with four wheel drive and about a three inch lift over the spirit. Don't tell John, though, he'll want to jam a diesel in it. :) K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (2.2, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 16:55:19 -0400 From: Robert Chase Subject: w126 wiring fun I certainly hope there is Karma in the Universe and the shortsighted person who designed the w126 power seat wiring harness that is so short that if it ever comes unbundled its impossible to get back together drives an old 190d on hot days with sandals on :) You guessed it im screwing with my seats. Got them both out and off their tracks but the connector on my drivers side (you know the important one) came apart and wont go back together. Good thing I have more than one car. When you start cursing in german its time to put away the tools :). On a positive note I did manage to get my A/C working again. Put some stop leak stuff in there and it seemed to seal up the leak well. A fresh charge of R134 and its kinda chilly in the cabin with no seats in it :). Perhaps this might work in John's 190d. Robert. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 14:11:58 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: w126 wiring fun rofl... when you start cussing in German it's time to put away the tools... I love it. auch du lieber... (or somethin' like that ;) john On Wed, 18 Jun 2003, Robert Chase wrote: >-->I certainly hope there is Karma in the Universe and the shortsighted >-->person who designed the w126 power seat wiring harness that is so short >-->that if it ever comes unbundled its impossible to get back together >-->drives an old 190d on hot days with sandals on :) >--> >-->You guessed it im screwing with my seats. Got them both out and off >-->their tracks but the connector on my drivers side (you know the >-->important one) came apart and wont go back together. Good thing I have >-->more than one car. >--> >-->When you start cursing in german its time to put away the tools :). >--> >-->On a positive note I did manage to get my A/C working again. Put some >-->stop leak stuff in there and it seemed to seal up the leak well. A >-->fresh charge of R134 and its kinda chilly in the cabin with no seats in >-->it :). Perhaps this might work in John's 190d. >--> >-->Robert. >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** john-at-wagoneers.com via PINE on Linux ** (plain text please!) ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. ...and remember, leaving life without Jesus just isn't recommended... - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 16:07:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Jerome Kaidor Subject: Re: dealer price rant Robert Chase wrote: > > Hmmm, > > I dunno I think the sales slime might be missing out on some potentially > good sales. My father god rest his soul was a pretty shabby looking > gentleman but could have easily written a check for anything they had on > their showroom floor if it suited him. Dad had always had the problem > of salespeople treating him like dirt. *** I've had the same problem. About 20 years ago, I was looking for an MGA. There was a local lot that had a nice red one. I was never a snappy dresser. * Me: "How much do you want for that car?" * Sales Droid: "Are you a car collector?" * Me: "Not really. How much do you want for it?" * Sales Droid: "A collectors price!" ..And he walked back into his sales shack. I went and bought a really rough one, and restored it. It's still in my garage. The red MGA sat on the lot for a year or so, and then disappeared. I later heard that they sold it for $5K. Which was well within my budget, and in fact was less than I spent on parts for the one I bought! - Jerry Kaidor ( jerry-at-tr2.com ) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 22:09:15 -0400 From: Robert Chase Subject: Re: dealer price rant Yea, Thats only happened to me once and the jerkoff that did it had no idea that I was very good friends with the owner of the dealership. I was looking for a mid 90's Accord an they had one on their lot that looked like it was in decent shape. I approached the salesperson and said "Id like to take your Accord out" he pretty much told me that he had two "serious cutstomers" looking at another car and he did not have time for my "joy ride". I smiled and left the dealership and purchased a much nicer car at another dealership the same day. My friend that owned the dealership came over to my house for dinner one night and saw my new car and was a little miffed that I did not buy it from him (knew he would be and intentionally did not say anything until he asked). I told my friend that I had indeed come to his lot first but got the brushoff by his salesperson. My friend asked me to show up at the lot the next day to drive his car and assured me that he would "make things right". When I arrived my friend called the salesperson into his office and asked him to take me on a test drive. I drove the car but the one I bought was much nicer and I was not interested in the one on my friends lot due to its mileage and options. The salesperson seemed horrified that I knew his boss on a social level. When I came back to the dealership and told my friend that I had indeed gotten a better car he casually asked the salesguy to leave us to discuss some things. He asked me if there were any accessories I needed for the new car. I wanted a spoiler for the car and indicated such to my friend expecting him to "give me a wholesale deal" on it. He did better than that. He gave me the $500 spoiler and mentioned it was "compliments of his rude salesperson". Robert. Jerome Kaidor wrote: >Robert Chase wrote: > > >>Hmmm, >> >>I dunno I think the sales slime might be missing out on some potentially >>good sales. My father god rest his soul was a pretty shabby looking >>gentleman but could have easily written a check for anything they had on >>their showroom floor if it suited him. Dad had always had the problem >>of salespeople treating him like dirt. >> >> > >*** I've had the same problem. About 20 years ago, I was looking for an MGA. >There was a local lot that had a nice red one. I was never a snappy dresser. > > * Me: "How much do you want for that car?" > * Sales Droid: "Are you a car collector?" > * Me: "Not really. How much do you want for it?" > * Sales Droid: "A collectors price!" >..And he walked back into his sales shack. > > I went and bought a really rough one, and restored it. It's still in >my garage. The red MGA sat on the lot for a year or so, and then >disappeared. I later heard that they sold it for $5K. Which was >well within my budget, and in fact was less than I spent on parts for the >one I bought! > > > - Jerry Kaidor ( jerry-at-tr2.com ) ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #1073 **********************************