From owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Wed Aug 27 17:12:13 2003 From: diesel-benz-digest diesel-benz-digest Wednesday, August 27 2003 Volume 01 : Number 1194 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: B2 Piston : The Moral of the Story "heat wave" continues in Seattle... Re: 82 300D turbo update RE: Head light and french fry fuel question Re: 82 300D turbo update Re: 82 300D turbo update Re: 82 300D turbo update RE: 82 300D turbo update Re: Head light and french fry fuel question Re: 82 300D turbo update Re: 82 300D turbo update Re: Head light and french fry fuel question Re: Head light and french fry fuel question Re: Looking at '85 190D, 360K miles, $1500 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, 27 Aug 2003 13:58:45 -0400 From: "J.B. Hebert" Subject: Re: B2 Piston : The Moral of the Story I'm not sure if it was a recall, or just a recommended update. Regardless, if my tranny had the old style piston, I'm sure there are others out there that have it as well. J.B. At 10:51 AM 9/2/2003 -0700, you wrote: > > Well, my B2 band is shot. Gonna have to R&R the tranny. Fix some leaks > > while I've got it out. Hopefully not run into any more problems. My > > mechanic says that it looks like it was slipping for a while. All the > > friction material on the B2 band is gone. The moral of the story: Check > > your B2 piston. If it hasn't been replaced in the last 150,000 miles, > > replace it. It's a $100 part that can be installed without removing the > > tranny. But if yours is failing, it prevents the B2 band from tightening > > completely on the drum. > >Wasn't there a recall on the B2 piston? I recall from somewhere that you >have to replace the piston, seal and cylinder for a complete fix. > >Paul ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 11:02:11 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: "heat wave" continues in Seattle... Warm Streak is Record for Seattle The National Weather Service says Seattle has set a record for warmth. The agency announced Tuesday the city has had 50 consecutive days of temperatures in excess of 70 degrees. That eclipsed the last record of 49 days set in 1958. Forecasters predict the record will continue to be broken every day through the middle of next week with temperatures expected above 70 degrees through Thursday and in the 80s for the Labor Day holiday weekend through next Tuesday. Another record could also be shattered unless rains move into the region soon. So far, this is Seattle's second driest summer on record. :) john note: it's only 64 at 11am... hope the clouds move out of the way in time... ;) ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. Suggestions: email in plain text w/o attachments, and trust Jesus. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The revolt is underway, the penguin is coming... I can hear the slap of his little feet... and the squishing of worms and sco lawyers under them... - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 14:07:01 -0400 From: Robert Chase Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update hey, I remember hearing the car sat for a while. Could they be dryrotted? My 300SD had brand new Pirellis on it when I got it but they were completely dry rotted. Robert Chase hue wong wrote: > Ho! say I saw the mention of new tires. That makes > me wonder: Why did the tires go bad in the first > place? Is it just wear or is there a front end > problem like a wobbely ball joint or bad bushings that > may make a 700 mile trip (?) a bit of a rough one. > Just more food for thought.... > > --- Derickam AA wrote: > >>Well guys I here by declare my virus officially >>dead. >> >>Woke up this morning feeling like part of the human >>race, felt so good I >>even did my workout. >> >>Anyhow now that the virus is gone. I have been >>planning my trip to So Cal to >>deal with the 82 300. >> >>I would like to pose this question to any 123 owners >>out there. >> >>If you were going to drive this car 1200 mi North >>from San Diego to Seattle. >>What kind of care package of parts would you take >>with you? I know what I >>would take for the 190: >> >>Belt, spare injector line for parts. >> >>Spare diesel container, wrenches, screwdrivers, >>pliers socket set. >>Jumper cables, oil, water for Misc. >> >>Also, how hard would it be to plug up the capillary >>tube to the oil pressure >>gauge at the engine? >> >>Would it be possible to block off all vaccuum lines >>except the one going to >>the fuel shut off valve till I get home? >> >>Is the hood release cable hard to replace? (I am >>confused as to why my >>cousins husband did not replace it and I am giving >>him the benefit of the >>doubt.) >> >>I have to repair the windsheild and tires to make it >>safe to drive but I >>want to defer as many repairs as I can till I get >>home. >> >>Any tips unique to the handling of the car. I was >>going to throw on a set >>of Michelins Mv4's on while I was getting the >>windshield replaced. Mv4 works >>pretty good on the 190 have any of you ran them on >>the 300? >> >>Thanks for the tips so far, and Kevin I promise not >>to deliberately break >>down in your neck of the woods. If I drive by your >>area at a sane time I >>would like to drop in and say howdy and check out >>your fleet. >> >>Since I am traveling the I-5 corridor I would be >>happy to pick up anything >>along the way and deliver it if you are on the way >>as long as it will fit in >>the 300. ;) >> >>Oh yeah what time of year does Grants pass get >>trashed? >> >>Derick Amburgey >>Automated Control Specialist >>Port Of Seattle/SeaTac Airport/Satellite Train >>System >>Amateur Radio Callsign: K7DXX >>List "Mom" of Diesel-Benz reflector >>1985 Mercedes 190D "Tuti" 280,000 Mi (36 mpg) >>1984 Mercedes 190D "Charity" 160,000 Mi (in rehab) >>1981 Volkswagen Caddy 1.6L 66,000 Mi (50 mpg) >> >> > > _________________________________________________________________ > >>MSN 8: Get 6 months for $9.95/month > > http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software > http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 13:36:22 -0500 From: "Sam Williams" <1sam-at-io.com> Subject: RE: Head light and french fry fuel question Wong, Filter it first. And to be cautious, don't exceed 50-50. I keep to ~25-30% French Fry Oil (5 Gal containers influence that as much as caution). Many colors and types of headlamps to choose from these days, especially at McParts stores. Much entertaining advertising hype claiming dramatically improved effectiveness i.e. x # watts = greater # of watts--not borne out by objective testing (see archives). The most dramatic difference is in price. Good brand halogens work fine. Consider buying a pair. When one goes, often the other will fail soon, too. Cars with mis-matched headlamps bother me, bring to mind beaters with a bad ground. Sam - -----Original Message----- From: owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net [mailto:owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net] On Behalf Of hue wong Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 10:59 AM To: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Subject: Head light and french fry fuel question So driving in this morning, I notice one of my headlamps is out. Any recomendations on a replacment? Or will a MCparts lamp work just fine? (82 300td) Also: with gas hitting 3.00 a gallon in some parts of the nation and it hitting 2.00 a gal here in seattle with #2 sure to follow, I think I paid a 1.89 last fill up... What keeps me from mixing a half tank of #2 with a half tank of straight french fry greese? Just curious.... __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 14:33:55 -0400 From: Robert Chase Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update Guess it helps to read before replying somtimes :) Robert Chase wrote: > hey, > > I remember hearing the car sat for a while. Could they be dryrotted? > > My 300SD had brand new Pirellis on it when I got it but they were > completely dry rotted. > > Robert Chase > > > hue wong wrote: > >> Ho! say I saw the mention of new tires. That makes >> me wonder: Why did the tires go bad in the first >> place? Is it just wear or is there a front end >> problem like a wobbely ball joint or bad bushings that >> may make a 700 mile trip (?) a bit of a rough one. >> Just more food for thought.... >> >> --- Derickam AA wrote: >> >>> Well guys I here by declare my virus officially >>> dead. >>> >>> Woke up this morning feeling like part of the human >>> race, felt so good I even did my workout. >>> >>> Anyhow now that the virus is gone. I have been >>> planning my trip to So Cal to deal with the 82 300. >>> >>> I would like to pose this question to any 123 owners >>> out there. >>> >>> If you were going to drive this car 1200 mi North >>> from San Diego to Seattle. What kind of care package of parts would >>> you take >>> with you? I know what I would take for the 190: >>> >>> Belt, spare injector line for parts. >>> >>> Spare diesel container, wrenches, screwdrivers, >>> pliers socket set. >>> Jumper cables, oil, water for Misc. >>> >>> Also, how hard would it be to plug up the capillary >>> tube to the oil pressure gauge at the engine? >>> >>> Would it be possible to block off all vaccuum lines >>> except the one going to the fuel shut off valve till I get home? >>> >>> Is the hood release cable hard to replace? (I am >>> confused as to why my cousins husband did not replace it and I am giving >>> him the benefit of the doubt.) >>> >>> I have to repair the windsheild and tires to make it >>> safe to drive but I want to defer as many repairs as I can till I get >>> home. >>> >>> Any tips unique to the handling of the car. I was >>> going to throw on a set of Michelins Mv4's on while I was getting the >>> windshield replaced. Mv4 works pretty good on the 190 have any of you >>> ran them on >>> the 300? >>> >>> Thanks for the tips so far, and Kevin I promise not >>> to deliberately break down in your neck of the woods. If I drive by your >>> area at a sane time I would like to drop in and say howdy and check out >>> your fleet. >>> >>> Since I am traveling the I-5 corridor I would be >>> happy to pick up anything along the way and deliver it if you are on >>> the way >>> as long as it will fit in the 300. ;) >>> >>> Oh yeah what time of year does Grants pass get >>> trashed? >>> >>> Derick Amburgey >>> Automated Control Specialist >>> Port Of Seattle/SeaTac Airport/Satellite Train >>> System >>> Amateur Radio Callsign: K7DXX >>> List "Mom" of Diesel-Benz reflector >>> 1985 Mercedes 190D "Tuti" 280,000 Mi (36 mpg) >>> 1984 Mercedes 190D "Charity" 160,000 Mi (in rehab) >>> 1981 Volkswagen Caddy 1.6L 66,000 Mi (50 mpg) >>> >>> >> >> _________________________________________________________________ >> >>> MSN 8: Get 6 months for $9.95/month >> >> >> http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup >> >> >> __________________________________ >> Do you Yahoo!? >> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software >> http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:35:09 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 10:34:07AM -0700, Derickam AA wrote: > This car was driven ALOT. This guy is a CPA and was trying to use it up and > throw it out. He has 80000 miles on these tires, they a bald. :) Just goes to show. It really IS hard to use up a w123 and throw it out. Amazingly robust vehicles, they are. K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (601, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:35:57 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 10:08:12AM -0700, john wrote: > I have a set of almost new mv4x plus 195/60/15's I need > to replace with 195/65/15s... Didn't w123s come shod with 14s? Every w123 I've seen with stock wheels had 14 inchers... K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (601, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 14:39:39 -0500 From: "Alec Cordova" Subject: RE: 82 300D turbo update Yes, 123s came with 14's, but John now has a 124, so 195/65-15 is the correct size. > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net > [mailto:owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net]On Behalf Of Kevin Pekarek > Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 2:36 PM > To: john > Cc: Derickam AA; diesel-benz-at-digest.net > Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update > > > On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 10:08:12AM -0700, john wrote: > > I have a set of almost new mv4x plus 195/60/15's I need > > to replace with 195/65/15s... > > Didn't w123s come shod with 14s? Every w123 I've seen with stock wheels > had 14 inchers... > > K > > -- > Kevin Pekarek > Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and > Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) > 85 190D (601, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:42:35 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: Head light and french fry fuel question On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 08:58:33AM -0700, hue wong wrote: > So driving in this morning, I notice one of my > headlamps is out. Any recomendations on a replacment? > Or will a MCparts lamp work just fine? (82 300td) Others mentioned getting McParts lamps, but I thought there was a discussion about merecedes being fussy about which bulbs it liked? Or was that only for models that told you it had a bulb out? > Also: with gas hitting 3.00 a gallon in some parts of > the nation and it hitting 2.00 a gal here in seattle > with #2 sure to follow, I think I paid a 1.89 last > fill up... > What keeps me from mixing a half tank of #2 with a > half tank of straight french fry greese? What keeps me from running WVO or biodiesel through the 190D is the fact that I don't have time to deal with a bunch of fuel filter replacements, nor do I have the time to deal with the prep-work for either of those fuels. One can buy biodiesel in San Francisco, Berkeley, and (I believe) Morgan Hill, but it is still rather expensive, almost 30 cents per gallon more than normal diesel. There isn't any place in the bay area that makes it, so it has to be trucked in from somewhere in the san joaquin valley. Since there isn't a lot of demand for it, economies of scale haven't taken effect. But running biodiesel will probably require me to go through the fuel system, that is working fine right now. Diesel is $1.77 a gallon here in Walnut Creek, and $1.91 a gallon in Redwood City. Diesel seems to remain fairly static in price with respect to gasoline, partly because people are afraid another crazed trucker will drive a diesel tanker up the steps of the capitol building in Sacramento in protest again :) K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (601, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:43:29 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 02:39:39PM -0500, Alec Cordova wrote: > Yes, 123s came with 14's, but John now has a 124, so 195/65-15 is the > correct size. Right, so they probably wouldn't work for Derick, who is acquiring a w123. K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) 85 190D (601, 5spd) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:58:57 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: 82 300D turbo update yep, but you can fit 15 inchers on it... ;) john On Wed, 27 Aug 2003, Kevin Pekarek wrote: >-->On Wed, Aug 27, 2003 at 10:08:12AM -0700, john wrote: >-->> I have a set of almost new mv4x plus 195/60/15's I need >-->> to replace with 195/65/15s... >--> >-->Didn't w123s come shod with 14s? Every w123 I've seen with stock wheels >-->had 14 inchers... >--> >-->K >--> >-->-- >-->Kevin Pekarek >-->Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and >-->Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) >-->85 190D (601, 5spd) >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. Suggestions: email in plain text w/o attachments, and trust Jesus. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The revolt is underway, the penguin is coming... I can hear the slap of his little feet... and the squishing of worms and sco lawyers under them... - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 16:14:33 -0400 From: Mike Frank Subject: Re: Head light and french fry fuel question You have to be careful about your brake lights, because (esp on the W123's) the current draw of the bulb is critical to the operation of the cruise control computer. You can burn out the computer with a 'murican bulb...get a couple of proper Osrams from the usual parts houses, and keep some spares. I don't know of any dependencies for the headlights, although you have to be careful about the wiring if you increase wattage. Mike Frank At 12:42 PM 8/27/2003 -0700, Kevin Pekarek wrote: >Others mentioned getting McParts lamps, but I thought there was >a discussion about merecedes being fussy about which bulbs it >liked? Or was that only for models that told you it had a bulb >out? ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 15:13:18 -0700 (PDT) From: hue wong Subject: Re: Head light and french fry fuel question AHHHH I bet that is why the cruze control never works in any of these cars... It gets clearer every day! - --- Mike Frank wrote: > You have to be careful about your brake lights, > because (esp on the W123's) > the current draw of the bulb is critical to the > operation of the cruise > control computer. You can burn out the computer with > a 'murican bulb...get > a couple of proper Osrams from the usual parts > houses, and keep some > spares. I don't know of any dependencies for the > headlights, although you > have to be careful about the wiring if you increase > wattage. > > Mike Frank > > At 12:42 PM 8/27/2003 -0700, Kevin Pekarek wrote: > >Others mentioned getting McParts lamps, but I > thought there was > >a discussion about merecedes being fussy about > which bulbs it > >liked? Or was that only for models that told you it > had a bulb > >out? __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 16:23:10 -0700 From: "Derickam AA" Subject: Re: Looking at '85 190D, 360K miles, $1500 Thanks to everyone who has given me hints about the car, it's been a big help! I went and looked at it today. It appears to still be a 2.2, definitely no Jeep parts in there. Not muddy enough. So here's a list of what I found: - - 363k miles - - 2.2L, sure enough, says it on the trunk - - wow, mercedes diesel engines are big! cool... - - rides ok - - at 20mph, cold, flooring it causes a 'pause' followed by very very gradual acceleration... makes my '82 diesel rabbit feel like a race car, despite 230K and way-below-spec compression... - - on a busy slightly downhill street, after a 10 minute warm-up or so, got up to 45 in reasonable style with the pedal floored. They do not call them wabbits for nothing I have a 1981 VW diesel Caddy it is very fast off the line. The symptoms above sound like the kick down cable is not adjusted properly, there is a switch on the floor under the accel pedal do you hear it click when you floor it? - - ordinary shifts feel sling-shot'y, big delay between shift-out, shift-in, worst at low speeds, low acceleration Uh oh, sounds like trouble, depending on what you mean by sling shot. Does it feel like you are being thrown into the seat when it shifts? - - timing belt shows lots of medium cracking on the inner ridges - - timing belt hanging half off the tensioner Serp belt needs to be replaced. Tensioner issue I will have to look at my car and see what it should be. If the tensioner is off this must be addressed ASAP, else you could punch a hole in the timing chain cover. - - oil leaking from oil (tranny?) cooler line to radiator, possibly also from the front pass. side of the head. Solid mass of oily dirt, hard to tell... Yikes ..... on the head. tranny lines are inexpensive and eaasy to replaced. - - right front running light (towards the center from the headlight) busted and rusted beyond hope of repair - - rear tires brand new, front ones have a couple years left in 'em - - substantial dent in trunk on the curve, but no kinks in the metal, paint is cracking and rust beginning - - small paint chips in quantity, hood, and near rear tires. no serious rust yet - - a little rust, still surface, inside driver's rear door Hmmm.... I feel myself running away. - - dash is a mass of cracks running front to rear Common they sell covers that make it look like new. - - antenna is broken, but a replacement is in the trunk (!) You will need a new antenna grommet too, to keep water out of there. - - driver's door makes loud snapping noises in two places when opened and closed, seems to come from the bar that sticks into the door and should hold it open (if you know what I mean...) Do not lube them, replace the door stops easy job and less cussing. I would pass on this...... I would think twice at $500 because of the value it would have to me in parts. 190 is a nice car but Kevin is right GET THE 5 Speed man! They are sweet. Take your time one will come up for sale. _________________________________________________________________ Get MSN 8 and enjoy automatic e-mail virus protection. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #1194 **********************************