From owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Sun Nov 4 08:28:07 2007 From: diesel-benz-digest diesel-benz-digest Sunday, November 4 2007 Volume 01 : Number 2583 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: [db] Rumbling noise RE: [db] Wandering and a shaking RE: [db] Wandering and a shaking [db] BioDiesel and Filters Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters [db] the xj experiment [db] dead battery... 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: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 12:17:21 -0300 From: "Renaud (Ron) OLGIATI" Subject: Re: [db] Rumbling noise On Thursday 25 October 2007, my mailbox was graced by a missive from Mike Frank who wrote: > I had a similar problem which turned out to be a bad differential. Finally it was the mainshaft bearing. Cost me $60 to have it replaced, and the car completely cleaned. Cheers, Ron. - -- L'art de la midecine est de distraire le malade pendant que la nature le guirit. -- Voltaire -- http://www.olgiati-in-paraguay.org -- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 09:36:14 -0700 From: "Scott Haaland" Subject: RE: [db] Wandering and a shaking Mike, Thanks for the great advice. By the way, what should I look for with the ball joint? How can I tell if it needs replacement? Thanks, Scott 1985 190D 2.2L W201 - -----Original Message----- From: owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net [mailto:owner-diesel-benz-at-digest.net] On Behalf Of Mike Frank Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 9:08 PM To: DB List Subject: Re: [db] Wandering and a shaking My 190D is on it's third pair of tie rods. The front end design seems to be a weak spot. I don't bother replacing the ends, as the assemblies are cheap and it's safer to replace the lot. That will certainly cure your wandering. If the tie rod ends are sloppy, it would also explain your shimmy. Once the tie rods are replaced, you'll need a wheel alignment. I've been buying a lot of Mercedes parts from www.rockauto.com, including tie rod ends. The current tie rods are cheapo Karlyn, and they cost about $30 for both sides, complete! There are no bushings involved, what you see is a dust boot. Just undo the nuts and use a pickle fork to pop the old tie rod ends out of the sockets. Bolt the new ones in, and you're done, except for alignment. The only complication will come if the thread is very rusty, in which case you'll have to use some creative persuasion. The center link seems more durable than the tie rods. You should be sure to check your ball joints when you replace the tie rods. Mike Frank At 09:58 PM 10/27/2007, Scott Haaland wrote: >So, my 1985 190D 2.2L is experiencing two major problems, and I wanted to >get some advice before I order parts: > >1) It started wandering as I drive down the road.slow speeds and fast >speeds alike..it doesn't really pull one way or the other, but squirms back >and forth in a straight line (if that makes any sense) > > >2) A very annoying vibration/shimmy at high speeds.pretty much >anything over 60 mph, and anything over 80mph makes it feel like the car is >going to fall to pieces. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:01:17 -0400 From: Mike Frank Subject: RE: [db] Wandering and a shaking There is only one ball joint on each side, on the bottom of the hub assembly. When you take it to a garage, they usually jack it up and shake the top of the wheel back and forth to look for free play. Really doesn't work. I had one let go a week after the car was inspected by a professional. What you need to do is to jack up a corner and remove the tire. Then position a second jack under the control arm, and raise the arm. If the ball joint is good, arm and hub will rise together. If it's not good, then the arm will rise a bit before the hub starts to move. You should also rock the hub from side to side and watch for free play in the tie rods and the ball joint. Mike Frank At 12:36 PM 11/3/2007, Scott Haaland wrote: >Thanks for the great advice. By the way, what should I look for with the >ball joint? How can I tell if it needs replacement? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 16:09:47 -0700 From: chuck goolsbee Subject: [db] BioDiesel and Filters I's always heard that BioDiesel is a fantastic fuel system cleaner and really scours out the crud in your tank and lines. Now I'm a believer. Having finally ramped up my BioD production and running for a month or so both machines showed signs of fuel starvation. The wife's Liberty CRD showed it first last weekend, even though the max-mixture was only about B20 in it. I retired it to the garage while I awaited a new filter from my local NAPA (took a week, they were very apologetic for the delay.) I drove the old Jag (tough life, somebody has to live it) while the wife took my TDI -which has been running between B50 and B90 depending on ambient temps. Today I'm out in the garage finally swapping her filter when she calls from Stanwood with the TDI losing power. I pull the old Dodge pickup out of the barn (we hardly ever drive it except to fetch lumber or hay) drive up and swap cars with her, drive the Jetta back home and swap its filter. Saw both the filters open and OMG... they are thick with all manner of glop and sludge! New filters in both now and they are running like a top. I hope that's the last of the filter changes for a while but I think I'll buy a couple more just to have close at hand. So John, be ready if you use that fuel I just gave you! Don't say I didn't warn you. - -- - --chuck goolsbee 02 Jetta TDi & 06 Liberty CRD arlington, wa, usa ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 16:53:25 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters Oh boy... can hardly wait... :) ----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Snohomish, Washington -o|||||o- where Jeeps don't rust, they mold http://freegift.com ** http://wagoneers.com ** - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- On Sat, 3 Nov 2007, chuck goolsbee wrote: # I's always heard that BioDiesel is a fantastic fuel system cleaner and really # scours out the crud in your tank and lines. Now I'm a believer. # # Having finally ramped up my BioD production and running for a month or so # both machines showed signs of fuel starvation. The wife's Liberty CRD showed # it first last weekend, even though the max-mixture was only about B20 in it. # I retired it to the garage while I awaited a new filter from my local NAPA # (took a week, they were very apologetic for the delay.) I drove the old Jag # (tough life, somebody has to live it) while the wife took my TDI -which has # been running between B50 and B90 depending on ambient temps. # # Today I'm out in the garage finally swapping her filter when she calls from # Stanwood with the TDI losing power. I pull the old Dodge pickup out of the # barn (we hardly ever drive it except to fetch lumber or hay) drive up and # swap cars with her, drive the Jetta back home and swap its filter. Saw both # the filters open and OMG... they are thick with all manner of glop and # sludge! # # New filters in both now and they are running like a top. I hope that's the # last of the filter changes for a while but I think I'll buy a couple more # just to have close at hand. So John, be ready if you use that fuel I just # gave you! Don't say I didn't warn you. # # ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 17:34:56 -0700 From: chuck goolsbee Subject: Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters >Oh boy... can hardly wait... :) Here are the pics: http://chuck.goolsbee.org/archives/467 - -- - --chuck goolsbee 02 Jetta TDi & 06 Liberty CRD arlington, wa, usa ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 19:31:49 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] BioDiesel and Filters you should do like I did on my GM Diesels... install a RACOR filter BEFORE the factory filters, up where it's easy to get to... fortunately the 124's filters are quite easy to change... after driving my daughter's XJ for a few days I'm actually looking forward to driving my Benz again... :) funny thing happened when I was cleaning it out for her to use... the last snow of last year had me struggling to get home with worn tires... found a pair of cable chains in the trunk I'd forgotten all about. :) john ----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Snohomish, Washington -o|||||o- where Jeeps don't rust, they mold http://freegift.com ** http://wagoneers.com ** - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- On Sat, 3 Nov 2007, chuck goolsbee wrote: # >Oh boy... can hardly wait... :) # # Here are the pics: # # http://chuck.goolsbee.org/archives/467 # # ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 22:37:53 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: [db] the xj experiment ok, drove my daughter's '97 xj for a few days... ready to get back into my 124 Diesel... :) drove the '99 wj in to town this evening... if my '91 GW doesn't work out I'm not sure what I'll do... the xj was ok... but not exactly what I'm looking for... the wj would work, especially if I could find one with tan leather... but the economy isn't suitable, not that an xj necessarily is... I think I need to reread that kid's story with the three bears and all that... ;) was that goldilocks? :) need to rewrite it for jeeps... xj, wj and sj... john ----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Snohomish, Washington -o|||||o- where Jeeps don't rust, they mold http://freegift.com ** http://wagoneers.com ** - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 08:27:49 -0800 (PST) From: john Subject: [db] dead battery... my daughter just called, couldn't open the doors with the alarm remote... light wasn't blinking... opened the doors with the key, no alarm... but also, no start... she drove it yesterday... I just had the regulator replaced and the alternator supposedly checked... heading over in her XJ to jump it... bringing the battery for the GW with me... what's up with this thing? is the battery not good even though it tested ok? is the alternator still bad? or is the alarm system waking up and draining the battery??? happens rarely... before the alternator was fixed, every other week... it hasn't missed behave now for almost a month.... oh well, off and running, battery and cables with me to retrieve my 124... john ----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Snohomish, Washington -o|||||o- where Jeeps don't rust, they mold http://freegift.com ** http://wagoneers.com ** - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #2583 **********************************