From owner-diesel-benz-digest@digest.net Thu Jun 7 21:22:00 2012 From: diesel-benz-digest To: diesel-benz-digest@digest.net Date: Fri, 08 Jun 2012 04:22:22 +0000 Subject: diesel-benz-digest V1 #3602 diesel-benz-digest Friday, June 8 2012 Volume 01 : Number 3602 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: [db] today's wrenching education Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Re: [db] today's wrenching education Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest@digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request@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, 6 Jun 2012 23:16:09 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] today's wrenching education re: knee bolster and THAT is easier than using a hook and plastic spoon to pull out the cluster? :) last time I pulled my cruise unit I had a miserable time remembering how to get that light switch off, I think I called Paul K... he reminded me... was afraid I was going to break that thing... :) want to bring the cluster to lunch? :) I'll have to try to remember how it goes on it's little spindle... I haven't been very thorough in photographing details lately.... getting lazy. :) john ----- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -o|||||o- john-at- http://wagoneers.com TRSTGZS Snohomish, Washington - where Jeeps and Diesels don't rust, they mold buy direct: http://AMSOIL.com/redirect.cgi?zo=283461 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education" Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Wed, 6 Jun 2012, Bruce Caruthers wrote: # === Trip reset thingy: # * I've got the panel out already. I can come by sometime and we can extract it together. That way if it breaks, you did it. :) # * The one on the wreck was sometimes finicky, but it still works fine, with the occasional need to twist it slightly (maybe can adjust that when we extract it?). # # === Knee bolster: # 1. Carefully pop off trim around ignition with a flat screwdriver (pry gently up/right, to work with the hooks) # 2. Pull off light switch (just pull firmly on it to pop it off) # 3. Unscrew wide nut holding light switch control to panel # 4. Carefully pry off wood trim to left of steering wheel (including light switch stuff); I found it best to pry gently from the middle, just to the right of the light switch, as that bows it out a bit and lets the hooks on the right release (they want to move lef tot disengage) -- watch out for the illumination plug for the light switch dial # 5. Undo the eight 10mm screws (2 on right/ignition side of steering shaft, 3 on left side of steering shaft, 3 under dash [two in recess, one at bottom]) # 6. Disengage bolster from prongs underneath dash, let panel hang from parking brake stuff # 7. Voila! Easy access to underneath the dash and to the back of the instrument panel # # I think that was everything. # # -bkc # Lynnwood, WA # (his) '76 MB 240D [W115.117/616.916] # (hers) '92 Toyota Celica GT (long overdue to be retired or sold) # (ours) '87 MB 300D Turbo [W124.133/603.960] (acquired, 21Apr12) # (ours) '91 MB 300SL-24 [R129.061/M104.981] (acquired, 25May12) # (RIP) '93 MB 300D 2.5 Turbo [W124.128/602.962] (totaled, 28Mar12) # # On Wed Jun 06, 2012, John Meister wrote: # > # > just be careful of that little trip reset flipper... it's worth a philly steak and cheese my friend. ;) # > # > good tip on the dash... # > # > yes, I have an arm rest that had a cell phone in it... pre-wired for one. # > # > good job... # > # > question I have now is, what's the easiest way of getting the knee bolster off? :) # > # > john # > # > # > On Wed, 6 Jun 2012, Bruce Caruthers wrote: # > # > # Spent about six hours working on the cars today. Practiced on the wrecked w124 (and needed a couple of parts, anyway). # > # # > # * I now know several easy ways to remove the instrument panel in about five minutes (my preferred way is to drop the knee bolster dashboard trim below the steering wheel/dash, then push the panel out from behind; takes me probably literally five minutes to have the panel out and ready to work on -- don't know why so many on the web boards whine and never want to work on the panel again, it was really simple once you know the tricks) # > # # > # * Discovered just how easy it is to remove the power front seats (at least with a live battery so the seats can move) and locking center console (below the armrest). Did find it puzzling that there was a CAT5-like cable with RJ-45 connector coming out from the driver's seat to a socket far under the carpeting (took me a while to realize it wasn't a hardwired connection). Was this for a cellphone hookup in the armrest or something like that? # > # # > # * I now know probably twenty ways to NOT try to remove the ignition switch (the electrical socket thingy at the back of the key/lock mechanism). I did eventually succeed, and know the innards of the steering and underside of the dash pretty well now. Will try to R&R it on the newer w124 tomorrow with the part I removed from the wreck # > # # > # * I now know how to disable and remove the airbags (kept getting nervous about setting them off, so finally just removed them) # > # # > # * Will see if I can swap instrument panels from the wreck to the replacement car. The '93 panel is much nicer, both in design and condition. Main issues are: using the '87 trip odometer (since that doesn't have any reset issues), and synchronizing the odometer readings for the "new" panel to match the destination car # > # # > # Not too shabby for someone who didn't even own a socket wrench until April... # > # # > # -bkc # > # Lynnwood, WA # ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 23:18:59 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) a friend in Australia who's actually worked on the mahindras made me feel grateful we didn't get them... he's a good wrench... known him via email for years.... he's written up some tech info on FSJs for my web site... usually provides helpful tips to fix just about anything... he said: "Oh my, I didn't think the Mahindra would have been unleashed on you poor people also. I have had the very distinct displeasure of working on one of those horrid little 'wannabe's' they are terrible in absolutely every way, from their ugly looks to their horrific engineering. I feel bad for anyone silly enough to have purchased one of these little money pits and 'leave me at the side of the road' buggers, I only worked on the one, and told my customer to never bring it back and I never took another in either, same deal with 'Greatwall' horrible. At 01:48 PM 7/06/2012, you wrote: > there goes our small Diesel 4x4 pickup. :( > not sure that a Greatwall horrible is... I mentioned the Cruze to him... will have to ask him... john ----- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -o|||||o- john-at- http://wagoneers.com TRSTGZS Snohomish, Washington - where Jeeps and Diesels don't rust, they mold buy direct: http://AMSOIL.com/redirect.cgi?zo=283461 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education" Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 10:56:00 +0100 From: Stephen Rigley Subject: Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) It's a brand I think http://www.caradvice.com.au/158735/2012-great-wall-x200-automatic-coming-in-april/ On Jun 7, 2012 7:19 AM, "john" wrote: > a friend in Australia who's actually worked on the mahindras made me > feel grateful we didn't get them... > > he's a good wrench... known him via email for years.... he's written up > some tech info on FSJs for my web site... usually provides helpful tips > to fix just about anything... > > > he said: > > "Oh my, I didn't think the Mahindra would have been unleashed on you poor > people also. > I have had the very distinct displeasure of working on one of those horrid > little 'wannabe's' > they are terrible in absolutely every way, from their ugly looks to their > horrific engineering. > > I feel bad for anyone silly enough to have purchased one of these little > money pits and > 'leave me at the side of the road' buggers, I only worked on the one, and > told my customer > to never bring it back and I never took another in either, same deal with > 'Greatwall' horrible. > > At 01:48 PM 7/06/2012, you wrote: > >> there goes our small Diesel 4x4 pickup. :( >> >> > > not sure that a Greatwall horrible is... I mentioned the Cruze to him... > will have to ask him... > > john > ----- > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > ------------ > -o|||||o- john-at- http://wagoneers.com TRSTGZS > Snohomish, Washington - where Jeeps and Diesels don't rust, they mold > buy direct: http://AMSOIL.com/redirect.**cgi?zo=283461 > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > -------------- > "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education" > Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919) > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > -------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Jun 2012 06:02:58 -0400 From: Edward Pomeroy Subject: Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Great Wall is a PRC (China) car company. Their cars look good from the outside and even the trim inside is not bad, but mechanically they are minefields. I see them all over S. America being used as Taxis because they are dirt cheap for a large (think Chevy Impala and maybe a bit roomier) cars. Edward On 6/7/2012 2:18 AM, john wrote: > > a friend in Australia who's actually worked on the mahindras made me > feel grateful we didn't get them... > > he's a good wrench... known him via email for years.... he's written up > some tech info on FSJs for my web site... usually provides helpful tips > to fix just about anything... > > > he said: > > "Oh my, I didn't think the Mahindra would have been unleashed on you > poor people also. > I have had the very distinct displeasure of working on one of those > horrid little 'wannabe's' > they are terrible in absolutely every way, from their ugly looks to > their horrific engineering. > > I feel bad for anyone silly enough to have purchased one of these > little money pits and > 'leave me at the side of the road' buggers, I only worked on the one, > and told my customer > to never bring it back and I never took another in either, same deal > with 'Greatwall' horrible. > > At 01:48 PM 7/06/2012, you wrote: >> there goes our small Diesel 4x4 pickup. :( >> > > > not sure that a Greatwall horrible is... I mentioned the Cruze to him... > will have to ask him... > > john > ----- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -o|||||o- john-at- http://wagoneers.com TRSTGZS > Snohomish, Washington - where Jeeps and Diesels don't rust, they mold > buy direct: http://AMSOIL.com/redirect.cgi?zo=283461 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college > education" > Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 15:23:30 +0000 From: john Subject: Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) Yes, my friend in AU explained they're about the size of an impala and mechanical nightmares, but cheap. Ed noted they're in SA to. There was something in the news about fake debt scams coming out of India now. Guess they've learned well from US, outsourcing benefits just keep on coming along. ;) __john_at_http://wagoneers.com__ - -----Original Message----- From: Stephen Rigley Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 10:56:00 To: john Cc: diesel-benz list Subject: Re: fsj: [db] Mahindra: US auto dealers sue Indian truck manufacturer (fwd) It's a brand I think http://www.caradvice.com.au/158735/2012-great-wall-x200-automatic-coming-in-april/ On Jun 7, 2012 7:19 AM, "john" wrote: > a friend in Australia who's actually worked on the mahindras made me > feel grateful we didn't get them... > > he's a good wrench... known him via email for years.... he's written up > some tech info on FSJs for my web site... usually provides helpful tips > to fix just about anything... > > > he said: > > "Oh my, I didn't think the Mahindra would have been unleashed on you poor > people also. > I have had the very distinct displeasure of working on one of those horrid > little 'wannabe's' > they are terrible in absolutely every way, from their ugly looks to their > horrific engineering. > > I feel bad for anyone silly enough to have purchased one of these little > money pits and > 'leave me at the side of the road' buggers, I only worked on the one, and > told my customer > to never bring it back and I never took another in either, same deal with > 'Greatwall' horrible. > > At 01:48 PM 7/06/2012, you wrote: > >> there goes our small Diesel 4x4 pickup. :( >> >> > > not sure that a Greatwall horrible is... I mentioned the Cruze to him... > will have to ask him... > > john > ----- > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > ------------ > -o|||||o- john-at- http://wagoneers.com TRSTGZS > Snohomish, Washington - where Jeeps and Diesels don't rust, they mold > buy direct: http://AMSOIL.com/redirect.**cgi?zo=283461 > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > -------------- > "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education" > Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919) > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > -------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 21:21:42 -0700 From: Bruce Caruthers Subject: Re: [db] today's wrenching education Free for lunch tomorrow (Friday)? My cluster was stuck in there pretty tight. The homemade tools weren't able to pull against that much pressure. Even pushing by hand from below was an effort. (And that panel has been out before, since the stealership in Minneapolis replaced some of the bulbs, like the one to warn the alternator was dead...). The '87 panel was much easier to pop, although the PO had bound the wiring so tight with non-panel wires, there was little room to unplug things. Today's adventures continued. After getting the panel out on the '87, so I could drop the steering wheel and extract the steering lock mechanism to replace the switch, I kept discovering more and more problems. Found a cat-sized wad of shred type insulation inside the left side of the dash. (Previously found a larger wad just sitting in the trunk.) Also, as mentioned above, the PO had taped the panel wiring so tight that I had maybe an inch of extraction to try to pry off the plugs. Broke the big round one. Glad I have a spare from the wreck. Then, I kept finding random wires that were cut (and not covered or anything), including for whatever reason, the glowplug wire. They ran a new one, but left the old one right next to it. There are orange and pink and green and brown wires that go nowhere, along with a few black ones (taped over at least). I'm figuring I need to just pull the wiring harness for the dash and redo it all from scratch. I don't trust the existing wiring job, and it just keeps resulting in bizarre problems anyway, or a whole lot of extra work to R&R something. Guess that will be my new adventure over the next couple of weeks (will take a while because car is in the driveway until I finish clearing space in the garage to strip [and store the parts from] the wreck which is already in there). Glad we didn't ditch the old Toyota junker yet, and left the SL alone (running) for now. (Was not fun working on the car in the rain today... Maybe I'll buy a canopy thingy.) - -bkc Lynnwood, WA (his) '76 MB 240D [W115.117/616.916] (hers) '92 Toyota Celica GT (long overdue to be retired or sold) (ours) '87 MB 300D Turbo [W124.133/603.960] (acquired, 21Apr12) (ours) '91 MB 300SL-24 [R129.061/M104.981] (acquired, 25May12) (RIP) '93 MB 300D 2.5 Turbo [W124.128/602.962] (totaled, 28Mar12) On Wed Jun 06, 2012, John Meister wrote: > > re: knee bolster > > and THAT is easier than using a hook and plastic spoon to pull out the cluster? :) > > last time I pulled my cruise unit I had a miserable time remembering how to get that light switch off, > I think I called Paul K... he reminded me... was afraid I was going to break that thing... :) > > want to bring the cluster to lunch? :) I'll have to try to remember how it goes on it's little > spindle... I haven't been very thorough in photographing details lately.... getting lazy. :) > > john > > > On Wed, 6 Jun 2012, Bruce Caruthers wrote: > > # === Trip reset thingy: > # * I've got the panel out already. I can come by sometime and we can extract it together. That way if it breaks, you did it. :) > # * The one on the wreck was sometimes finicky, but it still works fine, with the occasional need to twist it slightly (maybe can adjust that when we extract it?). > # > # === Knee bolster: > # 1. Carefully pop off trim around ignition with a flat screwdriver (pry gently up/right, to work with the hooks) > # 2. Pull off light switch (just pull firmly on it to pop it off) > # 3. Unscrew wide nut holding light switch control to panel > # 4. Carefully pry off wood trim to left of steering wheel (including light switch stuff); I found it best to pry gently from the middle, just to the right of the light switch, as that bows it out a bit and lets the hooks on the right release (they want to move lef tot disengage) -- watch out for the illumination plug for the light switch dial > # 5. Undo the eight 10mm screws (2 on right/ignition side of steering shaft, 3 on left side of steering shaft, 3 under dash [two in recess, one at bottom]) > # 6. Disengage bolster from prongs underneath dash, let panel hang from parking brake stuff > # 7. Voila! Easy access to underneath the dash and to the back of the instrument panel > # > # I think that was everything. > # > # -bkc > # Lynnwood, WA > # > # On Wed Jun 06, 2012, John Meister wrote: > # > > # > just be careful of that little trip reset flipper... it's worth a philly steak and cheese my friend. ;) > # > > # > good tip on the dash... > # > > # > yes, I have an arm rest that had a cell phone in it... pre-wired for one. > # > > # > good job... > # > > # > question I have now is, what's the easiest way of getting the knee bolster off? :) > # > > # > john > # > > # > > # > On Wed, 6 Jun 2012, Bruce Caruthers wrote: > # > > # > # Spent about six hours working on the cars today. Practiced on the wrecked w124 (and needed a couple of parts, anyway). > # > # > # > # * I now know several easy ways to remove the instrument panel in about five minutes (my preferred way is to drop the knee bolster dashboard trim below the steering wheel/dash, then push the panel out from behind; takes me probably literally five minutes to have the panel out and ready to work on - -- don't know why so many on the web boards whine and never want to work on the panel again, it was really simple once you know the tricks) > # > # > # > # * Discovered just how easy it is to remove the power front seats (at least with a live battery so the seats can move) and locking center console (below the armrest). Did find it puzzling that there was a CAT5-like cable with RJ-45 connector coming out from the driver's seat to a socket far under the carpeting (took me a while to realize it wasn't a hardwired connection). Was this for a cellphone hookup in the armrest or something like that? > # > # > # > # * I now know probably twenty ways to NOT try to remove the ignition switch (the electrical socket thingy at the back of the key/lock mechanism). I did eventually succeed, and know the innards of the steering and underside of the dash pretty well now. Will try to R&R it on the newer w124 tomorrow with the part I removed from the wreck > # > # > # > # * I now know how to disable and remove the airbags (kept getting nervous about setting them off, so finally just removed them) > # > # > # > # * Will see if I can swap instrument panels from the wreck to the replacement car. The '93 panel is much nicer, both in design and condition. Main issues are: using the '87 trip odometer (since that doesn't have any reset issues), and synchronizing the odometer readings for the "new" panel to match the destination car > # > # > # > # Not too shabby for someone who didn't even own a socket wrench until April... > # > # > # > # -bkc > # > # Lynnwood, WA ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #3602 **********************************