Merc Misbehaving Malarky

[HMC]

DW- did you manage to squeeze the test in today as planned?

[dollywobbler]

Not exactly. First MOT station's computer went on the blink. Got a test booked at a garage I've used previously, but there's a new tester. When he directed me to the MOT Viewing place, I knew I was in trouble. It's inside an office with a piss-poor view of the test - you might as well not watch anything. Now, I can understand testers wanting to follow the rule book - it's their reputation and career that's on the line - but driving old vehicles as I do, I HAVE to get on with my tester. I want to see issues if there are issues - if not photograph them for my records. I decided to pull my car back out of the test (it was already on the ramp) and got a fair dose of verbal as I drove off. Thing is - because of the importance of knowing my tester, I keep in with several in my area. Now booked elsewhere for Monday lunchtime. I'm very concerned about the front springs as it sits low and there's an occasional creak from the driver's side. They have a nasty habit of snapping springs...

 

After this, I discovered that the Merc really is very, very quick. Especially if you stamp on the throttle hard enough for it to select first gear (default is 2nd, in economy mode, it never engages 1st!).

[barmatt]

After this, I discovered that the Merc really is very, very quick. Especially if you stamp on the throttle hard enough for it to select first gear (default is 2nd, in economy mode, it never engages 1st!).

 

It is fun when you get it to select first, they do fly up to 60mph or maybe even a little quicker

[cort16]

Glad you've got it running right dw it's a great looking car. The interior looks very clean too as those drivers seats like to split open like old tattie sacks.

[Lankytim]

I fully appreciate a shite sympathetic tester but I do love getting tat through a test where I know the tester is a real jobsworth. Plus it means the car is deffo roadworthy!

[dollywobbler]

Tim - I wouldn't mind that if I'd had the car a bit longer. I'm not 100% sure it'll pass though, and I'd rather take it to a place that will let me fiddle about with it while it's there rather than a jobsworth who'll tell me to take it away, sort it and bring it back.

 

Anyway, had a nice jaunt out in the Merc today, sunroof back (I have to push it back as it still jams). Filled up for the first time - 24mpg! Well chuffed with that given that there's been a fair degree of hooning, an M6 traffic jam and lots of sitting around being revved while I try and cure a misfire. Oh, and a misfire.

 

Sadly, the low oil level light briefly flickered on the way home, and it was low. I think it was only reading half full when I collected it so I should have checked it again sooner really. No signs of leakage though and no blue smoke. I'll see how it goes...

[dollywobbler]

Phew. MOT pass, though it initially struggled a bit on the brake test - handbrake efficiency wasn't quite good enough. Was fine second time the tester tried.

 

Advisories for corrosion to underside (very light surface rust in a few places), corroded fuel lines (perfectly dry but fair play gov, they do look horrible), slight play in NSF wheel bearing and the fog light switch isn't brilliant (ie it comes off in your hand if you're not careful).

 

Not a bad result at all. Emissions just about scraped in, so backing off the idle mixture was clearly the right move. A few more things for the To Do list, but nowt too trying.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Good work wobbler.

 

I know what you mean about MOT’s, it mega important to have a bit of faith in whoever is testing your car, if you’re not comfortable with them its defo best to fook em off. In fact, the ‘waiting area’ bit is quite a good test of an MOT station in my experience. If you’re locked in a clean room with a copy of Top gear and a telly showing the shopping channel, and theres a little tiny porthole for you to watch the test through, its probably best to find another garage. If you’re left to wander about freely or the ‘waiting area’ is a wobbly railing next to the brake rollers, then theyre talking my language.

[Bobthebeard]

Good work wobbler.

 

I know what you mean about MOT’s, it mega important to have a bit of faith in whoever is testing your car, if you’re not comfortable with them its defo best to fook em off. In fact, the ‘waiting area’ bit is quite a good test of an MOT station in my experience. If you’re locked in a clean room with a copy of Top gear and a telly showing the shopping channel, and theres a little tiny porthole for you to watch the test through, its probably best to find another garage. If you’re left to wander about freely or the ‘waiting area’ is a wobbly railing next to the brake rollers, then theyre talking my language.

 

+1

My chosen MOT place has the aforementioned wobbly railing next to the brake rollers, they don't mind if I wander about whilst the test is in progress and they call me over to look underneath to show me any areas of concern. Therefore I trust them.

So do lots of other people. They have been trading for over 30 years.

[dollywobbler]

This place didn't even have a railing - just a chair plonked right in front of the tester's ramp, with a sign above it.

 

Was really good to be able to sniff about beneath it and check it isn't hiding a hideous world of rot. My biggest problem was declining a late W124 diesel that 'just needs a bit of welding and some fettling' that the garage owner was trying to get rid of. L-plate. Bit new for me. Bearing in mind I haven't been to this place for two years, all they kept asking me was how my 2CV was. I think I might well head there when the 2CV needs MOT, which is next month. Lots to do to it before that...

[Cavcraft]

Fog lights switches on 190Es were wankified, too. I used to just drive mine to the MOT with the fog light on then push the switch back when he'd tested the lights or the f*cking thing would just fall off in my hand.

 

Anyhow, sounds like you've had a right touch with the car, nice one.

[beko1987]

When my mate mot'd the zx I stood under the ramps with him and admired the rust-free ness of the zx, and put a concerned but knowing face on whewn he got to the bad bits.

 

I'm not surprised you fooked off, he could have made anything up

[oldford]

I don't have a problem showing vehicle presenters around their car whilst testing it. It saves me having to type in too many advisories.

[dollywobbler]

Anyway. Now, it's MOTd, it sounds like this.

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/2fBbAQSVLfg

[Spiny Norman]

ACE!

You can't beat the noise of a good straight 6 being wellied. Is that the 12v or did they do the 24v ones in the W124 saloon?

Also is that a rather less than truck-sized wheel in that car or do you just have big hands? It looks a lot smaller and more manageable than the huge tiller in my W201 E320.

[Tetleysmooth]

I loved my 300E while I had it.

One car I shouldn't have sold really.

Hey ho.

[dollywobbler]

ACE!

You can't beat the noise of a good straight 6 being wellied. Is that the 12v or did they do the 24v ones in the W124 saloon?

Also is that a rather less than truck-sized wheel in that car or do you just have big hands? It looks a lot smaller and more manageable than the huge tiller in my W201 E320.

 

12v. Still picks up astonishingly well at higher engine speeds. Wheel is a pretty good size - might just be the angle. Doesn't sound quite as majestic as my old Alfa 164 V6, but still pretty nice when you give it the beans. I did a few similar runs last night though and the fuel gauge seems to have moved quite a lot...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I've been using my current tester (a mate) for three or four years. It's one of a nationwide chain of tyre and exhaust places and unless it drastically fails an emissions test (and there's not another car to shove the probe up) or the brake test, it's going to pass. But, he trusts me to fix whatever badly needs fixing as soon as I get home - iffy flexys, dripping fuel pipe etc, and I always but always do it. It saves the arseache of retests and many things that out to fail really are advised and 'advise' to me means 'get it fixed ASAP'.

I do maintain my cars well, and things like small splits in balljoint gaiters etc aren't mentioned. A good MOT man who is sympathetic to old cars and uses common sense (i.e, is this car safe to use or not?) is well worth slipping a fiver for a drink after the test.

[dollywobbler]

Aye. I can see why it's not in the tester's interest to be like that with VOSA threatening to drop in, but certainly appreciate a knowledgable and helpful level of service.

 

Two advisories already dealt with today. I've been underneath with a wire brush to tackle the corrosion and corroded fuel pipes. Both came up lovely with a bit of a brush and are now coated in Bilt Hamber's UB protective stuff. I need some more of that.

 

I have noticed that the top of the engine is very tappy when starting from cold, only long enough for the oil to get circulating (pressure swiftly rises and all is then silent). Guess the hydraulic tappets aren't in the finest flush of youth. I still need to get around to doing a basic service, so perhaps fresh oil would help and maybe even a tappet treatment? I welcome input on what oil is best to use with these and whether the tappet treatment is worth bothering with.

[barefoot]

I had a tappet treatment on my 944S.

It moved the noise from a bit of a clatter on start up to a silent start-up and then a right clatter from sitting at the lights 400 yards away to about a mile away when it would suddenly stop.

I've since had all the tappets replaced - fucking ouch.

An oil change, or a couple of oil changes will help though I suspect.

[Rocket88]

Wrong grade oil? I'd stick 20/50 in that

[dollywobbler]

Really? Can't find much recommendation for that other than a chap in Texas. Don't forget it gets bloody cold here. We're still having sub-zero night-time temperatures at the moment.

[Rocket88]

Fair comment, but I wouldn't use anything thinner than 10/40...........

[dollywobbler]

I'm with you there. Pleased to say I rarely own anything that likes oil that thin.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

So is this running bob-on now then? What was causing all the mayhem, just scabby leads and that?

[HMC]

i used a 10/40 (millers xss semi synth) in my old 300te-24 which was fairly high mileage and a patchy service record, and had no problems with it. used the wynns tappet treatment with a w124 230e which had noisy hydraulic lifters and found it improved things no end- dumped it in the oil, took it for a quick blast and then changed the oil/ filter.

 

Does the tempomat (cruise) work on yours?

[dollywobbler]

So is this running bob-on now then? What was causing all the mayhem, just scabby leads and that?

 

Aye. It is running very nicely now. The idle mixture was definitely too rich - I suspect someone fiddled with that rather than deal with the actual problem. Tweaking that made it driveable (as in it no longer launched into a roundabout before cutting out) but the new plugs and leads banished the misfire.

 

i used a 10/40 (millers xss semi synth) in my old 300te-24 which was fairly high mileage and a patchy service record, and had no problems with it. used the wynns tappet treatment with a w124 230e which had noisy hydraulic lifters and found it improved things no end- dumped it in the oil, took it for a quick blast and then changed the oil/ filter.

 

Does the tempomat (cruise) work on yours?

 

Thanks for the tip. The cruise control sadly doesn't work, though it's not like that's a problem around here. I'm bleedin' miles away from a dual carriageway, let alone a motorway.

[KruJoe]

I've really enjoyed this thread, thanks Ian, I'm glad it has a happy ending. Hope you enjoy the barge.

If I ever have a Benz, I think it'll be a W124, they're firmly on the radar.

[dollywobbler]

The Merc wouldn't start this morning. Barely a sniff so, against the rules, I plunged the throttle down, got a bit of a splutter, then nowt. Soddit. Needed to get moving so into the BX and away I went.

 

Just had a play with it now. Absolutely no interest in starting. Took the dizzy cap off (a hateful job), bone dry inside so perhaps not the missing seal at fault. Checked the connections on all the new HT leads. No difference. By now, the battery was complaining, so before it went completely flat, I hooked up my battery pack.

 

Decided to take the air filter off and lob a load of WD40 into the intake. Success! Splutter, splutter, misfire, malarky, then smooth as you like. Took it out for a run to recharge the battery and it was super-smooth. I'd love to know what went wrong...

[Rocket88]

Hmmmmmm I'd wind the mixture control back to where it was and try it again.......