Merc collection thread, just another car I probably don't need 🤣🤣

[vaughant]

Thoughts so far, really happy.

Going to try a bit of paint correction when I get a chance, generally it's in good nick but we all know how much these loved to rust and although this isn't that bad, a good session with 1500 and a buffer will do it no harm.

Nice and wafty on the whole but a more spirited session down the A350 this morning on my way in shows she does corner really well.

Very relaxed to drive and quiet on the motorway as well, I think the general consensus on this era of Merc was they weren't that bad for general build rust aside.

Swapped out brake switch but still doesn't always want to come out of park. I think this may actually be a selector alignment issue as I couldn't get tiptronic at first, it showed 4 instead of D but wouldn't retain. 

After moving it a bit closer to the original witness marks, tiptronic now works perfectly. The front part of the selector seemed a bit tighter so couldn't move it right across and I'm wondering if this also has something to do with it?

With the seats out and then flat, there's a really decent load area, headrest holder was a nice design touch.

Plan is get it bang on mechanically following on from David's hard work and see where I am after the Xmas MOT, if it's still buzzing along nicely maybe treat it to some nice paint. 

People seem to like it as well, probably wondering when they saw one last type  of thing.

Might try and look at the rear windows on Sunday night after work as I've got good access to most tools and plenty of free time.

[vaughant]

Nearly a month in now and I'm still really enjoying it as a cruiser, really does just eat up the motorway miles.

Had just the one issue alluded to in the other thread when it cut out with an ESP light then took a while to restart.

The good folk on here seem to think a crank sensor is at foul play and I've also since found out (because I don't read things properly) that this was changed to be fair for an intermittent issue.

I think I'll need to remove the bulkhead at the rear of the engine for better access and just fully check all wiring etc just incase it's pinched on something, I do now have the delphi knock off so reading codes and so on would be really handy as i could be a million miles away. Admittedly there's been zero issues since so who knows, but I'd just like to confirm all is well.

Cleaned out the interior the other day and it's in really good order actually.

I use this as a temporary home when I'm in work for 2 nights a week and it's perfect for this, the armrest provides a great footrest so I can really stretch out 😂😂😂.

Underneath I've found a patch that needs welding, best to do it sooner rather than later, it's on the chassis outrigger top cover, really easy access, O/S.

The crossmember needs attention as well, but does, for now, seem to be solid, just needs a good wire brushing and protecting. Again it's one of these clever* designs in that it's covered by plastic and foam to stop dirt getting into the engine bay/reduce noise...... But stop dirt and water getting out, FFS. Still, we're way beyond the life cycle of this car now in manufacturers eyes.

I've spotted a bit on the chassis leg at the front that seems soft under the underseal so that will need looking at also, again really easy access.

Jacked it up on both side jacking points and very solid, seems like the welding done there for the MOT was of a good standard.

Ironically the N/S is pretty much as new, can't see rust anywhere, very odd.

I still think it's a great looking car, not as nice as my colleagues T5 I parked next to the other day but then he gave pretty decent coin for it.

[vaughant]

And to his defence, when he arrived for work the carpark was full so excuse the shit parking 😂😂😂, I only went over to fill up my washers.

[vaughant]

Things are slowly improving with this car after a bad couple of weeks.

Drove into work one morning at about 4am and hit a huge puddle on the motorway, car did well, no aquaplaning or the like but it did some damage to the bumper ripping it off its side mount, rusted away bolts but typical of this era Merc, easily fixed....

 Probably why I still haven't done it 😬😬😬.

But worse was to come, got into the work carpark and heard a knocking sound, steering felt dreadful.

Checked later on and the wheel had about 10mm movement top to bottom 😬😬😬.

Thought the bearing hub but may have worked loose as I'd checked and greased these a week previous but actually it was the exact opposite, almost welded on 😱😱.

Ummed and ahhhed but couldn't get a bearing kit for it anyway so took the decision to drive it home slowly and stop regularly to check. No issues to be fair but it needed some attention as you could see/hear the wheel.

Next day I needed to take doggy out for his morning walk and thought I may as well use the Merc and I'll get the parts for the car afterwards.

This highlighted (yet) another issue, everytime I took a sharp left-hander, it cut out and took a while to restart. FFS.

I had noticed the fuel guage was down at just under 1/4, as I'd come home on cruise at 60/65mph it hadn't really moved so I didn't stop to fill.

This was then getting worse and as nobody seems to understand hazard lights on mean you're stopped/broken down, I just kept getting beeped and shouted at, karma I suppose as I'm a bit of an angry driver most of the time with bellends.

Nursed it home and parked it, pissed off, in the street facing downhill.

Got wheelbearing etc in my other car, they were something silly like £18 a side so I got two.

Went to get the nut off, no fucking chance, I'd have to cut the hub.

Ah ok, let's get a new hub as well.... hang on, the spindle bit is part of the knuckle and that's the bit I'll need to cut ideally?

MEGA FFS!!!

At this point I try to start the car to turn the wheel and it won't go.

Considering car take back options and realising the chances of getting a new knuckle are non existent, I can it a rainy day fucked off and put it back as was.

Turns out this era of Merc all pretty much use the same knuckle and I found a 37k mile spare on eBay for £65 delivered, fantastic service and it even had an as new Merc brake backing plate on it. Winner.

Easy to fit really, even the bolts weren't awfully tight, had to replace one as it was spinning.

Car now drove nice and after lowering it to the ground, it started ok? Hmmm.

Lift pump maybe?

Well, these have mechanical lift pumps in the engine bay but nothing in the tank HOWEVER Google fu found the estate tank to be different and a known design error meaning below 1/4 it starves the engine on left handers 😱😱.

So that fix is to keep it above half.

With the new knuckle it drove great.

Only other issue was the under cover detached on the Severn bridge 😬😬😬.

I managed to salvage it at a safe place and I'll fix it back together in work when I can.

Got an icarSoft dongle thing coming today that's apparently the dogs for this model, should let me know why it has an airbag light and abs light on the latter only occurring after the hub fault so should be easy to fix.

The undertray has hidden a few horrors but nothing terminal.......yet.

 

[vaughant]

Got all excited when I saw the postie about to deliver my icarSoft dongle as it said by 1:06pm and this was 1:05pm but alas it was only some wallpaper samples.

A bit concerned I checked my emails only to find out it's by 1:06pm Saturday 😬😬😬

[vaughant]

On 8/11/2023 at 6:50 PM, vaughant said:

Got all excited when I saw the postie about to deliver my icarSoft dongle as it said by 1:06pm and this was 1:05pm but alas it was only some wallpaper samples.

A bit concerned I checked my emails only to find out it's by 1:06pm Saturday 😬😬😬

This arrived on time and I tested it yesterday, wow what a piece of kit, covers 30 systems 😱😱😱😱.

 

Car has more historic faults than a 13yr olds homework but nothing that truly scares me.

Highly recommended for this class of car.

Cost £150 with the adapter but I did but an adapter for £8 I'm yet to try them the unit is only £99+8 so £107.

I'll report back when done.

Mightily impressed.