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What did you do to your 126 today?

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#10,283 ·
Back to the temp drawing board some. Put a new radiator in yesterday and today was test day. Was about 87 degrees out, radiator full and bled, 80 degree stat, new main fan, new water pump, and now new radiator. Before the new radiator I did get it to run consistantly just over 80 C but really did not test that since it has not been hot out. Also tested the electric fans and they work. At any rate with the air on and idling in traffic temp gauge shows a little over 100C which I think is too high. Yes I also put the resistor in that brings the electric fans on early. Next thing to try is water wetter. Had hoped the new radiator would have made sure things were on target but I see the radiator is just the efficiency of the original and nothing more. These things sure can be finicky with regards to temp. Will let all know what goes
 
#10,284 ·
Stutz, since I was forced to go back and remove the intake manifold again (I had a coolant leak) I took your advice and found the other three hoses so that I could replace them behind the firewall. I feel better knowing that all of those hoses are now renewed.

Since I am going to bypass the two coolant lines into and out of the firewall I would like to know if there is any reason to seal off any of the three aluminum tubes that protrude into the firewall area from the heater core inside the HVAC box? In other words will I have a coolant leak?
 

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#10,285 ·
No you shouldn't, that is if you blocked off all the flow, one of those nipples is an inlet, one and outlet and I believe the middle is a by pass, but again no flow, no leak. When you get ready to do the work, look at the wonderful post by liviu for the heater box repair. Not costly, just time consuming. I am trying to get an old unit just so I can do it ahead of time. I know pulling the dash and working on the heater unit will be a pain but I also will do the expansion valve at that time. On the hoses you bought for behind the fire wall aren't those special ones a bugger on cost. Sheesh? Don't forget to check the monovalve when you get to doing it.

Take what I say with a grain of salt. I usually try to be efficient when doing things so I don't have to go back into a nasty place again, however efficient is not cost effective. Two different worlds. I don't want to lead you down an expensive path. You could be years for instance before you needed to replace those hoses, but...... if they pop you will be swearing at them. Good luck
 
#10,286 ·
Stutz said:
No you shouldn't, that is if you blocked off all the flow, one of those nipples is an inlet, one and outlet and I believe the middle is a by pass, but again no flow, no leak. When you get ready to do the work, look at the wonderful post by liviu for the heater box repair. Not costly, just time consuming. I am trying to get an old unit just so I can do it ahead of time. I know pulling the dash and working on the heater unit will be a pain but I also will do the expansion valve at that time. On the hoses you bought for behind the fire wall aren't those special ones a bugger on cost. Sheesh? Don't forget to check the monovalve when you get to doing it.

Take what I say with a grain of salt. I usually try to be efficient when doing things so I don't have to go back into a nasty place again, however efficient is not cost effective. Two different worlds. I don't want to lead you down an expensive path. You could be years for instance before you needed to replace those hoses, but...... if they pop you will be swearing at them. Good luck
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Good advice there..

I just am about to replace the feed/return hoses & leaking thermostat for the wiper rest heater element. The hoses had to be ordered from Germany of course and I nearly fell over when I found out the cost of the 3 way #152 in the diagram. A1268301296 list price $177. Online, it can be obtained for about $125....

My main take away though has nothing to do with the financial bit.. If it had to be ordered from Germany.. How long before it is NLA?
 

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#10,287 ·
A year ago, nearly to the day, I had an intermittently blowing fuse #5 on my '87 560SEC... the one for ACC among other things.. After troubleshooting and a handful of blown 8 amp fuses, I put it away in the warehouse and went on with life's other details.

Today, I went back with my laptop [MBCDs loaded], test light, multimeter, flashlight, notepad, some hours, and a determined attitude.

After 20 mins or so, turns out the air pump circuit was the culprit.. I suspect shorted windings in it's clutch or seized pump itself.. With the E relay removed everything works as normal..

Best of all, my A/C line/TEV work from Summer/Fall 2016 has held R12 and the A/C remains ice cold!!

After an early morning appointment tomorrow, I am taking it for an annual safety inspection, oil & filter change.. plus a nice loooooooong drive to shake last year's soot off the plugs..

In that I've been driving the lowered Euro car only, it will be interesting to reacquaint myself with an unmolested SEC with SLS again. Pretty POSH feel, as I remember.

M.
 

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#10,290 · (Edited by Moderator)
Another yikes day. Easy one first. I adjusted the shift points by shortening the throttle linkage going to the bowden cable. Its the one behind the air cleaner. The car was shifting into 4th by about 25 which made it real doggy. I think it helped but will have to drive it more.

The beast is I have been working on repairing and shortening some amg wb type side skirts. One of the ones I got was badly damaged and needed a lot of fiberglass repair. Not sure what I dislike more, fiberglass repairs or drywall mud sanding.

I will also say the amg units are not near the quality of the MB side skirts. MB’s connect by a number of screws underneath and the plastic rivets. The amg ones, bolts underneath and maybe along the rocker panel. Its a shame they did not copy MB’s way to attach them. So be forewarned putting a set on will take some time and lots of beer.

Besides repairing these I also had to shorten them. They came off a SEL so had to shorten them 9”. Once you do that you have to rejoin them and repair the cut. I had these cut in the middle to make easier shipping. I think you can see from the picture. I now have to bondo the joint and then do the other one. Then its off ,to paint the Euro bumpers and the side skirts.

For any of you ,that have added similar side skirts is there a secret of how you attached them at both the top and bottom. I hate to drill more holes
 

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#10,292 ·
Stutz said:
Another yikes day. Easy one first. I adjusted the shift points by shortening the throttle linkage going to the bowden cable. Its the one behind the air cleaner. The car was shifting into 4th by about 25 which made it real doggy. I think it helped but will have to drive it more.

The beast is I have been working on repairing and shortening some amg wb type side skirts. One of the ones I got was badly damaged and needed a lot of fiberglass repair. Not sure what I dislike more, fiberglass repairs or drywall mud sanding.

I will also say the amg units are not near the quality of the MB side skirts. MB’s connect by a number of screws underneath and the plastic rivets. The amg ones, bolts underneath and maybe along the rocker panel. Its a shame they did not copy MB’s way to attach them. So be forewarned putting a set on will take some time and lots of beer.

Besides repairing these I also had to shorten them. They came off a SEL so had to shorten them 9”. Once you do that you have to rejoin them and repair the cut. I had these cut in the middle to make easier shipping. I think you can see from the picture. I now have to bondo the joint and then do the other one. Then its off ,to paint the Euro bumpers and the side skirts.

For any of you ,that have added similar side skirts is there a secret of how you attached them at both the top and bottom. I hate to drill more holes
Click to expand...
The fastest and easiest way to attach most side-skirts is to drill holes and use pop rivets as they seem to disappear or blend in better than phillip head screws after fresh paint.
 
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#10,293 ·
dropped off my SEC finally to the body shop to paint the lowers and bumper to body match

and then install the amg gen 1 kit, and the Henric 48 hp front replica dog ear clip.....i am so praying it will fit
 
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#10,295 ·
Stutz said:
Another yikes day. Easy one first. I adjusted the shift points by shortening the throttle linkage going to the bowden cable. Its the one behind the air cleaner. The car was shifting into 4th by about 25 which made it real doggy. I think it helped but will have to drive it more.

The beast is I have been working on repairing and shortening some amg wb type side skirts. One of the ones I got was badly damaged and needed a lot of fiberglass repair. Not sure what I dislike more, fiberglass repairs or drywall mud sanding.

I will also say the amg units are not near the quality of the MB side skirts. MB’s connect by a number of screws underneath and the plastic rivets. The amg ones, bolts underneath and maybe along the rocker panel. Its a shame they did not copy MB’s way to attach them. So be forewarned putting a set on will take some time and lots of beer.

Besides repairing these I also had to shorten them. They came off a SEL so had to shorten them 9”. Once you do that you have to rejoin them and repair the cut. I had these cut in the middle to make easier shipping. I think you can see from the picture. I now have to bondo the joint and then do the other one. Then its off ,to paint the Euro bumpers and the side skirts.

For any of you ,that have added similar side skirts is there a secret of how you attached them at both the top and bottom. I hate to drill more holes
Click to expand...
Stutz, I have these skirts on my SEC. There's a hokey, curved strap of metal at each end attached with phillipshead screws and more screws underneath. Don't know if or how they are attached at the top of the skirt. I'll try to remember to take pics for you next time it's on the rack.
 
#10,296 ·
Drove a 1986 560SEL with 200k miles, first time I've driven a W126 other than mine, but I have to ask, were the earlier 560s geared/tuned differently than the later ones.

Compared to my 1991 with 16k miles, it seemed more eager to accelerate, overall just more nimble. Mine does have 17 inch wheels in comparison to the 86 which had 15s, but I feel like there is more to it.

Thanks in advance.
 
#10,297 · (Edited)
Gray_es300 said:
Drove a 1986 560SEL with 200k miles, first time I've driven a W126 other than mine, but I have to ask, were the earlier 560s geared/tuned differently than the later ones.

Compared to my 1991 with 16k miles, it seemed more eager to accelerate, overall just more nimble. Mine does have 17 inch wheels in comparison to the 86 which had 15s, but I feel like there is more to it.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Maintenance has a lot to do with it

I definitely noticed the car drive better once I cleaned the injectors, swapped the distributor cap and rotor, and replaced the collapsed mounts

Age is more of a factor in my opinion than miles. I’d pick my 145k mile car over low mileage examples any day of the week
 
#10,298 ·
Problem is yours have no miles. Get some miles on it
 
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#10,299 ·
bsclifton said:
Maintenance has a lot to do with it

I definitely noticed the car drive better once I cleaned the injectors, swapped the distributor cap and rotor, and replaced the collapsed mounts

Age is more of a factor in my opinion than miles. I’d pick my 145k mile car over low mileage examples any day of the week
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Front brake caliper was sticking/dragging. New front left caliper, and that sluggishness I was feeling is gone. Oddly enough, I posted a thread yesterday to about an intermittent brake noise, thinking it was a bearing, but lifted the car up today, and the left front wheel was dragging.
 
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