New 190E Owners, Have Lots of (possibly stupid) Questions
08-15-2011, 05:39 PM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1992 190E 2.6
New 190E Owners, Have Lots of (possibly stupid) Questions
Hey there everyone. So, I just bought a '92 190E 2.6 a couple of weeks ago, and got a really great deal considering the cosmetic condition of the car. It has been garaged and carparked most of its life, and I'm frankly rather proud to own such a good-looking car (for it age).
Mechanically, things aren't *bad*, but some work needs to be done. So I have some questions about what I should do, what I should wait on, and what just flat out isn't worth my time or money. Mileage is 176k.
It runs nice and smooth, but the A/C compressor just threw a bearing and so that's on its way out. I called a local (and very reputable) shop, Stuttgart Automotive, and asked for a quote. I was told $1700 for the compressor, drier, receiver, flush, and recharge - plus a few minor things they'd do as part of the job.
First question: can I just get the A/C compressor replaced? I don't care if the air isn't icy cold or dry as a bone or completely hypoallergenic, I just want the bearing noise to stop - it's terribly embarrassing. I'd be willing to shell for a recharge, too, I suppose. If the answer is "yes, but the compressor could just die again in a year/x miles," I'm OK with that as long as I get a year or two or 20,000 miles out of it.
Next, I just had the water pump + thermostat done, along with the serpentine belt and belt tensioner - I dropped $1200 for all of that work, and the car stays under the tickmark above 80C on the water temp now, which is good. Unfortunately, their pressure test failed to reveal a latent leak somewhere, and I'm assuming a hose has disintegrated or a seal has gone bad (the guy before me mixed cheap coolant with MB OE stuff
)
Second question: Likely source of the leak? It's dripping out of the rear of the engine bay, and probably belched a solid 2 pints of coolant after a 5 hour drive in high temperatures. So, this needs to get done.
Third question: I hear a high-pitched whirring/chirping noise coming from the rear end when I let off the accelerator around 65-70MPH, is this the rear driveshaft flex disc "singing"? If so, how much can I expect to pay to get this fixed?
Fourth question: I have hard shifts. I'm assuming this is a vacuum leak or a cable that needs adjusting. I have no grinding noises, and the transmission itself doesn't seem any louder than one would expect of a 20-year-old car. Am I probably right on this (vacuum mod / bowden cable)?
Fifth question: It burns oil. Roughly a quart every 1500 miles, give or take. I don't have any oil-drip spots on my driveway, but the previous owner said it does let loose a drop or two every once in a while - and indicated to me it was likely a minor gasket or seal somewhere that just wasn't worth fixing. Any way I can reduce the burn without major engine work?
Sixth question:I full-throttled it onto a freeway onramp to see what the car was still capable of (I drive it very gently otherwise), and I got a pretty decent belch of gray (slightly dark) smoke. I'm assuming some of it was unburned hydrocarbons and maybe some seeping oil that sat in the combustion chamber the last few months (the owner had let the car sit unused for about 3-4 months), along with a rich burn generally. Have yet to see anymore smoke. Common?
Seventh question: My rear springs are groaning a bit, and the left front shock absorber feels pretty dead - the car sags to the left. Would new struts all around and springs in the rear be worthwhile? I can't do any of this work myself, and I know suspension involves a lot of labor hours. If I do the struts in front, should I do the springs, too? Relatedly, would it be better to go Bilstein Sport or HD? Am I going to rattle the car's panels to death with the Sport inserts, or just firm up the ride a bit?
Eighth (and final) question : I have the dreaded MB driver's seat sag. I was thinking of taking it to a specialty interior shop to have the cushion re-sprung and reinforced, and the back support tightened up (it torques left/right around corners a bit.) Any idea how much this would cost, or, again, if it's worth it?
Thanks everyone - I appreciate any insight anyone can provide.
Mechanically, things aren't *bad*, but some work needs to be done. So I have some questions about what I should do, what I should wait on, and what just flat out isn't worth my time or money. Mileage is 176k.
It runs nice and smooth, but the A/C compressor just threw a bearing and so that's on its way out. I called a local (and very reputable) shop, Stuttgart Automotive, and asked for a quote. I was told $1700 for the compressor, drier, receiver, flush, and recharge - plus a few minor things they'd do as part of the job.
First question: can I just get the A/C compressor replaced? I don't care if the air isn't icy cold or dry as a bone or completely hypoallergenic, I just want the bearing noise to stop - it's terribly embarrassing. I'd be willing to shell for a recharge, too, I suppose. If the answer is "yes, but the compressor could just die again in a year/x miles," I'm OK with that as long as I get a year or two or 20,000 miles out of it.
Next, I just had the water pump + thermostat done, along with the serpentine belt and belt tensioner - I dropped $1200 for all of that work, and the car stays under the tickmark above 80C on the water temp now, which is good. Unfortunately, their pressure test failed to reveal a latent leak somewhere, and I'm assuming a hose has disintegrated or a seal has gone bad (the guy before me mixed cheap coolant with MB OE stuff
)Second question: Likely source of the leak? It's dripping out of the rear of the engine bay, and probably belched a solid 2 pints of coolant after a 5 hour drive in high temperatures. So, this needs to get done.
Third question: I hear a high-pitched whirring/chirping noise coming from the rear end when I let off the accelerator around 65-70MPH, is this the rear driveshaft flex disc "singing"? If so, how much can I expect to pay to get this fixed?
Fourth question: I have hard shifts. I'm assuming this is a vacuum leak or a cable that needs adjusting. I have no grinding noises, and the transmission itself doesn't seem any louder than one would expect of a 20-year-old car. Am I probably right on this (vacuum mod / bowden cable)?
Fifth question: It burns oil. Roughly a quart every 1500 miles, give or take. I don't have any oil-drip spots on my driveway, but the previous owner said it does let loose a drop or two every once in a while - and indicated to me it was likely a minor gasket or seal somewhere that just wasn't worth fixing. Any way I can reduce the burn without major engine work?
Sixth question:I full-throttled it onto a freeway onramp to see what the car was still capable of (I drive it very gently otherwise), and I got a pretty decent belch of gray (slightly dark) smoke. I'm assuming some of it was unburned hydrocarbons and maybe some seeping oil that sat in the combustion chamber the last few months (the owner had let the car sit unused for about 3-4 months), along with a rich burn generally. Have yet to see anymore smoke. Common?
Seventh question: My rear springs are groaning a bit, and the left front shock absorber feels pretty dead - the car sags to the left. Would new struts all around and springs in the rear be worthwhile? I can't do any of this work myself, and I know suspension involves a lot of labor hours. If I do the struts in front, should I do the springs, too? Relatedly, would it be better to go Bilstein Sport or HD? Am I going to rattle the car's panels to death with the Sport inserts, or just firm up the ride a bit?
Eighth (and final) question : I have the dreaded MB driver's seat sag. I was thinking of taking it to a specialty interior shop to have the cushion re-sprung and reinforced, and the back support tightened up (it torques left/right around corners a bit.) Any idea how much this would cost, or, again, if it's worth it?
Thanks everyone - I appreciate any insight anyone can provide.
