Saijin_Naib

Went to see Keith today (mechanic under my father when my dad ran MB service at our dealership) and he told me to give up on the car and just go buy a new one.

Not exactly what I wanted to hear. He said the same thing everyone else does "wow, this thing is running GREAT". And it is. Only its running great at half power. He didn't believe me on the timing of the 0-100kmph sprint so we timed it and then went back to the shop and checked the official specs. 7.8s +- 7%. Bucky is still running solid 14s.

We cleared the codes and (as of yet I've not checked all of them) but most seem to have disappeared except for 3 (Lambda) and 8 (engine temp sensor). The ECU codes changed and now only 5 (CTP Sensor) shows. SRS and HVAC are unchanged as far as I know, and that makes sense.

He told me to check fuel volume (pressure is fine), throttle position sensor, and the cam solenoid by the distributor cap. He gave me the ball-park procedures for this and I guess I'll go ahead and see how bucky responds.

He agreed that a full engine rebuild would likely solve most of the issues, but he feels that this car is likely a car that will never be right.

Really put a dent in my enthusiasm. How can it run perfectly but so ****ed up? I just don't understand. I want this thing to run properly for once so I can actually FEEL what this car is like. Ugh.

AMGDave

I think you can get that 14 second time closer to, say, 10 seconds after fixing the obvious things like O2, ECT, and finding what else is acting up (cam solenoid, etc). A weak bottom end shouldn't reduce power THAT much, especially if you're anywhere near sea level...

Saijin_Naib

I hope so Dave. I'm going to try and tackle all this stuff hopefully Saturday before I leave for school. I've been reading that if I pull the OVP, the car goes into dumb mode and runs on purely mechanical settings.

If I do that and performance improves, I've isolated my problems to the electrical systems, correct?

Saijin_Naib

Did one of the test procedures tonight with my dad, and it turned out great. Or poorly, depends on how you view things.

The camshaft adjuster magnet unit is completely toast. Like, dead as can be. We jumped both terminals expecting (if the unit worked) to hear the car bog down as the cam adjusted. There was no change any which way we jumped the terminals.

I've tracked one down by TRUCKTEC which appears to be a Mercedes/BMW/Audi OE supplier with about 25 years of work behind them for 58$ compared to 225$ from Mercedes. I'm going to give this a shot and see if a stuck cam has been the root cause of (all/most/some/none) my performance issues.

AMGDave

SWEET! Sure is nice when you can find easy stuff like that, eh? Make sure the replacement is the proper part number, but yes you can find aftermarket solenoids for <$100 from various vendors. See photos of the R&R procedure at this link... M119 shown, but it should be nearly identical on the M104.

On a side note, when an aftermarket vendor shows the manufacturer as "OES Genuine" that means it's an OE/dealer part that should arrive in an MB package, same as what you'd get from the dealership. The original p/n (104-050-01-77) was superceded to p/n 119-051-00-77, which has a current dealer list price of $94, not $225... that 225 number is a typo on the Bimby website.

Saijin_Naib

Yeah, I'm kind of happy this checked out. However, it looks like the new part number (119-051-00-77) has to be matched up to a new Armature (119-051-00-43). Not sure how much further down the camshaft this repair/replace cycle will carry either :\

I'm guessing that armature and bolt assembly does NOT come with the new camshaft adjuster magnet I bought, right?

AMGDave

The EPC does not indicate the armature has to be replaced - where are you seeing this information?


Correct. But all you need is the new magnet and proper sealant for it.

Saijin_Naib

I got it from the Shop Manual DVD. It is under the m104 section, then Section 5 (Engine, Camshaft, and Valve Train), then 05-2175 (Armature and servo magnet at camshaft adjuster).

I may just be mis-reading this part, but that is what I've gotten out of it thus far. And this is why I'm not a mechanic btw :\

AMGDave

Interesting... however it may be that the new part number is forward-compatible, i.e. you can use the new solenoid/magnet with the old armature, but you can't use the new armature with old solenoid. (???)

Or just to be safe - you could use the original solenoid (104-050-01-77) which costs more. But it sounds like you already ordered the new style. The new armature is cheap (<$10) and the new bolt should be <$5, I'd just upgrade the whole thing...

Saijin_Naib

Well, since I can't confirm/deny forward compatibility, I just decided "screw it" and ordered the new armature, the two bolts, and the nut.

This appears to be the full suite of things I need to update successfully from the 104 part number cam adjuster magnet assembly to the 119 part number assembly.

Grand total for these ancillary bits was 38$. Oh well. Less than 100$ to maybe get Bucky below 10s 0-60s is well worth it to me.

Saijin_Naib

This just tickled me a bit...



I was shipped this very heavy-duty metal nut in a box which had a volume of about 960 cubic inches. The part, in the bag with label (folded as much as possible), is a whopping 1.75 cubic inches. I feel like this is slightly overkill....
I mean, I know zee Germans are very careful about how they do things, but surely this part could have fared the incredibly treacherous journey from NJ to NY in a padded envelope?

190E 16V

Ha ha, that's too funny!!!

A thought:
It didn't get LOST though, did it?

Funny things happen to envelopes - esp. at Christmas time.

Thanks for sharing

190E 16V

Brett

Are you wanting your name and address visible to everyone, on the box lid?

Saijin_Naib

Whoopsies, nope. I'll take care of that shortly, thanks.

Saijin_Naib

Saw this a good while ago and never got around to posting it. Crazy kittage


Facebook Public Album Link

Saijin_Naib

Pretty sure this is the LSD I need to keep my 3.27 final.

AMGDave

Nope, that one (p/n 126-350-40-23) is only for 2.65, 2.82, and 3.06 ratios.

You'd need p/n 140-350-29-23 for a 210mm W124 diff with 3.27 ratio. There's no price on the USA price list, meaning that nobody has special ordered one of these in the USA in a long time, if ever. The current Euro price is around €1150 or roughly $1600 USD, if it's available at all (I didn't check - need to call your dealer and inquire if there are any in stock in Germany).

Personally, I'd ditch the 3.27 gears and swap to 3.06 with either the Quaife (which would cost slightly less) or the factory LSD (which costs half as much)... too much sacrifice in MPG, freeway cruise RPM's, and top speed with the 3.27's...

Saijin_Naib

Hmm... perhaps. I still manage to pull some nice mileage in though. Cruise RPMs, I have to agree are quite high. However, that means that at 65mph in 4th, I'm right at the start of the fun part of the powerband on the 3.27 (around 3.7k RPMs) As for top speed, I've seen 125 so I know it still exists.

I mostly do lower-speed autocross and rally, so I'd like to ideally keep the kick the 3.27 provides (especially in first, jesus jumped up christ).

This is just an "eventually" item anyway. I still need to do the cam adjuster upgrade/replacement to see if I get some power back.

Although, with the volume of snow I'm getting here in Rochester, the LSD would be excellent right about now...

AMGDave

I suspected that might be the case. Although if you eventually make a lot more power, the 3.27 may cause more traction problems, which could erase any benefits from the extra "kick".



Yeah! What's the ETA for that repair? Shouldn't take more than an hour or so. I'm itching to hear what the result is.



Absolutely! While I still prefer ASR as the optimal solution for winter driving (it's really fantastic on snow & ice), limited-slip is the next best thing. Driving a peg-leg car in winter is miserable even with four good snow tires.

Saijin_Naib

That is definitely something I'll have to watch for and you're 100% right.
Part of the issue is I had the Cam adjuster magnet shipped home but the rest of the parts shipped here. I wanted my dad to be there so we could work on it together and minimize the chance of me breaking something. Unfortunately, this means I'll have to wait until at least the 17th or so of December.
I'm assuming the coupe got ASR by the 94/95 model year, correct? I'm also going to guess that it is a non-trivial thing to add to a non-ASR car.

AMGDave

ASR was an available option on pretty much every gasoline-powered W124 in the USA starting with the 1990 model year, but I believe it was only standard equipment on the E500E.

Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible (AFAIK) to retrofit ASR to a car that didn't come with it from the factory. Or at least very, very difficult. I wouldn't buy a 90-up 124 without it though, which makes shopping easier as that eliminates about 2/3 of the cars available!

Saijin_Naib

At least 2/3s of the cars must be gone. I'm having a miserable time even finding 94/95 coupes using cars.com with search distance set to all across the US.

What numbers were they produced in in those years? I can find a multitude of cabrios, wagons, and sedans but the hardtop coupe is... tricky.

If I ever did upgrade to another w124, it'd have to be a 94/95 coupe for the C36 swap, heated seats, and ASR. Otherwise, stick with the Bucky.

How do people feel about the 560sec or the early CL? I love the design of the early CL, looks just like a large w124.

AMGDave

Funny to hear that - a fried of mine is searching for a 94/95 coupe and is having difficulty finding anything at a decent price in good condition. I don't know the quantity produced, but it must have been pretty low. Lots of cabrios available (at higher prices) but few coupes, and even fewer with both ASR and heated seats.... some have one or the other, but rarely both.



I agree 100%, a 94/95 coupe (or cabrio) with bun warmers and ASR would be ideal, and a great recipient for a C36 swap (then, a supercharger!).



The 560SEC is a great car, just different... larger in every way compared to the 124, and a bit less sporty IMO (far fewer performance parts are available, which could be a good thing if you want to avoid souping it up). I find the W126 to be a little outdated in technology but it's not bad. A widebody would be more tempting. Dunno anything about the CL but the price and computerization would give me pause...

Saijin_Naib

Yeah, I don't know what it is about those years. It could be that people have chosen to hold onto them, that they were produced in very small numbers, or just that cars.com is not getting a good enough cross-section of the vehicles available.
Absolutely It'd also be nice to have the new wheel/airbag deal and all that from the factory. Thing I'd miss most is the economizer though, that thing is just brilliant.
I was hoping that with the larger V8 powerplant it would be a good candidate for some mods and fun, but I guess I missed the mark on that one. I Just love the looks of the black AMG kitted 560sec... one mean car. Yeah, I've heard the CL had some QA issues which is a complete shame.

AMGDave

You mean the "economy" needle in the F/O/T gauge pod? You can retrofit that if desired... it's just a vacuum gauge. You just need to find a good used one to swap in with F/O/T/E from a 90/91 cluster. I think the eco portion was eliminated starting in 1992 or so. (?)



The V8 powerplant is attractive, as that's not an option with any 124 coupes. But you'll be dealing with an M117, which is quite robust, but less efficient (and makes less power) than the newer M119. But it is also less complicated (no variable valve timing, no DOHC, etc). With the right wheels (and preferably a widebody kit!) it can look great, and would be lots of fun in a straight line, but for autox type use I'd probably stick with the 124 chassis as there are more suspension & brake upgrades to choose from. The 560 has LSD stock, btw... although any factory original LSD unit is likely well overdue for a clutch pack replacement after 20+ years!