jgajito

Is there an "ASR" unit in the '94-95 E320's?
More torque on take-off is really what I'm looking for?

I have a few changes or updates to make on my ride, hopefully this will help in obtain more torque.

In chronological order;

1. O2 Sensor
2. New Spark Plugs (Bosch Iridium, let me know if anyone has had any bad experiences)
3. New Wires(Bosch OE, from AutohausAZ)
4. New Ignition Coil (Bosch OE, also from AutohausAZ)
5. New MAF Sensor (F***ing expensive piece of S**T)
6. Rebuilt and Upgrade the Alternator for Higher Output.
7. New Voltage Regulator
8. New Water Pump
9. New Radiator(replace all hoses, and maybe get them all stainless steel braids, any advice for available kits would be appreciated)

The following is what I plan to do later for more top speed.

1. New EGR Valve
2. New Catalytic Converter
3. Straight Pipe Catback to a New Muffler
4. Delete Resonator
5. New Muffler (don't know what to go for yet)
6. Probably have the Transmission Serviced as well.

I don't have the maintenance records for this car so I'm having these things done before this California Desert heat really kicks in!

Any positive advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Eliot

ASR reduces wheelspin which in general is good and makes for quicker starts.

You'll see a yellow hazard light at the 12 o'clock position on your speedo if you have it.

jgajito

Thanks Eliot!

Ok, so according to my photo, I don't...so this not a good thing for me!

So what's this talk about an ASR "Defeat" switch, available aftermarket?

Can an ASR be installed or do I NOT want it installed?


Check it out I got 4 ACES, or a Full House Aces High...

Eliot

You would need an ASR equipped differential and a new instrument cluster. But I imagine there are other parts as well.

I haven't spent much time with the straight six W124s but it seems likely that ASR was a common feature only on the v8s.

Federic0W124

ASR was standard on all 500e's.
it was optional throughout the W124 model range.
My e420 doesn't have it.

shdoug

It also requires a new wiring harness ($1,000), throttle actuator ($400 rebuilt), accelerator potentiometer and pedal assembly ($$$) and who knows what else. Just how bad do you want this feature? You can do the same thing by momentarily backing off the throttle when the wheels spin. I drove a '92 300E with ASR and hated it. It felt like the gas was halfway to the floor before anything happened. Also, if I floored it off the line it hesitated too long in my opinion. All it does, from what I've read, is briefly reduce the torque to the wheels if they lose traction. There's a lot to go wrong and not much benefit.

jgajito

That's how my car feels now...with no ASR, but I hear that's just the characteristic of the '94-95 W124's series(3.2/3.0).

I asked about the ASR, because I can't stand that sluggish feeling when even going up a hill.

Eliot

Given how cheep the V8s have become your best bet is to just buy one. While there are definite limits to the power of the 4.2 theres quite enough to blast it going uphill. I love turning into a steep grade and pushing to WOT, continuing to gain speed all the way.

shdoug

Something is wrong with your car. I have a '95 E320 and if I floor it from a stop it just wants to smoke my rear tires (well, at least one of them ). It's very responsive in first and second gear, even with 160,000 miles. If I floor it from 20 mph hitting the kickdown switch to drop it into first... damn! It's old and mostly original and I'm concerned about breaking the already worn driver's seat or some suspension part so I don't do that very often. I don't consider this a sports car because it does seem to have some body roll, though it never feels unstable, but acceleration is never an issue.

When I first acquired my car, the Bowden cable was way too long, keeping the transmission in higher gears all the time. It did feel sluggish. After I played with it for a while and got it just right, (turned it out a few turns) it has made the car much more responsive and it kicks down into the lower gears without having to floor it.

What are your revs doing when the car feels sluggish? The power band seems to be around 3-4K. Any fault codes?

jgajito

I know there's something wrong, the SOB that sold it to me was a member of the Mickey Mouse Club. He even had the nerve to have me sign a seperate release waiver which in California is useless anyways, because there's no such thing as a warrantee or guarantee on used cars. So just an FYI , don't believe anything a car salesman tells you about warranty or guarantee on a used car...

Back to the topic, I haven't learn to read the fault codes yet, and I just search the forum, so my next immediate project is to create a reader and get the codes off the diagnostic terminal.

I'm learning more and more everyday, I thought I had to buy some expensive gadget to read the codes. Thank You Forum!!!

2PHAST

Maybe your E320 starts in 2nd gear vs. starting in 1st. I know on the 500e, it makes the car a dog off the line, thats why we all go with ASR defeat and FGS modules, it really wakes up the 500e and lets you experience all of the cars potential.

jgajito

I read that on your website(that's where I learned to do so many things on my 190E, thanks man! ), so that's why I had to ask about the E320's, just thinking if there was an ASR and a defeat switch could be installed.

There are times when I feel like the car won't do things it's not aloud to do, hey I appreciate a good safety feature now and then, but it sucks when I'm sitting next to an M3 at a stop light we he guns it and we end up at another light and he guns it, over and over, I feel like a granny in an MBZ and I know I can smoke 'em on the freeway.

Anyways, thanks for the input.

2PHAST

Try this. From a stand still, accelerate half throttle and count the shifts, if your car starts in 2nd gear, you will feel a 2nd to 3rd and then a 3rd to 4th upshift (total of two upshifts). If you count three upshifts, then your car starts in 1st gear. Remember, no WOT.

jgajito

I just learned to read it last night and gave it try a few minutes ago... I duddits!!!

Ok, here they are;

• 05 EGR inoperative.(very old, must be original)
• 10 Voltage at Air Mass sensor too high or low. (I don't know, maybe a bad MAF Sensor, number 5 on my current project of things to change)
• 21 Purge switchover valve-open or shorted.(if the pressure from the EGR Valve is not working, I'm assuming this won't work properly)
• 26 Upshift delay switch over valve-open or shorted. (if the pressure from the EGR Valve is not working, I'm assuming this won't work properly, I haven't looked at the smog pump either to verify if it's running correctly, maybe need to check that to.)

The EGR, as I suspected but was least worried about was number 1 on my exhaust system changes. So I guess this needs to probably move to number 1 current and see what happens.

So, it looks like the EGR is not giving enough vacuum pressure to the Change Over Relay causing some other vacuum controls to modulate or try to accomodate pressure. Hence the Roller-Coast Idle.

I reset the codes, and now the Check Engine Light is out again, I suspect in a few miles it will return.

I'm going to test the take-off gear right now... BRB.

Thanks for the feedback!

jgajito

Ok, here's an update.

Incidentally after the previous code debugging, I did a caveman thing(former chevy owner), I tapped the EGR a few times and fiddled with the vacuum hose a little and checked the electronic connections on the Elect. Change Over relay and the vacuum from the smog pump.

Then I did exactly as you said, at five different places;

1. On my street. 3-shifts(less than half or quarter throttle, good)
2. On a straight-away street by my neighborhood a pretty good 1/4 mile stretch. 3-shifts(half-throttle, good)
3. Hitting a corner at the end of that stretch. 3-shifts(quarter throttle, good)
4. Another straight-away in a major boulevard. 3-shifts(this time at more than half throttle, very good)
5. On the freeway on-ramp. 3-shifts(full throttle, very good)
6. Back on my street. 3-shifts(less than half or quarter throttle, good)

RPM's noted, from 2000 rpm's to 4000 rpm's before shifting, usuall around 3000 rpm's at less than half-throttle, except at full-throttle, I ran it close to 6000-6500 rpm's, I hit fourth at about 80-85 mph's then I backed off and exited the freeway immediately.(it's rush hour...shhhhhh...)

It's reacting differently today, and the check engine light did NOT come back on as I expected it to. I placed it in park and did notice the roller-coaster idle was still there.

2PHAST

Sounds to me like your car starts in 1st by default, thats good. Not sure what else to suggest you try at this point, but it does appear you are looking in the right areas, keep us informed as to your findings.

shadowgriffen

My head hurts from reading

Very good observations.