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Aug 26, 2017 13:46:44 GMT
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Sooo - this was literally my first try at casting something. I didn't expect it to go this well, else I had maybe spent a bit more effort for the prep-work. But... Wow! I'm amazed at how well this turned out. New key fob Since I expected a failure, I didn't take any more pictures... Next time Cheers, Jan
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Haha, I'm already looking for more. Sadly I just missed out on a mechanical pre-war jack. That would be the icing on the cake for my collection. I keep looking... I'm fuelled to the brim! I even had a little clear out to make room for more Steinbocks. Cheers, Jan
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Aug 25, 2017 17:39:03 GMT
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Actually - why not?? Worst thing that could happen is; it's just as bad as before... Best thing that could happen is; it's fixed... Next up; replacing the steering idler bushes. They had a lot of play in them. Like - a LOT. But, unfortunately, this is a six-cylinder car with a two flute exhaust. So - nope, no bolt coming out. Had to undo the whole exhaust just get the pipe off it's cone seat on the manifold and move it aside enough. Another method would be to raise the engine. But... Hmm. I got the bolt out, knocked out the upper bush out from below, and the lower bush from the top. Using an FLD (Fooking Long Drift). Installed new bushes using a spindle. Not as hard as knocking out the old ones, they can be stubborn barstuards. also replaced the center track rod. and with this, steering should be much better. All three track rods were pretty worn out, the ball joints have no resistance to wiggling at all... More food for the scrap bin... Then I installed the brand-spanking new (280€.... Ouch!!) sway bar, with new rubbers. It put up a gigantic fight, I just could not get it to line up. Usually they just drop in place. It took me a while to figure out that one of the sway bar holders was bent outwards and would not align with the rubber bush... Replaced both with good used ones - and tada - it dropped in like it belonged there. All good... And last but not least; the exhaust got yet another set of patches I'm also going to reinforce the pipe where it meets the silencer, as it's rusted quite thin... That's all for now - I'm tired of wrenching... Cheers, Jan
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Aug 24, 2017 17:48:42 GMT
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Took a trip to Lake Constance today... And since I'm posting this to this thread, you know what I did there. Jepp, you guessed it. I brought home number twelve... Don't know what I'm going to do with this one, I've got so many that need work & attention But it was too cheap to let it go... This was actually offered to me as response for an for-sale advert I posted online. So instead of getting rid of one, I bought another Cheers, Jan
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I'm sure Mercedes would give me one, if I trade it for 476€ €s, that's all they want. I have a Turbo oil pan with 1l higher capacity, it's the process of replacing it that's a pain. And I'm not going to try and weld oil drenched cast aluminium in-situ, upside down, with a ton of oily sludge above it. This just screams for disaster...
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Hi! Uhm - not really, but I could get some. It's not finished yet, mind. This was just a concept-build, to see it it'll work as desired. Which it does. The wooden board will be replaced by adjustable holders for the rear of the subframe. As the angle changes which ever way it's jacked up. And with the wooden board, you can't really pull the diff, as it suppports the rear of the frame. So - lots of room for improvement Anyway... So much joy and good mood - followed by depression... When I tightened the front a-arms, I noticed a random oil drip in the middle of the oil pan. Didn't think much of it and wiped it away. When I looked at the oil pan a bit later.... Well: A fooking crack. Right in the middle! I always wondered why the bottom of the oil pan was so oily, but though it came from the injection pump where it seals to the block. So, next oil change includes the oil pan... And this is going to be a true and honest pain in the a$$... Or maybe I try JB Weld first It just never ends. Cheers, Jan
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Aug 23, 2017 20:11:00 GMT
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This car has earned it's keep, it's truly deserved... And I'll enjoy it as well So, yesterday night, I put on the underseal. This morning it was dry, so I put in new pressure spheres (which are the actual shock absorbers) and re-connected the hydraulic lines. Fiddly, to say the least. And that's without the suspension in place... The old ones were actually not bad, but this job is SOO much easier without the axle in place... So why not. ^and yeah, it's filthy as fcuk - that's because the car gets it's regular dose of Fluid Film. Attracts dirt, but prevents from rust. Unless it's been silently rusting for 3 decades... Like on the suspension attachments Next up; installation of the rear axle. With the Hydro Crab, this was incredibly convenient to do; manouvre it with feet, and pump it up into place. And this time, I was even able to install the whole thing WITH the springs in place, I never managed this before! And the reason is; the contraption I put together... It held the subframe steady, so I could compress the springs without the subframe getting pushed away. Very nice! As installing the rear spring separately is - a PITA. A royal one. Still room for improvements, but the concept seems to work VERY well! Then I bolted on the prop shaft, shocks, swaybar, exhaust and installed the parking brake shoes. Here's a neat trick for the big springs; just lever them on with a screw driver... If they get stuck in the hole they'r meant to go through; gentle tap with a punch - and done. For the dome shaped springs... Well, no way around the proper tool. But you can improvise with a bolt & a file. Well - then I bolted on the wheels, connected the battery - and let her run. Had to fix a smal hydraulik leak (pipe not tight enough), and then went for a short drive around the block. Of course the alignment is all out of place, but - feels good!! Very good! Much firmer and smoother. Fresh, not worn. Cleaned up the garage and had a brew... Not completely done, still need to replace the center track rod and steering idler bushes. But that's a job for friday. Cheers, Jan
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Aug 22, 2017 16:31:43 GMT
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Haha - er, I'd rather keep in conventional So - much to my surprise - my local car parts store actually had all the parts I needed on the shelf! Nice! I also replaced the strut mounts, since the Monroe ones I put in 3 years ago are allready well past theyr best. And they'r made from pressed steel, rather than cast aluminium. And the little cone that locates the strut is just pressed in and came loose. I also replaced the tracj rods, the old ones were very loose, so why not. Made use of my tracking-copy-machine Then A-arms & springs. I hate springs. Especially on a well-equipped six-cylinder... They'r just immense. And tricky to install, usually takes a couple of approaches to have the spring seated without pinching the spring tensioner... Very exhausting. But - I got them in, everything torqued down, bolted up - ready to roll. Other side looks just the same, no picture... And speaking of torquing - I treated myself to a new torque wrench... Finally. 40-200nm, instead of the 20-110nm 3/8" drive torque wrench I had for - an eternity. 40-200 is a far more usable range for the stuff I do. Ball joint bolts p.e. need 125nm. And that's it for now. Paint still has not fully cured. Fickpisse. ^all scrap... Cheers, Jan
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Aug 21, 2017 18:22:13 GMT
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Soo, since the temperatures dropped over night (11°C this morning!), I dug out the toddler toaster in hope that it accelerates things a bit. Next I jacked up the rear axle untill the axle shafts were straight, and tightened all bolts. It's a lot easier to do this with the axle off the car. Mainly due to access to the top inner bolts... And then - as planed - I stripped the front suspension. Again - everything had been replaced before, so no dramas, no rotten excenter bolts - nothing. Bar the driver's side ball joint. This didn't want to get out of the upright. But - I have the right factory tool for the job Of course I have! And now I could finally put it to use! It spreads the split joint and releases the shaft of the ball joint. And when I removed the shocks, I found this beauty: Unfortunately, all shops ahd allready closed, so I'll have to order it tomorrow morning and hope to collect in the afternoon. If that's not possible - well, fcuk it. It's done it's job so far... And that's it, completely stripped of it's suspension... Cheers, Jan
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Aug 20, 2017 19:04:00 GMT
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Thank you, both of you! Well today I have no update, other than admitting I'm a muppet. I orderer the paint, but I had read the discription of another paint from the same manufacturer - this takes at least 2 days to dry... Oh dear. So - lazy sunday was "I got nothing to do other than watch paint dry"-sunday So instead I payed a visit to my other W124. So the plan is - tomorrow I'll actually start on the front suspension, whilst the paint continues to dry. Don't want to risk anything and have the seam sealer strip the paint off or something like that. Cheers, Jan
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Aug 20, 2017 18:50:51 GMT
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Haha!
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Aug 20, 2017 17:46:33 GMT
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Hmmm. I think I should make a "DieselWeaselWerks" thread or something, 'cause many times all the threads are linked. Anyway, I wanted to clear out some surplus furniture from my second garage, to make room for my collection of Steinbock floor jacks (or a part of it at least). And so it happened that I exhumed the Coupé and drove it across the yard a bit... Dragged out the furniture and parked it again. Soo - this car is not abandoned, I just don't have enough time to really get going with it again. It's a 1h drive, and currently traffic is a nightmare, due to several huge construction sites. Anyway, that's it - and needless to say it fired up at the first flick of the starter... Cheers, Jan
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Aug 19, 2017 20:02:58 GMT
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Yes. It's actually Owatrol Oil, which contains some additives for faster drying. Linseed oil or varnish takes a lot longer to cure, but also creeps into cracks a lot longer. But eventually dries completely and can be painted over. So far it's the only successful rust-stopper I found so far. But it takes a long time to dry, as said. And be very carfull with linseed oil stained rags / towels etc. - given the right circumstances, they can self-ignite! Don't stuff them into the bin, let them dry unfolded in the open! www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infpai/inflinspontaneouscombust.html
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Aug 19, 2017 18:57:30 GMT
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G'day! Rot on the other side cut out... ...and welded up. Again, not pretty, but should last a good while. I don't regard welding repairs as a permanent fix, it's just a repair. It'll never be as good as a spot welded bare shell that gets dipped in primer afterwards. Really not proud of it, but here it is: Then I flooded both sides with very thin primer and took the rear suspension apart. Target: the lower control arms. They need new bushes. And those bushes... Oh dear. If I think back about the struggle when I replaced them on the Turbodiesel Coupé... But not this time. I loaded the LCAs into the Jeep and drove to work. Where we have a special little special tool for this job. Actually, the rest of this post will be about using special tools for special jobs. Anyway; this is a tool you can't buy, it was developed "in house" (makes it sound extra special, doesn't it? ). ^pressinf the bushing out. The problem is, that there's only a very thin walled tube to use as rest for a pressing tool. It's very precisely machined, to have as much surface as possible to interfere with the LCA. Also the bushing has only a very thin outer part, so the press tool needs to fit VERY tight. In fact, you have to press it through all the way. Which also cleans the bore, so that's actually nice. And then you use the exact same tool to press in the new bush. And bob's your uncle. Took no 15 minutes, including making a coffee, looking for the tool and setting up the press And not a single drop of sweat was cast. Very neat tool! I can't claim making it, but I gave the impulse to have it made. It's not very often that we replace these, but boy is it effortless now. I also borrowed the (factory) tool for the radial bearings that connect the LCA with the hub. With which it's pretty easy to replace them. Without - not so much. Without it's very hard work. This is a tool I'm going to buy sooner or later, it's very handy! Then I threw a lick of chassis paint onto my ugly welding, to hide it a bit. Turns out they sell this paint in Light Ivory, perfect! Then I removed all the links on the rear suspension, one after the other. Also replaced the track rods and pressed in the new subframe bushes. Again with the correct special/factory tool. Also got the other side done. And miuch to my surprise; not a single bolt was stuck or rotten. But I think I know why; this is not the first complete suspension rebuilt this car got All links, bushes and stuff had already been replaced. On almost all other W124s, those parts are still installed from the factory, and thos bolts can be stuck SOLID, making a nightmare to rebuilt the rear suspension. Probably another advantage of a high-milage car And speaking of the milage; the rust damage I showed earlier... This starts with fatigue cracks from too hot factory-welds, at least hat's my assumption. But I've seen this floor panel crack on a LOT of estates, right next to the seam-welds that hold it to the frame rail. And once cracked, water can get in and do it's thing. Rust spreads through the floor panel, through the frame rail and spreads into the inner/upper/rear part of the sub-frame attachment triangle thingy. Sedans don't seem to suffer as much from this kind of damage. At least I've seen it a lot more times on estates. Maybe they are less stiff, maybe it's the higher weight - I don't know... Anyway, tomorrow will be a lazy day, I'll only apply seam sealer and maybe underseal, if it hardens in time. And monday - back in with the subframe! At least tat's my cunning plan. Cheers, Jan
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Not going to bother anymore, I know what it is able to do - all in all, I didn't buy this as a sensible car. varelse: they are super useful if you need to level out your trailer on your lifted Cherokee
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No more throttle than needed for the desired speed whilst accelerating. And I drove slow. Let it coast where possible - the usual fuel-save-trickery. Going 60MPH, this thing revs below 2000. The transmission is an Aisin-Warner AW4, which is a 4-speed, but 4th is an overdrive. And the gearing is pretty tall; 3.07. But I think the main reason is me not going fast, I tried to stay below 60MPH where possible. I think the real milage is somewhere around 28 to 27, if you take speedo error into account. But that's still not bad at all. Yesterday I found the reason for my assumed creaky rear suspension. The spare wheel wasn't tightened down. It hangs under the bed, and the only thing that's holding it is a steel cable. There's a hole belowthe tail gate, where you can operate the spare wheel hoist from. Since it was allready loose, I lowered it to check the cable. They'r known to rot, snap - and drop the spare on the road... Cable looks good - and I got me a free screw driver Cheers, Jan
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Aug 18, 2017 17:59:47 GMT
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I am! Which resulted in an astonishing 28.48 MPG...
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They are fantastically cheap to get hold of, now that companies fit LED lighting... I payed 1€ for this load: Apparently they cost 2500 new. I gave most of them away, just kept a few. Now I'd like to have 1 more to hang, but I'm sure I'm not going to pay a lot...
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Aug 17, 2017 17:17:02 GMT
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Same spot of rust from the outside, after I brushed off the PVC underseal... Which also acts as the seam sealer - or not. I cut all of the rot out and welded in some fresh metal. It was terrible to work, high temperatures & high humidity, being wedged under the car, back hurt, neck hurt, no room to move and showered in sparks & welding splatter. I really didn't enjoy it one bit, so I took a lot of breaks. It's really uncomfortable to work in this space... With the car on axle stands and only little space next to the car anyways. It's not pretty, but pretty solid. I'm not proud of my welding, but it really was blöödy annoying... Inbetween I brushed off loose paint on thesubframe and treated it with linseed oil. That's about all I'm going to do, apart from a few spots around welds it's rock solid. To remove the subframe bearings/bushings, I used the original MB tool. I was lucky to be first, when someone sold it almost unused for a real bargain price. This tool is discontinued, so I was double-lucky to get hold of a complete set. Makes it very easy to pull the bearings in & out. Not that it is ultimately required to do the job, but it makes it a LOT easier. That's about all, I was not very productive. And I got side-trucked with gardening... I'll try to be more productive the next couple of days... Cheers, Jan
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Aug 17, 2017 17:16:11 GMT
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Did a bit of gardening, which suddenly is fun Started with a bit of black berry that tends to overgrow my parking spot - and escalated into a "mow down ALL the hedges!!!!111eleven" frenzy Awesome to have a self-propelled trailer for disposal of garden trimmings Fastest green waste in the area! Cheers, Jan
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