Replacing the W123 grille insert

The prominent grille is one of the most obvious design features of the W123.  A scruffy grille can really let down the car.   On my 240D, the grille was in pretty good shape, but the plastic insert was starting to go chalky.  In addition, one of the clips that holds on the metal strips had broken and a previous owner had used hot glue to re-attach it.

I had assumed I would just put up with it, as the grille inserts available from the usual parts suppliers in America are of horrific quality.   However, a friend who had recently purchased a 280CE mentioned that he got a very good insert from Niemoller in Germany.   I decided to order one, as well as a new auxiliary fan.

When the replacement W123 grille insert arrived, I agreed with him.   Its not perfect but is quite good quality.   The only fault I could find in it is there is some slight evidence of where the plastic has flowed before it hardened.  You have to look quite close to see this.

Changing the W123 grille insert is not particularly difficult.  It is just one of those fiddly jobs that takes a bit longer than you expect it will.   To replace the insert, the entire grille must be removed.  This is quite easy as its held on by six 8mm screws.

Four of the screws are quite obvious, but two require an extension and cannot be seen.  Once the grille is off the car, then the W123 grille insert is removed from the rear.  It is held on quite securely.  The two outer screws holding the grille shell to the car are also holding in the insert, so that leaves another six fasteners to remove.   The easiest one is the Philips head screw at the bottom.  Then the Mercedes emblem below the star also holds on the top centre of the insert and is removed with an 8mm nut.   That is also quite straightforward.

The sides are more fiddly.  There are four clips that hold the insert flush against the grille shell.  The bottom ones hare hidden behind plastic spacers.  These are held on with phillips head screws.   Then, I removed the four clips by rocking them side to side with a flat head screwdriver until they came off.

With the insert removed, the metal strips can be simply slid off.   The horizontal ones slide outwards and the vertical one slides down.  Other than the one held on by hot glue, they were simple to remove and re-install on the new insert.   On closer inspection, my strips are not as good as I thought, and I regretted not getting new ones.  I’ll try and polish them up with metal polish.   While I was there I also transferred over my grille badge.

Re-assembly is the opposite of removal.  While I was at it, I noticed that the blue surround of the Mercedes emblem was a bit faded.  I had a much better emblem on one of my spare W126 grilles, so I swapped it over.  Its not perfect, as some of the white paint on the star has come off, but its in quite good shape. There are also a couple of metal clips to accept the mounting screws in the top left and right corners of the insert that I swapped over to the new one.

The main thing I discovered while re-assembling the grille is that the Philips head screw at the bottom of the grille should be re-installed last. I tried putting it first.  However, there are some plastic tabs that sort of tuck into the grille shell inner rim.  If the bottom of the insert is secured first, they are not property tucked in and the insert doesn’t sit correctly.   I found it better to install the Mercedes emblem first to locate the top part of the insert, and then the sides, then the bottom last.  The metal clips on the sides are the most fiddly, but eventually went on with a flat head screwdriver.

Re-installing the grille was also a bit fiddly.   After a few attempts to line it up, I found it easier to use the two inner screws to locate the grille on the bonnet.  I inserted these with the bonnet in the normal position.

From there, I installed the two outer screws.   For the middle ones, the bonnet needed to be in the service position.  Otherwise I couldn’t put the screw on the end of the socket and then guide it into place.

I’m pretty happy with this improvement.   There are two other future improvements.  I will try and polish up the metal strips, and the star can be a bit limp at times.  On my trip to Queensland it would sometimes fall over at speeds over 100km/h.

Observant readers will notice I made a mistake.   I noticed it when writing up this article.   The tongue for the latching mechanism is not in the right spot.  While I had put it in place when first fitting the grille, when moving it around to fit, it must have fallen out.

I went back the next day to check.  It took a few minutes, but I eventually got the bonnet open.  I was able to use a hook to pull the latch open without damaging the grille.  Since the grille is now screwed into place, It wasn’t just a simple matter of putting the tongue in the slot.  At first, I thought I would have to remove the grille again, but then I noticed that the tongue is easily removable.

In about thirty seconds I had the circlip and pin off.  That then allowed me to re-install the tongue from the front and then re-attach it.