Today I attended the Wheels 2022 event in Queanbeyan. This is a large car show open to car clubs affiliated with the ACT Council of Motor Clubs. In some ways it is quite similar in concept to the Eastern Creek event I attend in Sydney. The Mercedes-Benz club ACT planned to put on a special display – and invited members of the NSW club...
Earlier in the week I attempted to run a fuel pressure test on my 1979 280SE. On further examination, I was pretty sure I had it connected up wrong. The instructions call for the pressure gauge to be attached to the larger fitting on the warm up regulator. The warm up regulator is hidden down to the side of the engine on the...
I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of the running issues on my 1979 280SE. The last thing I tried was draining all the fuel and replacing the fuel filter and tank strainer. Once the car warmed up, it actually ran reasonably well. I took it for a drive for about 40 kilometers and it was running better and better. ...
I recently purchased a W116 280SE. On arrival, it wasn’t running too well, and the symptoms pointed to the car not getting enough fuel. A few weeks ago, I drained all the fuel in the tank and checked the main fuel filter and strainer. After doing all this, the fuel filter and strainer were all that bad. They certainly didn’t look bad...
The C107 is a bit of an anomaly in the classic Mercedes-Benz range. On one hand it occupies the spot usually reserved for the S Class Coupe. On the other, it was created by lengthening the SL and turning it into a 2+2. This is probably why values were low for years and its only in the last 5-10 that people have started to...
In 1968 the new mid-size Mercedes-Benz range made its debut. This was a pretty important model from Mercedes-Benz – it would set the basic platform for their model range for the next twenty years. While stylistically it took cues from the old W108/W109 range, underneath was a far more modern car. The 107, 116, 123 & 126 models would all share an ancestry from...
The W108 and W109 series were produced from 1965 to 1972. While its replacement, the W116 was the first model called the S-Class, the W108 and W109 models occupied that spot in the model range. When drivers new to this range first experience these cars, they often comment how high the engines are revving at motorway speeds. This is not like the cars...
My recently purchased 280SE is not running well. The symptoms feel like it is not getting enough fuel. Strangely enough, performance picked up with more petrol in the tank. Based on that, I wanted to eliminate two fairly obvious things before I started troubleshooting the fuel injection system. Namely, I wanted to make sure the various fuel filters installed on the car...
The first night drive of the year was held a bit earlier than usual to avoid the Australia Day Holiday. This was actually a drive we planned for the second half of last year, but it was postponed due to the COVID lockdowns. This month, while we are no longer in lockdown, COVID cases are up in Sydney and tests are not available...
Premature failure of the Balance shaft on the Mercedes M272 engine is a known problem. Apparently the balance shafts were too soft and so they wear out quickly. This was the subject of a class action lawsuit in the United States. Over there, the shafts in affected cars were replaced by the dealer out of warranty. This wasn’t the case here in Australia,...
Citroen / Jaguar / Mercedes / Misc
by admin · Published December 23, 2021 · Last modified September 22, 2024
With the year coming to a close it felt like a good idea to do a 2021 fleet update. A bit of a summary of any issues I had with each car, how much I used it and any future plans. I don’t own a modern car, so these cars not only get used as a hobby, but as everyday transport – regardless...
Last night was the final night drive (and last official drive overall) for the Mercedes Club in 2021. Since the lockdown was lifted, we’ve really struggled with the weather for these night drives. Finally, the weather held up and we had a great turn out of 17 cars on the night. It started out hot and humid but cooled off and proved to...
My 1987 560SEL is in very nice cosmetic condition for its age and mileage. The only thing that really let it down was the condition of the alloy wheels. It was clear that they had been cleaned with harsh wheel cleaners many times over the years. The paint was badly discolored. I had some spare Gullideckel wheels that I could have sent...
One of the things I noticed right away when I got my new 280SE was that it wasn’t running well. It was very hard to start and keep running. Eventually, if I warmed it up a bit it would idle, but giving it much throttle would have it stutter and die. I was able to get it off the tow truck and into...
The second generation W126 controls ignition timing from the EZL. In most countries, Mercedes-Benz provided a knob to adjust the timing based on the petrol that was available in your area. This knob is present on my UK delivery 560SEC. I immediately turned the knob up to 98 octane petrol, as that is what I use in the car. In markets like Australia and...
I took the risky move of buying my 1979 280SE sight unseen. This isn’t something I particularly recommend, but you can get a good sense of a car by looking at detailed photos very carefully. The thing that attracted me to this car was the condition of the body and interior. I assumed a couple of mechanical issues in my buy price. ...
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