Tagged: W126

USA Junkyard Visits 3

USA Junkyard Visits

I am currently in the USA and had a few hours to spare in Cincinnati Ohio before I headed out to the airport.   When I lived in the USA, I used to go to the self service junkyards to grab bits and pieces.    These junkyards are larger in the USA and they have standard price lists for parts, no matter what car you...

W126 Differential Ratios 4

W126 Differential Ratios

The W126 range was in production from 1979-1991.  I’ve never seen a comprehensive table of W126 differential ratios, so I have attempted to create my own.   Not only did they vary between models and years, but in some cases countries too. It is possible I have missed a few more country specific ratios.   Please indicate in the comments below if I have.  The data...

300SE Odometer Repair Update 8

300SE Odometer Repair Update

Back in early 2017 I fixed my broken odometer.  The 300SE odometer repair was successful, but there were two things I needed to follow up on. The odometer was reading 10% low. I could hear the gears, especially in cold weather. In addition, some time after I repaired the odometer, one of the bulbs that illuminates the instrument cluster at night failed.   The fix...

Troubleshooting W126 Climate Control 1

Troubleshooting W126 Climate Control

When I purchased my 300SE, the A/C worked well.   I assume the overall Climate Control system did too.  I never did test anything more than max A/C as the weather was very hot.  Everything seemed fine, except for the little aspirator fan which was noisy.  Unfortunately 3 weeks after purchase, the A/C stopped working.    I was sitting at red traffic lights and...

The Mercedes W126 in Australia 5

The Mercedes W126 in Australia

Despite the newest examples being almost 30 years old, the Mercedes W126 is still a fairly common sight in Australia.   Wheels Magazine awarded it the car of the year in 1981, a controversial choice for such an expensive car.   They were popular both with private buyers, and the limo trade who racked up big mileages.   30 years later, good examples still change...

W126 Odometer Repair 11

W126 Odometer Repair

My ‘new’ 300SE suffered from a common problem with Mercedes of that era, a non functional odometer.   The mechanical odometer is driven by a small electric motor instead of a traditional speedometer cable and associated gears.   This is because the speedometer is electric yet the odometer is mechanical.   This combination was common in the late 80s and early 90s before cars...

Mercedes-Benz Classic Coupes 2

Mercedes-Benz Classic Coupes

It is hard to find somebody who prefers four door cars on aesthetic grounds.     Sure, four door cars may be more practical, often cheaper to insure and easier to live with, but when buying a classic car, those considerations are not nearly as important. Mercedes Benz have always provided a range of handsome coupes in their range, which are still even years...

Classic Jalopy