1999 C250 TD Auto Estate Problems

[johnb]

Hi
I am taking part in a charity rally from Cornwall to Rome in September, the cars must not cost anymore than £500.

So I have just bought a 1999 C250 TD Estate for £350, it has a full service history - Yeh! MOT'd and Taxed until April - Bargain!

But:

The paintwork is terrible, rust pretty much everywhere - not too worried.

The heating system is blowing HOT regardless of control settings - it has rotary controls - not digital.

The 5 speed autobox will only drive in 1st while cold, but then springs to life and works perfectly after a few miles. ie when warmed up.

I am aware that these cars use vacuum to control a few things so maybe the 2 main faults are linked?

We have VW's in the family and I use VAGCOM extensively, is there a Merc equivalent to talk to these cars?

Not error lights on the dash - no I lie the bottom left light is lit SRS??

Can anyone point me in the right direction on the heating and gearbox faults?

The previous owner has changed the gearbox fluid, not checked the level yet, not sure whether the filter was changed either - I know level has to be checked with engine running and with a fabricated dipstick.

Many thanks
John

 

[Dieselman]

The heating fault is either no power through the control unit or the duo-valve is stuck open/failed.

The gearbox probably needs the codes reading to be sure, as it's an electronic gearbox.

 

[guydewdney]

where are you?

have code reader and scrapper car ideal for banger rally parts if it helps - in Somerset.

Turn fan off, open windows? Its a 300 quid car ffs when cold, close windows, turn fan on.

I did staples-naples rally a few years back in a carpy old vauxhall cavalier we lobbed a three litre carlton lump into - great fun. fixed a volvo's slipping (leaking) auto box by filling the windscreen squirty with ATF so they could re-fill the box by squirting the windscreen (re-directed pipe)..... broke into a BMW 3 series as they had locked the keys inside and hurt my liver quite a lot....

 

[91dm]

I think if the duo-valve sticks it will blow hot regardless of the dials, it's located on the drivers side inner wing. Hard to say the reason for the SRS light without the codes.

Fault codes can be read with STAR or I use carsoft, they have a 38PIN connector on the passengers side inner wing.

Where abouts are you?

 

[johnb]

I'm on the Devon Cornwall border PL17 7NG

Thanks for all your replies.

Is there an online workshop manual anywhere?

maybe 'fault finding guides for the box and heating?

I will checkout the power feed to the control unit, and rip out the duo valve, already seen this mentioned.

I have also read about a reset routine for the box - although that only resets the learnt shift patterns - ign on, gearbox in P hold throttle down hard for 15 seconds, blah blah...something like that anyway.

The box is absolutely fine once warmed up, so hopefully nothing major wrong just needs a good sorting in the relevant area.

John

 

[guydewdney]

No online manual. Can buy wis on ebay etc. Wis is workshop information system, thats the workshop manual, complicated and not easy to use as its designed for professionals with training, not muppets like us.