Classic w126 owner

[Fawaad]

Hi guys,

Joined yesterday after purchasing a w126 on eBay.

 

[d w124]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

[carat 3.6]

Welcome to the forum.

Is she a 280, or maybe a 300?

 

[Fawaad]

Yes. She is a 280SE. fuel prices and it's condition swung it for me

 

[stwat]

Hello and welcome Lovely car

 

[Fawaad]

Thanks.

 

[ianrandom]

Looks lovely. Welcome

 

[brigadier]

Clean example. Welcome

 

[pete-d]

Hi there - looks nice

 

[Tazz666]

that is a nice looking example well done on the purchase and hello

 

[stwat]

A good club to join is the w126 register Mercedes W126

As well as the great forum joining the club brings many advantages and money saving deals, just as joining MBClub does

 

[ringway]

Lovely car. Welcome to MB Club.

 

[Fawaad]

Awwww schucks! Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

 

[Fawaad]

Well..... Finally collected the car from London yesterday and immediately had a 200 mile drive ahead of her and a number of issues have come to the fore. Any advice on the following issues will be deeply appreciated:

1. No lights at all on the instrument panel or dashboard. I bought this car during the day and didn't realise, but when night fell I could not see any information like how fast I was going and how the temperature was holding up.. Any ideas what this could be?

2. Intermittent fuel gauge. As if there is a loose wire behind it

3. Slight misfire causing unsteady idle.

4. Cruise control seems jumpy as if it cuts in and out at will.

5. The car does seem underpowered and does not respond to the throttle when moving off from stationary.


Aside from that it really is a solid drive. The suspension, steering and engine feel tight and new. Will put some detailed pics soon.

 

[Scott_F]

For point 3 start with the basics like plugs, leads, rotor arm, distributor cap and air filter. Replacement of some or all of these may also improve point 5.

 

[Fawaad]

I am now told by the seller that the instrument panel lights issue might be down to a bad contact at the rheostat? What is a rheostat and how plausible is this explanation?

 

[Fawaad]

Update:
Pulling the mileage reset button left to right resolved centre console lights issue, but still no luck on the speedometer and instrument panel. Full fuse replacement, contact cleaning and a bulb check on the cards.

 

[Fawaad]

Update:

Speedo lights are on. Let there be light. More twisting and tugging of the reset switch. Definitely a poor contact issue....

Now for the lumpy idle, lax of power and throttle response and the jerky cruise control.

 

[Fawaad]

Any opinions on whether to use wheel spacers? I have seen plenty advertised on eBay approx 5mm ones? Any experience of doing this?

 

[ianrandom]

Rheostat is just the little thing that controls the brightnessof the instrument lamps.

If you popthe cluster out (Its a friction fit, very easy but disconnect your battery first!) you can see the rheostat on the back of the cluster. It just pulls off, you may be able to clean it for better contacts.

Intermittent cruise is very common. The solder joints in the cruise box will need to be re-touched by someone who is good at it. Or you could try a replacement from one of the breakers such as Threepointedparts or Mercman. The box is located somewhere above the accelerator pedal area. If you remove the carpeted bolster panel etc all will be revealed.