E320 Coupe - I have taken the plunge

[stats007]

stats007

No movement of the coil feeds need take place to snip away the outer cosmetic coverering of the wires to the coil connections.

By gently snipping a couple of inches of the material with a nail scissors, one can then easily see the condition of the actual loom wires and (cracked)insulation, if indeed they are cracked.

As I say the outer covering is just cosmetic and black in colour to match the rest of the loom, and give the loom a uniform look. No harm done at all BUT big peace of mind.

Perhaps you have never worked under the top engine cover of a HFM 104 engine.

The loom doesn't just rot inside the cover - though it usually goes first here due to the heat buildup - any inspection elsewhere, the bulkhead for example, creates the same problem. It isn't limited to just the M104 engine either. I'm sure you've read Derek's thread on the MBOC - from memory didn't he make a loom for you as well?

 

[kth286]

stats007

He didn't make one for me. I bought and replaced my own.

I was into this problem before anyone, as it was first flagged up about 5/6 years ago in Car Mechanics when looms were quoted as being about £200.

After I bought my car in Nov 2002 (119000 miles) I went to the club technical seminar in Milton Keynes in the Jan 2003 and asked (in the question session at the end) whether Mercedes had arrived at a solution for the heat problem and loom denegration.

"No knowledge of any loom problem on the 104 engine" was the reply from the employees of Mercedes technical dept.

Anyway, sometime later after driving 1000's miles (including several continental trips) and now on my third new coil, I patched the wiring up, and a month later after a plug change blew another coil and the output driver of the main ECU.

I then replaced the coil, loom and ECU.

It was then that I posted my experience and warning to others about the dangers of moving the loom during a spark plug change.

The title of the post was (if I remember correctly):

"Spark plug change costs £1300"

Since that time there has been much debate on the forum about the subject as you know, especially since the dedicated W124 section was added to the forum.

Regards

 

[stats007]

There have been problems of this kind reported for a number of years in the US where no doubt hotter dryer weather exaggerates the problem.

I'm sure you've read this before.

 

[dougal74]

Well, I collected it on Sunday and it is pretty good but not quite what I had expected. Will post some photos when I take some.
It is a 4-speed auto not 5! It has bubbling on the lips of the front arches! - despite my direct questions...
However, it is mechanically in very good order so I went through with it anyway. Will probably need a trip up to Ian to fettle it come the new year.

 

[stats007]

I hope you knocked some money off for the incorrect description!

The bottle of red was nice by the way .

 

[imadoofus]

Well here's hoping it is a good 'un. He does seem to have been a bit 'dishonest' in some of his answers to direct questions, but hopefully that doesn't extend to things like "Full Service History" and so on.

What's the aerial on the OSR wing for?

PJ

 

[grober]

Two things to check

Looks a very nice car congratulations.

2 possible points.
Has the drivers airbag been replaced. There was an airbag recall on w124 coupes around that age. If it has a full MB service history that should have been done. On mine the replacement airbag unit had chromed MB logo in the centre whereas on the old one the old star was black like the plastic airbag cover. It was to cover the very slight chance of the airbag going off without a trigger something to do with corrosion in the mechanism mainly in humid climates as I recall. your local MB agent should be able to tell you I think.

The other thing to check out is leaks or delamination of the rear screen. This is revealed as a whitening of the glass at the edges. Its present on almost all cars of that vintage to a certain extent and can effect the heated rear screen. Worse are leaks into the boot area which can cause the rear panel under the rear screen to rust. This is much more common on the W126 coupes than the w124s thankfully. Replacing the rear screen is quite expensive so most folks live with the problem as long as it's not too bad.

 

[Shude]

your local MB agent should be able to tell you I think.

If you speak to customer services in MK they will confirm any recalls for the VIN. I did this to check my own airbag after someone mentioned it at the stealership.

The other thing to check out is leaks or delamination of the rear screen. This is revealed as a whitening of the glass at the edges. Its present on almost all cars of that vintage to a certain extent and can effect the heated rear screen. Worse are leaks into the boot area which can cause the rear panel under the rear screen to rust. This is much more common on the W126 coupes than the w124s thankfully. Replacing the rear screen is quite expensive so most folks live with the problem as long as it's not too bad.

Check to see if your rear screen is covered for breakages on your insurance policy (£50 excess?). Clearly if the window became cracked for some reason then that would be a low-cost way to repair it.

 

[dougal74]

Thanks guys, in response to the various questions: -

Yes there is a little delamination on the rear at the very edges but it is not bad. Thanks for the tip Shude but mine only covers the front.

I will get onto MK re. the airbag, it has full MB history to 2001 (and specialist thereafter) so it should have been picked up.

I assume it is a phone aerial, although there is no car kit present.

The beads were rosaries as the lady was born-again catholic after the death of her son in a accident - hence the photo by the shifter and transfers on the car.

I got a gesture for the rust and wasn't that worried by the 4-speed (more reliable one hopes!).

No explanation for the scarf.

Will post a question about infrared coding in Electronics...

 

[Roger Jones]

"Sportline suspension....oooh, nice"

If you mean this:

653 sports chassis with 8-hole light alloy rims (с 01.01.1990)

I have the same code on my 1996 320 Coupé and the ride is a world away from what I know is Sportline on my E300 twin turbo, which is altogether stiffer (20%, they say, although it feels like more than that) and which sits lower by about an inch. That said, I believe the Coupé's ride is somewhat stiffer than the ordinary saloon.

I've been trying to pin down exactly what that code means and haven't been very successful so far, although the 205 wheels are one obvious feature (my previous 1994 Coupé had 195 wheels). Can anyone throw more light on it?

On recalls, try:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm

and

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/default.asp

Yes, there was an airbag recall on 8 May 2001.

On the delamination problem, some sober advice I've seen is "live with it". It is unlikely to get much worse and the cost of replacement is painful (£500 + labour, and will it not go again?). I've seen somewhere that there is a company that can conceal it very discreetly. It's a shame, but I recall that the big BMW coupés were prone to it as well.

For what it's worth, I make sure that my mechanic checks the wiring loom at every service. He has detected no problem yet and, from his reaction each time, he's not anticipating one. Mine was delivered in early 1996.

Congratulations, dougal74. You won't regret it.

 

[janner]

I've been trying to pin down exactly what that code means and haven't been very successful so far, although the 205 wheels are one obvious feature (my previous 1994 Coupé had 195 wheels). Can anyone throw more light on it?

The sportline suspension option is just that, whether it's a saloon or coupe.
The wider wheels and tyres are part of the sportline suspension option.
I wonder if someone has uprated the suspension on your twin turbo to handle the extra power?
The saloons do handle better than the coupes anyway due to the stiffer chassis and better weight distribution.

 

[Roger Jones]

Thanks, janner. The documentation on the turbo is remarkably complete and there is no evidence of additional tweaking of the suspension.

I do know that the springs are shorter in Sportline config. I'll see if there is any difference between them.

I remain puzzled that the code says "sports chassis" and not "Sportline", given that Sportline was a formally named proper factory-fitted optional configuration.

 

[Apial]

Option 653 IS Sportline.

Look at it another way, why would MB offer a sports chassis option and a Sportline chassis option, and then only list the Sportline chassis option in the sales literature of the time?

The Sportline option on the coupe also included a 390mm steering wheel, so marginally smaller than the standard one as to wonder why they bothered, and a faster steering box that was 3 turns lock to lock. The anti roll bars are thicker, and the suspension slightly lowered.

Most people find the Sportline stiff enough, and some think it is too stiff judging by comments on this forum. I don't think that anything stiffer would be acceptable to most drivers.

The 4 spoke leather steering wheel has a slighly different spoke spacing, with spokes 2 and 3 being closer together.

The only other interior option for Sportline on a coupe was the Sportline cloth seats, which seeing as most cars had leather, was rarely optioned.

If you hunt around you can get a back window for nearer £300 fitted. Go through the Yellow pages and you will be amazed at the range of prices.

 

[grober]

According to an article by Ian Kuah in the Mercedes club magazine several years ago, the first factory "Sportline" models were very harsh but were subsequently modified to give a more more compliant ride. So even the factory "Sportline" packages differed slightly depending when the car was made. This might explain things???

 

[Apial]

Hmm... interesting. So when did MB start producing a Sportline option? It has to be pre '91. Did the Sportline bit get dropped and it was then called the AMG version.? Something about It being called Sportline when AMG did the work for MB, and called the AMG option when MB had bought out AMG?

 

[Roger Jones]

Thanks, folks. It may well be that my 1990 300E turbo was one of the earlier and stiffer Sportline jobs. It's certainly distinctly stiffer than the Coupé; I think it's the stiffest ride I've ever had.

This may be of interest:

http://www.mercedesshop.com/sportline_suspension.htm

And, according to the E-Class Owner's Bible, the parts are:

Front spring 124 321 29 04
Rear spring 124 324 28 04
Front sway bar 124 323 68 65
Front inner sway bar bushing 124 323 45 85
Front outer sway bar bushing 124 323 51 85
Rear sway bar 124 326 19 65
Rear sway bar bushing 124 326 01 81
Front shock absorber 124 320 64 30
Rear shock absorber 124 320 23 31

Apial, are you talking about a genuine MB rear screen for £300 fitted? Seems unlikely, given the MB part price, but it might be a nice surprise.

 

[grober]

sportline introduction

The Sportline option was introduced at the Frankfurt show of September 1989 on the 190 and 124. Just when they were first delivered in the UK not sure, but probably within 6 months of being announced. The date of the subsequent suspension revision is not documented as far as I know.

 

[Apial]

I've no idea if it had a MB part number on it, but considering how rubbish the originals are perhaps it might be that the £300 ones are genuine!

 

[del320]

My old 300CE-24 was built Oct '89 and came with sports suspension although it was not called Sportline.

Along with the AMGs the setup defined tramlining and the ride loosened my fillings. Looking at other low-riding members' cars, I just say 'Been there and NEVER AGAIN'

 

[janner]

The car above looks too low to be standard sportline suspension. Just look at the negative camber on the back.
Also non standard wheels and wider tyres will have a huge affect on the ride quality.