R129 SL280 90's European RHD Owners

[Youngseal]

Wouldn't it be nice if R129 SL280 owners could share model specific tips and assistance in a thread?

I intend to update this thread with information and resources, about the above model, as I refurbish my own. I'm sure I will come across problems and challenges and I would like to share the journey with like minded SL280 owners.

If you are an owner of one of these models I would like to hear of your experiences.

Soon to come...a solution to the faulty combination relay for the wipers...resources on how to refurbish switches...Mass Air Flow meter restore resources...handy "how to" documents...

I look forward to your participation

 

[Youngseal]

Cutting Out Problems SL280 '98

I read the thread below thinking that it might have been a simple HT lead issue only to find that it was the crank position sensor...great tips as you delve deeper eh?

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/71326-1998-sl280-cutting-out.html

 

[Youngseal]

OBD 1 Confusions abound R129 SL280 1994

Tonight I tried the ELMscan and Scantool diagnostic tools with a 38pin connector on my 1994 SL280 R129 but with no luck. I am on an exhaustive search to find a compliant OBD1 diagnostic tool for this model.

My Nirvana would be to find an interface that could plug into a 38pin socket and send information via bluetooth to a PalmTreo Pocket PC using windows mobile and bluetooth technology...one can but dream

The closest I have come to getting a working solution however is the build your own model with a 99 cents LED and some banana:bannana: plugs. A suggestion is also made that the Mercedes WIS software be purchashed as an aid to decoding these diode flashing coded messages from the inner soul of my R129

My questions tonight are...
Has anyone ever used diagnostic tools on an R129 1994 SL280?
What tool was it?
Can it be purchased without taking out another mortgage?
And where?
Is there a simple interface/software/plug/socket/USB solution for the above model R129?

I would appreciate a link to buying the Mercedes WIS Software or the European Version R129 Tech DVD to cover a 1994 model R129.

 

[Youngseal]

Just checking in to see if there are any other like minded SL280 R129 '94 vintage owners willing to join this thread to share experiences...I'm begining to think that I am a minority of one that has this model!

My continuing investigation of the wiper relay issue has thrown up some interesting issues. It seems that the strength of the battery has a lot to do with the intermittant fault on position intermitant and position one of the wiper settings.

What battery should an SL280 R129 be supporting, 3 to 5 amp? 5 to 7amp? Advice would be apprecisted...

 

[grober]

There are several experts on the R129 SL on this forum. Some model basics here. Mercedes-Benz R129 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If the alternator is charging correctly there should be no problem with any electrical load when the engine is running. For intermittent electrical problems it's worth checking the fuses and holders for corrosion at their point of contact since this can lead to strange electrical problems. Don't think your car is affected by the engine wiring loom issue where the insulation goes brittle but worth checking.[lots of posts on this] You should be aiming for a least a 74 Amp/hour battery and best with 100 Amp/hour VARTA or Bosch are both good makes- VARTA are owned by Johnson Controls and may be marketed under a different name in the USA Car battery - batteries for cars-VARTA Automotive
There is a company called MAVERICK TECHNOLOGIES who sell a program called Carsoft which might do what you want. Maverick Technology - Automotive Diagnostic Equipment for independent dealers

 

[Youngseal]

Many many thanks Grober.

I have checked all the fuses and seatings thereof and all seems to be in place and corrosion free. With regard to the intermittant problems, however, I am currently following a few leads as to their causes.

With regard to the wiper intermittant problem I have read extensively on the N10/2 relay and have actually refurbished the one I have. Conditions improved but I am still looking for the K26 relay, on the advice of our Benzworld cousins, to do likewise in an effort to solve the problem. I am not even sure that the European specific SL280 has the K26 relay which is why I began this thread after joining mbclub. The R129 DVD available in the states doesnt cover the SL280 model but I have found a German source :

https://ssl.kundenserver.de/s979659...ion+SL-Class+R+129+=28DVD=29+=286516562176=29

Heres hoping it covers the SL280 from 1994!

The reason I am looking at battery and alternator related threads at the moment is because I can cause the intermittant problem to occur now...always a good lead...by turning on accessories like the A/C and the fan. From what history I have of the car it seems that it was layed up for several months before I purchased it. Being such a nice car...arent they just special...I feel it deserves a new battery. It might just help me with the fault finding of some of my issues.

The soft top has a few quirkes, like the window on the drivers side sometimes decides to stop working at the switch, result the soft top wont go up...being in Scotland you will appreciate the implications...living in Ireland I cant take the chance, until the fault is sorted, to be relying on the soft top to work...Hard-top is the solution to this so far! The window switch rights itself after a shut down for a half hour or so. This might have something to do with the ecu power load module...I will be searching...

I am almost certain that you are correct re. the wiring loom issue, again it is very dificult to find a vin specific resource to check this out for sure however.

Many thanks for the Maverick link, it is one I have not come accross, I was working off the CARSOFT International site CARSOFT International amongst many others in my search for a diagnostic solution. Hopefully I will find a solution akin to a MB OBD1 solution that will work on both the '94 SL280 and the '95 E200 Estate which both seem to reside outside the OBD2 sheme of diagnostics

OK 5:30am is my limit for these matters...bed beckons,
Thanks for your time,
Rónán

 

[grober]

I would be surprised if the SL280 wiring/fuses etc is different from the SL320 - basically the same engine- just different capacity. The problem with these early cars is that they are not fully digital-- some folks would say that's an advantage!!!----so the storage of fault codes is not integrated like later systems. Most folks get by with dedicated fault code readers or using oscilloscope based engine analysers.

 

[Youngseal]

Another weekend and a lil closer

Well being away for the weekend I didnt get much done on the SL but I did manage to get to grips a bit better with the search functions on these sites and I have a load of reading materiel to get through. I was about to post a pdf of a simple fault reader design until

a. I noticed that I forgot to take note of the posters

and

b. the pdf I made was a bit too big to post...

...bear with me and I will get the refferences and shrink the pdf and post it when I get a chance.

It is far from an oscilloscope based engine analyser but if it works at least I will be a lil closer to fault finding some of my issues.

 

[Youngseal]

A good dose of information that finally confirms the SL280 wasnt offered in the USA

1990-2002 Mercedes Benz SL- Class R129 Download Owners Manual Free

The R129 was based on the shortened floorpan of the Mercedes-Benz W124 and featured many innovative details for the time, for instance electronically controlled damping (optional) and a hidden, automatically expanding roll-over bar. The R107's rather dated rear diagonal swing axle gave way to a modern multi-link axle. The number of standard features was high, with electric action for the windows, mirrors, seats and hood.
Initially, there were three different engines available, the 300 SL with 3L 12-valve straight 6 (190 PS (187 hp/140 kW) at 5700 rpm), the 300 SL-24 with a 24-valve version of said engine (231 PS (228 hp/170 kW) at 6300 rpm) and the 500 SL with 5L-V8 engine (326 PS (322 hp/240 kW) at 5500 rpm), joined in July, 1992 by the 12-cylinder 600 SL ((394 PS (389 hp/290 kW) @ 5200 rpm). While for the six-cylinder cars there was a choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, the V8 and V12 could only be ordered with the latter gearbox.
In autumn 1993 Mercedes rearranged names and models. The 300 SL was replaced by the 24-valve SL 280 and SL 320 (with 2.8 L and 3.2 L I6 engines, only the 280 being available with a manual gearbox). SL 500 and 600 continued with their respective powerful engines.
1995 saw a mild facelift concerning head- and taillights and several new features adopted as standard: side air bags, automatic climate control and ESP, among other things. HID headlights were newly optional, as was a full-glass hardtop.
A second facelift, introduced in late 1998, comprised new external mirrors, 17`` wheels and new bumpers. Also new were the engines, 18-valve versions of SL 280 (204 PS (201 hp/150 kW) at 5700 rpm), SL 320 ((224 PS (221 hp/165 kW) at 5600 rpm) and SL 500 ((306 PS (302 hp/225 kW) at 5600 rpm). The V12 engine remained unchanged.
Starting in 1994, Mercedes offered special SL models from time to time, like the Mille Miglia edition cars of 1994 or the SL edition of 2000.

In North America, the SL followed the development of the European cars, except that not all engines were available there. The 1989 Mercedes SL base model was the 228 hp (170 kW) 3.0 L inline 6 300SL version, but it was the 322 hp (240 kW) 500SL (with a 5.0 L V8 engine) which made the most headlines. For model year 1993, the 600 SL was additionally introduced stateside.
The SL320 replaced the 300SL in the United States in 1995, but the SL280 was not offered. The 6-cylinder SLs were dropped from the US lineup in 1998, leaving just the V8 and V12. The SL500 got the new 302 hp (225 kW) 5.0 L V8 for 1999.
AMG had already offered an SL version while still independent, the AMG 500 SL 6.0 of 1991. After being taken over by Daimler-Benz, there were several AMG SL-models available through D-B dealers.
The SL60 AMG was extremely rare. Sold from 1993 to 1998, it used a 6.0 litre V8 engine producing 381 PS (376 hp/280 kW) at 5500 rpm. AMG claimed a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) speed of 5.6 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 250 km/h (155 mph), but with the limiter removed, it was capable of approximately 185 mph (298 km/h). AMG later unofficially admitted that 0-60 mph was more like 5.0 seconds and the engine produced between 405-410 bhp.
Also very rare was the SL73 AMG, sold through Mercedes-AMG in 1995, and offering the most powerful V12 engine ever put into an SL up to that time. After a brief hiatus, the SL73 was offered again from 1998 to 2001. The same 7.3 L V12 was later used by Pagani in the Zonda.
The SL55 AMG was sold in the R129 bodystyle from 1998 to 2001 in limited quantity (5.4L V8, 354 PS (349 hp/260 kW) at 5500 rpm). It was the predecessor of the production R230 SL55 AMG sold later.
Only about 300 cars in the SL-class were customized by AMG prior to the 2003 model year.
2002 Silver Arrow Edition
Special edition of 2002 SL 500/SL 600 made to celebrate the race car with the same name (from 1930). Two-tone interior leather on steering wheel and seats, special wheels, etc.

 

[Youngseal]

Update on battery

What battery should an SL280 R129 be supporting, 3 to 5 amp? 5 to 7amp? Advice would be apprecisted...

Ok I fitted a new 100Ah battery yesterday and I can notice a better crank but thats about it really, unless the windows winding up a little more sprightly without the engine on can be atributed to ths €117 spend...

So its back to the drawing board with the wipers issue. I have taken the N10/2 relay out and cleaned it but I still cant find the related relays that have been mentioned to me, Any advice would be appreciated.

The battery didnt quite fit either, even after the Idie measured for the correct one.

What are the dimensions for an R129 SL280 1994 model battery?