Today,i got my hands dirty.

[esox]

.....and gave the old girl a birthday,well - a service anyway.
Oil,filters,plugs adjusted tappets etc.
In fact,it was nice to work on a "proper" car with things you can twiddle with - none of this hydraulic valve clearance marlarkey."Rule of nine","on the rock" and all that stuff.Things i was taught when i was sixteen....

The hardest part was getting the feckin HT leads back in position in that black plastic cover that runs along the cam-cover.

This car has had its oil changed every 6000m since new(twenty-nine times!),so i felt obliged to carry on the tradition.

On start up it sounded sweet - really sweet,and that tappetty noise that i could hear for the first few seconds until oil pressure built up had gone


So,a job well done,and i think i will reward myself tonight with a drop of that Crimbo Laphroig.

Cheers!

 

[Ian B Walker]

Ahhhh (sigh) seeing tappets like those brings back memories, well done and welcome to the "Black Hand" gang. I know when I have had a good day, wife tells me to scrub my nails

 

[Amphiscian]

Wow!

Hugely impressive, given your age.(http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/member.php?u=522

 

[Dieselman]

Esox
Nice to see you're looking after the old girl. Valve clearances is one of the most overlooked jobs on and engine but one of the most necessary.
The clearances are nothing about clearance at all, but all about valve timing. If they're not right the engine can't breathe.

If that was my car I'd be running some flushing oil through to clean up the oilways, you can see a bit of carbon build up on the cam bearers.

Any chance you can give it a go with some degreaser, it looks a bit oily and could look really good.

 

[SimonsMerc]

Hugely impressive, given your age.(http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/member.php?u=522

Indeed, not many people can service their cars subsequent to their telegrams from the queen. Well done!

Although:

it was nice to work on a "proper" car with things you can twiddle with - none of this hydraulic valve clearance marlarkey."Rule of nine","on the rock" and all that stuff.Things i was taught when i was sixteen....

Surely when you were 16 cars were very different. Did they have tappets in 1921 ;-)

-simon

 

[esox]

Esox

If that was my car I'd be running some flushing oil through to clean up the oilways, you can see a bit of carbon build up on the cam bearers.

Any chance you can give it a go with some degreaser, it looks a bit oily and could look really good.

Yes, - it does look a bit gungy inside the cam cover.Maybe flushing oil on its next birthday!
The inlet side on the engine would benefit from a bit of Gunk/Jizer being applied - i have been meaning to do that for some time,but i did give the engine bay a quick wipe-over with some soapy water!!

 

[Ian B Walker]

I have found the easiest way to flush the engine is to put half a liter of ATF in the engine oil. Works a treat in cleaning up.

 

[esox]

I have found the easiest way to flush the engine is to put half a liter of ATF in the engine oil. Works a treat in cleaning up.

How long do you run it for with the ATF in?

Do you then have to drain the oil immediately or can you use the car with it in?

Could you put the ATF in just before an oil change,run it a while,then change it?




I suppose,while i am in a mechanical frame of mind,i could do the gearbox (auto) oil too.
What is the procedure for this - never done an auto before.
Its the old four speed jobbie..
Is there a filter there too?
Do i have to take the oil-pan off?
Does the torque converter need draining?

 

[Ian B Walker]

Put some in and leave it there for about 300 miles then change the oil for some semi synthetic. Hope that helps. ATF by its nature cleans out all the galleries. Leaves everything bright and clean.

To change the G/box oil is a piece of cake.

Obtain filter and sump gasket.
Use 27mm socket on crank shaft and turn clockwise till the Torque convertor drain plug is at the bottom. Remove drain plug.
Remove drain plug from G/box sump (5mm hex bit for both)
Allow to drain.
Use 10mm socket and remove 6 bolts holding on sump, you may have to unplug a control cable (electric ) from center left hand side to reach bolt.
Lower sump watch out for oil held in sump, arm full of ATF
remove gasket from sump and throw away.
Use Phillips screwdriver and remove 3 screws from filter. Throw filter away.
Fit new filter.
Fit new gasket to sump and replace.
Use new ali washer on Torque convertor drain plug and replace.
Use new copper washer on sump drain plug and replace.
Take out dip stick and add 4 ltrs of ATF.
Start engine and with foot on brake go through the gears a couple of times.
Check level. Add another liter and go through gears again.
Check level. Take car for 5 mile drive and leave engine running.
Check oil and add bits at a time till correct level is reached.

Job done have a brew.

 

[Amphiscian]

What engine is it? 102?

 

[esox]

What engine is it? 102?

Yes a 102 - 1984 W123 230ce.

 

[Amphiscian]

Thought I recognised the engine. Nice car. I've got one of them, somewhere. In storage atm while I organise myself a bit more and then want to bring it to SE Asia. Mechanics here all know 123s but parts may be tricky... Apparently mechanics from Sri Lanka did a sweep here for any Merc. bits they could find.

The plug lead conduit is tiresome, should have thought it could have been arranged better. And to Ian, why semi synthetic? I've been running mine on full synth. Mobil 1 and it seems OK, no leaks or anything. Only done seventy thousand miles tho.

I've never seen my engine in that particular state, only with the head off (head gasket). Bores were "unmarked" according to mechanic. Anyway, thanks for the post, (and the rapid editing), I always home in on comments from Ian B. and Dieselman. Lots of the knowledge from both, though where they find the time, God only knows.

 

[230K]

Hi

Be careful when you drop the gearbox filter it retains an amount of oil too so be ready for it..

Happy New Year:bannana:

230K