ro80rob
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2011
- Messages
- 5
- Location
- Warrington, Cheshire
- Car
- 83 W123 230CE, 01 W210 E200, 72 NSU Ro80
OK
I've had the bodywork restored on my 230CE, which is in a very nice useable condition having only covered just over 80k miles.
I've owned it for a few years now, and to be honest it's been stored for the last three, being only driven too and from the MOT station.
Since I have had it, it's had a couple of running issues that I've never got to the bottom of, so maybe someone can give me a little guidance or help. I don't know anyone who has a similar vehicle (230E or CE), near me so I can't cross check with my car.
Issue 1 is the induction noise. This is noticeable at idle. There is considerable 'sucking noise' (as in a sound like compressed air going through a pipe) at idle. I have noted that I can vary the level of this noise by adjusting the large idle speed screw located between the lip of the air cleaner and the rocker cover. Screwing it in results in less 'hiss' and a slower engine speed.
I have in fact, rightly or wrongly, adjusted the throttle mechanical stop screw to allow a little more air flow through that throttle butterfly valve to allow me to close down the screw mentioned above to reduce the 'hiss' from the screw and idle air distribution system mentioned above. I guess my question is, what is normal for this hissing (no typo) noise?
Issue 2 is the slow idle speed after a cold start. My car is fitted with the idle retard vacuum element on the distributor. When in N or P, the idle speed is judderingly slow. I should state that when in a drive selection, this idle retard is switched off and the idle speed does increase, but until the car has warmed a little, that is still a bit too slow to be happy with. The idle is fine when the engine is warmed. I note that my car has the electrically heated bi-metallic idle air bypass valve that is supposed to increase the idle speed when cold. I have swapped this valve with another and I have also tested both on the bench. They seem to work according to any guidance I can find but their effect to my idle speed seems insufficient. I recall that my old W123 280E worked fine when cold, with sufficient idle speed to always run fine when cold. I realise that the valve was water heated in that case. I should also add that I have checked the timing (some years ago now) when I first began to think about this fault and that seemed to be correct.
As a remedial action, I propose to fit a thermal switch that will disable the action of the retard function (i.e. disable the vacuum relay) until the engine has reached a temperature of 40 degrees. That should help with my N or P idle issues, but may well not be quite enough to address them fully.
Does anyone have any ideas about these couple of issues that are annoyances really, but are just making me nervous if my wife or daughter want to use the car. It needs to be reliable and these issues just make me nervous.
Cheers... Rob.
I've had the bodywork restored on my 230CE, which is in a very nice useable condition having only covered just over 80k miles.
I've owned it for a few years now, and to be honest it's been stored for the last three, being only driven too and from the MOT station.
Since I have had it, it's had a couple of running issues that I've never got to the bottom of, so maybe someone can give me a little guidance or help. I don't know anyone who has a similar vehicle (230E or CE), near me so I can't cross check with my car.
Issue 1 is the induction noise. This is noticeable at idle. There is considerable 'sucking noise' (as in a sound like compressed air going through a pipe) at idle. I have noted that I can vary the level of this noise by adjusting the large idle speed screw located between the lip of the air cleaner and the rocker cover. Screwing it in results in less 'hiss' and a slower engine speed.
I have in fact, rightly or wrongly, adjusted the throttle mechanical stop screw to allow a little more air flow through that throttle butterfly valve to allow me to close down the screw mentioned above to reduce the 'hiss' from the screw and idle air distribution system mentioned above. I guess my question is, what is normal for this hissing (no typo) noise?
Issue 2 is the slow idle speed after a cold start. My car is fitted with the idle retard vacuum element on the distributor. When in N or P, the idle speed is judderingly slow. I should state that when in a drive selection, this idle retard is switched off and the idle speed does increase, but until the car has warmed a little, that is still a bit too slow to be happy with. The idle is fine when the engine is warmed. I note that my car has the electrically heated bi-metallic idle air bypass valve that is supposed to increase the idle speed when cold. I have swapped this valve with another and I have also tested both on the bench. They seem to work according to any guidance I can find but their effect to my idle speed seems insufficient. I recall that my old W123 280E worked fine when cold, with sufficient idle speed to always run fine when cold. I realise that the valve was water heated in that case. I should also add that I have checked the timing (some years ago now) when I first began to think about this fault and that seemed to be correct.
As a remedial action, I propose to fit a thermal switch that will disable the action of the retard function (i.e. disable the vacuum relay) until the engine has reached a temperature of 40 degrees. That should help with my N or P idle issues, but may well not be quite enough to address them fully.
Does anyone have any ideas about these couple of issues that are annoyances really, but are just making me nervous if my wife or daughter want to use the car. It needs to be reliable and these issues just make me nervous.
Cheers... Rob.