W124 500TE - Lets do this!
- Thread starter jaymanek
- Start date
OP
OP
Yes its part number 5 that is different between the models. A1246200034 - no longer available.
Red C220
MB Enthusiast
It's the metalwork fabrication bit of these projects which stops most people in their tracks. A good fabricator makes it all look so easy!
OP
OP
Some more shiny bits:
Colour coded the Rocker Covers
Colour coded the Rocker Covers
Jay, this is one of the best project threads I've ever read anywhere.
Can't believe you're still married, though.
LOL.
Can't believe you're still married, though.
LOL.
OP
OP
Hi everyone!
Over the last week, I have done some little jobs whilst I wait for Chris to complete his bit.
I had a call from the engine builders to say that the block was ready for me to collect.
I didn’t realise that they would not be reassembling the block back to how I gave it to them.
Upon collection, I was given a clean and honed bare block.
The crankshaft and all of the pistons and other loose parts were in a box, cleaned but in bits.
Apparently, unless they do a complete engine build themselves, they won’t reassemble as a policy. As I had given them the block and heads separately, they would not build the block back up. Something to do with their liability.
I wasn’t too happy with this as I hate assembling something I didn’t take apart.
I took it over to another engine builder/friend who will check everything and build the bottom end with all new bearings that I have supplied.
The original engine builder still has the heads which required new guides and valve stem seals.
I am promised the heads will come back to me complete and built up… Lets see..
Old Valve guide vs New (Genuine Mercedes Part)
Chris the welder couldn’t come in as much as hoped last week.
Chris hurt his eye not once but twice on other jobs. That’ll teach him to forget to pull down the eye protection glasses from his forehead.
His depiction of the hospital “Eyeball Polishing” procedure is not something I wish to ever experience.
He did pop in one night. He managed to finish welding the cross member completely after checking it with a bubble in a tube.
Chris then came back on Saturday afternoon to carry on with the firewall modifications.
The cut out panels were taken away to his cave and prepared ready to weld into the estate.
We then needed to cut the firewall panel on the estate to the exact shape of the prepared donor items from the 500E.
Our laser 3D mapping and cutting tool is currently on loan to NASA and therefore we used the next best thing.
A section of a Supaloops box was cut to the shape required. I would have gone for Crunchy Nut myself.
This shape was marked out on the estate. With some precision cutting from Chris, the estate was ready to receive the donor part.
This is the lower section ready to be welded in.
And the upper being test fitted
Over the last week, I have done some little jobs whilst I wait for Chris to complete his bit.
I had a call from the engine builders to say that the block was ready for me to collect.
I didn’t realise that they would not be reassembling the block back to how I gave it to them.
Upon collection, I was given a clean and honed bare block.
The crankshaft and all of the pistons and other loose parts were in a box, cleaned but in bits.
Apparently, unless they do a complete engine build themselves, they won’t reassemble as a policy. As I had given them the block and heads separately, they would not build the block back up. Something to do with their liability.
I wasn’t too happy with this as I hate assembling something I didn’t take apart.
I took it over to another engine builder/friend who will check everything and build the bottom end with all new bearings that I have supplied.
The original engine builder still has the heads which required new guides and valve stem seals.
I am promised the heads will come back to me complete and built up… Lets see..
Old Valve guide vs New (Genuine Mercedes Part)
Chris the welder couldn’t come in as much as hoped last week.
Chris hurt his eye not once but twice on other jobs. That’ll teach him to forget to pull down the eye protection glasses from his forehead.
His depiction of the hospital “Eyeball Polishing” procedure is not something I wish to ever experience.
He did pop in one night. He managed to finish welding the cross member completely after checking it with a bubble in a tube.
Chris then came back on Saturday afternoon to carry on with the firewall modifications.
The cut out panels were taken away to his cave and prepared ready to weld into the estate.
We then needed to cut the firewall panel on the estate to the exact shape of the prepared donor items from the 500E.
Our laser 3D mapping and cutting tool is currently on loan to NASA and therefore we used the next best thing.
A section of a Supaloops box was cut to the shape required. I would have gone for Crunchy Nut myself.
This shape was marked out on the estate. With some precision cutting from Chris, the estate was ready to receive the donor part.
This is the lower section ready to be welded in.
And the upper being test fitted
OP
OP
The right side was all welded in neatly and the welds ground back (pic to follow).
Just the other side to go finish for Chris when he can find time to come back.
In the meantime, I took the 500 instrument cluster apart to fix the non-functioning odometer.
After a lot of fiddly stripping down, I found a tiny little plastic cog was broken. I found a kit on internet and repaired it. Painted the needles to look a little fresher.
The 500 fuel gauge wasn’t working when I picked it up. I’m hoping that was the sender in the tank and not the gauge itself.
I would like a new or good used set of gauges as these have faded and yellowed a little. Haven’t managed to find any yet for a 500.
I have also fitted the battery tray in the rear right wheel well. This meant sacrificing the rear washer fluid bottle. I plan to run the rear washers from the front washer bottle, as I was planning to blank off the headlamp washers in any case.
That’s all for now folks!
Just the other side to go finish for Chris when he can find time to come back.
In the meantime, I took the 500 instrument cluster apart to fix the non-functioning odometer.
After a lot of fiddly stripping down, I found a tiny little plastic cog was broken. I found a kit on internet and repaired it. Painted the needles to look a little fresher.
The 500 fuel gauge wasn’t working when I picked it up. I’m hoping that was the sender in the tank and not the gauge itself.
I would like a new or good used set of gauges as these have faded and yellowed a little. Haven’t managed to find any yet for a 500.
I have also fitted the battery tray in the rear right wheel well. This meant sacrificing the rear washer fluid bottle. I plan to run the rear washers from the front washer bottle, as I was planning to blank off the headlamp washers in any case.
That’s all for now folks!
OP
OP
Picture of right panel now complete. Just need to prime and seal the welded area.
I fitted the 500 wings and side skirts for a test fit. Actually, mainly to satisfy my childish impatience for the car to look like a 500.
I fitted the 500 wings and side skirts for a test fit. Actually, mainly to satisfy my childish impatience for the car to look like a 500.
OP
OP
Well that’s that. The end of a long relationship.
We all knew I was pushing it. She finally had enough and has left me.
I guess I was just asking too much of her.
Maybe she needed some time off from all of the ironing.
She has her faults. She can be pretty hot headed sometimes.
I can be demanding, I admit. I accept nothing but the best. Especially when it comes to automotive wiring.
I need get on the internet and search for my new perfect partner. It’s been such a long time that it’s a bit nerve racking.
Portia the soldering iron has served me well for years, but around the hundredth wire she conjoined on this project, she spat her own head off.
I just hope that I can find another one just like her.
The interior wiring loom is now in. The scary thing is that I really cannot test it until the engine is back in. I have no idea if I have missed anything. If I have it will probably be very head scratchy trying to figure out what went wrong. Time will tell!
I am having the rear seats heated. I decided to use the factory front heated seat switches to power the rears. That way the kids can’t play with the switches in the back.
Im making up a little loom for this.
The Recaros have their own built in switch panels of course.
Talking of which, I had a call to say the retrim is ready for collection. Not that I am anywhere near ready for it!
We all knew I was pushing it. She finally had enough and has left me.
I guess I was just asking too much of her.
Maybe she needed some time off from all of the ironing.
She has her faults. She can be pretty hot headed sometimes.
I can be demanding, I admit. I accept nothing but the best. Especially when it comes to automotive wiring.
I need get on the internet and search for my new perfect partner. It’s been such a long time that it’s a bit nerve racking.
Portia the soldering iron has served me well for years, but around the hundredth wire she conjoined on this project, she spat her own head off.
I just hope that I can find another one just like her.
The interior wiring loom is now in. The scary thing is that I really cannot test it until the engine is back in. I have no idea if I have missed anything. If I have it will probably be very head scratchy trying to figure out what went wrong. Time will tell!
I am having the rear seats heated. I decided to use the factory front heated seat switches to power the rears. That way the kids can’t play with the switches in the back.
Im making up a little loom for this.
The Recaros have their own built in switch panels of course.
Talking of which, I had a call to say the retrim is ready for collection. Not that I am anywhere near ready for it!
What a thread!, always love these bespoke models that werent offered 
Im surprised you/your team havent ever fitted a modern engine into an older G-Wagen in the past?
Im surprised you/your team havent ever fitted a modern engine into an older G-Wagen in the past?
OP
OP
Im surprised you/your team havent ever fitted a modern engine into an older G-Wagen in the past?
Not much point, why not just buy a later one? The older ones are pretty agricultural.
most older G wagen owners want the torque so they go down the "super turbo diesel" route.
grober
MB Master
Soldering irons- Antex or Weller equally good IMHO. For car wiring a lot of folks favour instant heat soldering guns but they can be a bit clumsy in confined spaces or for PCB,s Some folks like the butane fueled portables. Weller do a lithium powered portable too but I find low powered irons tend to be problematic in a cold outdoor environment.
https://www.antex.co.uk/home/
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/
Sealey Rechargeable Professional 3.7V Lithium-ion Cordless Soldering Iron - SDL6 | eBay
a video review
https://www.antex.co.uk/home/
http://www.weller-toolsus.com/
Sealey Rechargeable Professional 3.7V Lithium-ion Cordless Soldering Iron - SDL6 | eBay
a video review
Last edited:
brucemillar
MB Enthusiast
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- C55 AMG Wagon - W124 300te 4matic Wagon - BMW 4.8is X5 E53 - SWB Pajero 3.5 V6 24v
I have a great butane one. Tips are not cheap but it does a great job in the tightest of spaces.
- Joined
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- AUDI S8 V10, S210 E320 CDI (R.I.P.)
I bought this recently, heats up fast, digital display, great so far
OP
OP
wired ones are no good to me... The portasol one was a good iron. I was on the snap on van today and their one (rebranded portasol) was £120 or so.
I just ordered another portasol for £40.
I just ordered another portasol for £40.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2013
- Messages
- 7,540
- Car
- AUDI S8 V10, S210 E320 CDI (R.I.P.)
I had a solderpro gas and never got on with it. Might check the one you mentioned above
LOL. Loving this thread.
OP
OP
Hi!
This weekend hasn’t been the most productive but I got a few little things done.
Chris finished the firewall metal work. Both sides are now in and the welds all ground back.
He is to return in the next couple of days to transfer across some of the welded in brackets, mainly the ECU box bracket and also the one for ABS pump coil packs.
I have been concentrating on wiring. I tidied up the interior wiring harness. I ran the wiring and hose for the rear washer pump to the front of the car.
I made and installed rear heated seat loom.
I made and installed a simple wiring harness for the front recaro seats.
I fitted the main battery positive feed distribution block in the engine bay. This is located on the back firewall.
Also fitted a few miscellaneous brackets that I could do without affecting the work Chris has to do.
I now need to wait for Chris to finish his work, seal, prime and paint the welded areas.
Then I can go in all guns with the rest of the engine bay wiring, pipework etc.
I hope to have the bottom end of the engine back this week.
Once back, I will spend some time carefully building the engine back up.
After a sort out today I am finding that many little parts I have ordered from Mercedes, weeks ago, still haven’t arrived. I need to chase these.
I await the return of rebuilt Brake callipers from Big Redd.
I can then install the R129 “Silver Arrows” brakes.
During coffee break, I found these little cam oilers that sit on the head of the engine. Their job is to bridge oil over to the camshaft lobes.
The plastic ones should be replaced whenever doing head work as they go brittle. Once they get blocked or become brittle, the engine will sound tappety.
Originally these engines had metal oilers. I didn’t realise that my engine still had its metal cam oilers. I had already ordered replacement plastic oilers.
I decided to stick to the metal oilers. As you can see the seals become hard and brittle. I cleaned them all out with a popular penetrating lubricant and replaced all the little green seals ready to go back into the engine.
Carrying out this job on your son’s homework is not recommended.
One old brittle seal vs the new green one.
These are the plastic oilers that Mercedes now supply.
This weekend hasn’t been the most productive but I got a few little things done.
Chris finished the firewall metal work. Both sides are now in and the welds all ground back.
He is to return in the next couple of days to transfer across some of the welded in brackets, mainly the ECU box bracket and also the one for ABS pump coil packs.
I have been concentrating on wiring. I tidied up the interior wiring harness. I ran the wiring and hose for the rear washer pump to the front of the car.
I made and installed rear heated seat loom.
I made and installed a simple wiring harness for the front recaro seats.
I fitted the main battery positive feed distribution block in the engine bay. This is located on the back firewall.
Also fitted a few miscellaneous brackets that I could do without affecting the work Chris has to do.
I now need to wait for Chris to finish his work, seal, prime and paint the welded areas.
Then I can go in all guns with the rest of the engine bay wiring, pipework etc.
I hope to have the bottom end of the engine back this week.
Once back, I will spend some time carefully building the engine back up.
After a sort out today I am finding that many little parts I have ordered from Mercedes, weeks ago, still haven’t arrived. I need to chase these.
I await the return of rebuilt Brake callipers from Big Redd.
I can then install the R129 “Silver Arrows” brakes.
During coffee break, I found these little cam oilers that sit on the head of the engine. Their job is to bridge oil over to the camshaft lobes.
The plastic ones should be replaced whenever doing head work as they go brittle. Once they get blocked or become brittle, the engine will sound tappety.
Originally these engines had metal oilers. I didn’t realise that my engine still had its metal cam oilers. I had already ordered replacement plastic oilers.
I decided to stick to the metal oilers. As you can see the seals become hard and brittle. I cleaned them all out with a popular penetrating lubricant and replaced all the little green seals ready to go back into the engine.
Carrying out this job on your son’s homework is not recommended.
One old brittle seal vs the new green one.
These are the plastic oilers that Mercedes now supply.
WDB124066
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
- Messages
- 6,170
- Car
- 1996 E320 Sportline Cabriolet x 2
Are you going to brace the front lower control arm rear bolt points like they do in the 500's...
OP
OP
Hi,
Yes I have the original and it will find its way onto the car once engine is in.
