W124 500TE - Lets do this!

[jaymanek]

Hi All,


Today was about getting the engine built up.

This is the factory tool to get the crank seal in exactly the right place. (Thanks 500E forum).

I used the “deeper” setting of the two.

These are all the parts I was hoping to get fitted today. Didn’t get all done but not much left.

That’s it for today folks. Im tired!

 

[jaymanek]

Hello!

Well today has been another afternoon of assembling. I think everything that I can get onto the engine is on. Wiring loom, breather hoses, all ancillaries etc etc.

Hopefully it is exactly how I removed it from the 500E now… well in a better state of health with some luck.

I replaced hoses, clips, pipes etc as I was going along.

The spark plugs and leads are in. I use my favourite Magnecor leads. Although cylinder No5 was a bit short, only just made it, so may ask them to make me another lead for that cylinder.

I never noticed that the channels where the spark plug wires sit are all marked as to which wire should go where. That’s a cool but typical Mercedes detail. I have changed so many sets of those leads over the years and not once have I noticed that detail.

Then I spent a few hours repairing the lower wiring harness which goes to the starter and alternator. Quite how everything was working beforehand, is beyond me.

All of the wires were bare, rusty and generally only fit for the bin. I replaced all of the smaller wires but reused the main positive cable as this looks ok. I insulated several times and used some heat proof tubing to wrap it all.

I have been trying to get hold of a new loom from Mercedes, but at the moment they are awaiting more production. I was hoping that they may have come into stock by now, hence I didn’t waste my time rebuilding this loom until now.

I am not totally happy with my efforts, it doesn’t look OEM enough, although I think I have made it safe at least. So I will change this loom as soon as it is available again from Mercedes.

The manifolds look cool on the engine, shame you can’t really see them in the engine bay!

So I hope that we are now ready to mount into the car!

Over and out.

 

[jaymanek]

Hi All,

Another long day.

Started off by getting everyone together to help get the lump into the car.

This went well, just dropped into position without a fight.

Then we spent a good couple of hours trying to wrestle the gearbox and all of its connections into place. All went well.

A couple more hours connecting all the wires, hoses etc.

I tried to connect up the propeller shaft, but guess what. The prop donuts that I had since September are wrong, they are for an SLK. Not sure how they got mixed up but I couldn’t find the originals. So cannot drive the car until they come.

Topped up all fluids.

Then came the moment.

Oh yes, that first turn of the key. We took a few turns without the crank sensor connected to get the oil up. This was all good until the braided fuel pipe burst!

Fuel absolutely everywhere.

We tried to repair the pipe but no good.

So I went out back and raided my scrap SEC420. Pulled both pipes from that and used those as a temp measure.

Try again… And guess what, the return also bursts! What is happening?? Well I dissect the pipe and find that its just really old, hard and crumbled underneath that stainless braiding.

So we used the other pipe from the SEC for the return.

Now we have turned the engine a few times, time to plug the crank sensor back in.

Within a few seconds the engine coughs into life.

Settles nicely and no further leaks. Frantically clamber all around the car to check for any dripping fluids.

Only problem is the oil pressure gauge doesn’t move. I guess I have a bad connection somewhere that I will need to figure out. Oil is certainly pumping around the engine nicely.

A short clip of it idling with no exhausts!

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I am happy. Some issues to iron out but for now, its all good.

 

[grober]

Part no for the coupling kit [ coupling +nuts bolts and washers] is I believe A1294100115 ?? OEM part may be made by SGF ? and will contain the correct fiber re-enforcement.
flexible couplings | SGF OnlineShop

 

[Londonscottish]

I never noticed that the channels where the spark plug wires sit are all marked as to which wire should go where. That’s a cool but typical Mercedes detail. I have changed so many sets of those leads over the years and not once have I noticed that.

Love that

 

[BTB 500]

A short clip of it idling with no exhausts!

That sounds very nice!

 

[maxypriest]

Liking this very much - interestingly I bought a W210 from ML years ago for the engine and its currently in a w124 and the current TV record holder for a diesel at 174mph.
I have often thought that its a shame that Merc did not do a 500E estate in the first place - Keep up the good work!

 

[eight]

I have been following this almost from the start. I did go through a period of coming very close to phoning you about the irish bornite car you have for sale, but have now bought a CLS instead. The CLS is nice, but it's not a 124. The engineering that went into the 124 is something else, it will never be repeated.
Can't wait to see this finished. Fantastic thread.

 

[jaymanek]

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[merc85]

hahaha what a sound!!!! 46 sec's on

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[Londonscottish]

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....so is that yours assembled and running? Or am i missing the point entirely?

 

[jaymanek]

....so is that yours assembled and running? Or am i missing the point entirely?

Yes that’s it! Still a few loose ends to tie up and then to the bodyshop..

 

[Londonscottish]

Yes that’s it! Still a few loose ends to tie up and then to the bodyshop..

Excellent - it came together really quickly at the end. Looking forward to seeing the finished article.

 

[jaymanek]

Happy New Year to all fellow Mercedes nuts!

Sorry for the lack of updates, turns out my plan of using the free time over the festive season to tinker, was not in accord with a certain non petrol heads vision of Christmas.

Just before Santa came, I bolted up as much of the 500E exhaust system as I could. Which basically meant front and most of the middle section.

Once bodywork is complete, we will of course have a stainless system made up from downpipes back.

I finished up some other loose ends, tidied up under the engine bay, replaced those braided fuel lines, checked all levels etc

This was a quick drive up the road.

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That seemed to be a good place to pause for Christmas.

I have ironed out most issues. I have carried out a session on Star Diagnostics. Deleted all fault codes and then checked for anything new.

Found that my new brake lamp switch wasn’t working properly for the ASR system to read it. Replaced it and all is well again.

Oil pressure gauge was fixed. After much head scratching, new parts etc, turned out my needle on the gauge that I had painted, had stuck itself to the stop pin. Gave it a poke and oil pressure reading perfectly. Phew wasn’t my wiring!

I just have two more issues to deal with. The A/C compressor isn’t kicking in. I think I know why and it’s a matter of me tracing the wiring back into the car. Will do that at some point.

Also kick down switch under accelerator pedal isn’t working. Again I’m sure it must be a minor wiring issue.

There is now very little I can do until the car is painted. I met with body shop today and they are excited to get on. They have some other work to finish before they can get mine in, but shouldn’t be long.

I fitted the old headlamps, indicators etc so I could drive the car.

I have now covered around 30 cautious miles in the car. How does it drive?

Well it drives just like a 500E. It is exactly the same to drive as any 500E. Why did I expect anything different!? Well I thought something might fall off, but so far nothing has!

Apart from the ridiculous exhaust note, it drives smooth. Gear changes are nice, everything seems to work as it should. I am happy with it at this stage.

No major issues have revealed themselves as of yet.

Next I have to order all of the new seals, clips etc that will be needed at bodyshop.

Their biggest challenge is how to make the 500E rear bumper work. Saloon/Estate bumpers are different altogether.

 

[Andyfkettle]

Looked like a scalded cat! [emoji250]
Keep up the good work [emoji1360]

 

[Red C220]

I just listened that with a pair of headphones on and it sounded like a NASCAR.

 

[Red C220]

This just popped up on Youtube:-

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[grober]

deleted

 

[Red C220]

Rial made an 18" version of the standard E500 wheel that would look awesome on your 500TE if you can find a set.

Rial ARC M800 was the code.

OEM look by an OEM manufacturer but a more modern size. Rare, but worth it if you can hunt down a set.

 

[jaymanek]

Hello All!

Two weeks have gone by and this is my first real update of 2018.

As the work is now out of my hands, I’m guessing updates will be slower! Not many work at my pace when Im determined.

The beast was taken to the body shop last week.

After mucho sucking through teeth, a price was agreed for the work. It’s the most expensive respray they have done for me.. Almost double the cost of the SEC Widebody back in 2008.

I think they learnt from the SEC job. Think of a number, triple it. May just about cover the inevitable surprises involved in jobs for me!

Hopefully the results will be worth it.

The major headache of the bodywork, is how to get the 500E bumpers to fit an estate. The mountings are different and the estate bumpers have “ears” below the tail lamps..

As you can see they are experimenting. We are using as much of the 500E bumper as possible and then grafting on the estate pieces. Once it’s all lined up, it will all need to be stitched and plastic welded together where possible. This type of plastic doesn’t “weld” very well, so we will see what tricks they pull out of the hat!

The bumper will have to be extended on the upper edge where it meets the quarter panel.

The centre rubbing panel will be a combination of the saloon part which has longer sides and the centre section will be the estate part.

The chrome trims are another challenge. The hockey stick shaped chrome tops don’t quite reach around far enough.

So much to think about when it comes to the bumper.

The rear quarter panels have been strengthened from inside. They have been pulled out to remove as much of the distortion as possible. Finally they have been filled to achieve a flat finish. The body shop will wait a few days for this to go totally hard, before they sand it back.

Thanks!