W124 Diavia AC or not

[cornershop]

Gents - went to see a W124 earlier - pretty sound car, a few blemishes but nothing major.

AC wasn't particularly cold, but wanted to check your thoughts on whether the following suggest Diavia or not:

the switch/control panel had a bevelled edge,
an EC on the button (no snowflake)
twin fans on the radiator

Can anyone confirm please?

Thanks

 

[krimat2005]

hi, I say original, on Diavia's the edge is sharp as it ha been cut. EC was used on later cars, snowflake on earlier, not sure of dates. I have a black saloon with Diavia, with EC button and it performs better than coupe with OEM. Both serviced, last year trip across Europe, 4 people in car, 30+ deg outside, temp set to 20 and kept switching fan speed between 1/2.

 

[coalville126]

+1 on the above.

Factory fitted a/c without mods struggle when faced with high ambient temps coupled with high humidity. Properly serviced, my 126 with factory fitted a/c struggled to cool on a southern European trips when first converted to 134 gas quite a few years ago now until I sought the advice from a MB owner in Singapore who advised on a few mods.

 

[cornershop]

Thanks both - forgot to mention, that aircon option 580 isn't listed on either of the VIN checkers I've used.

 

[krimat2005]

diavia uses double SPAL fans at the front of radiator, condenser is made of aluminium (not steel, black like on OEM cars) if that helps.

 

[Steven Stoole]

Hi I had one of these cars with factory fitted Aircon. Had double fans in the front for the Aircon which vary in speed. I think there are three settings on it. Inside there are three buttons EC is for economy which kicks Aircon in and out regulating it. Then there is another button which recirculates the air in the car and the top button is to demist the front windscreen.
I would give it a top up of gas and you can change the thermostatic valve which is behind the battery. Also make sure they put some oil in the system for the compressor.
Hope this helps.

 

[cornershop]

Thanks all - useful to know. Interesting that the car I viewed (now sold) had a bevelled switch panel but option 580 was not listed.

 

[cornershop]

This was a 300ce24 I went to see inColchester - belt had been removed so AC wasn't tested, however I've never seen the rest function before? What does it do? The seller had bought it off a friend who found his battery kept going flat, and thought it may be related to the AC?

 

[GP801]

Never seen a 124 with a Rest function before. If its like other models it allows you to use residual engine heat to keep the cabin warm with the engine off

 

[RichardF]

I have Diavia A/C on my SL R129, with an invoice from 1994.
It's not as cold as moderns but does the job, kept us comfortable in 40c weather. It's been very reliable, one of the spal fans failed, just an internal short so got it going again.

"Rest" powers an axillary pump that recirculates coolant with the engine off, to keep the cabin warm. They're prone to failure.

 

[aybracers]

Quite often on 124's the code is 586 which is a combination code for Air Conditioning and 4 Electric windows.

If it doesn't have 580 or 586 it is not factory air. I can check EPC for the build sheet if you have the VIN number.