W140 S600 Coupe V12

[buccal]

Stunning. If only I had the Cahoonas

Weird the original owner didn't spec parktronic

 

[TDE1]

I wouldn't be looking at the walnut rim. I would be looking at the throttle bodies and engine wiring loom! Rewiring the MAF Sensor in a W140 Mercedes Benz

The walk-through on that link is excellent (assuming it's correct). Even I would give it a go.

 

[Setanta]

Stunning. If only I had the Cahoonas

Weird the original owner didn't spec parktronic

It wasn't offered until the update. It will have the rear prongs that rise up from the back corners but other than that, it is guesswork!

 

[martyz]

ALL. mileage doesnt matter on these cars... low mileage cars do feel more special but these cars issues will all be related to its age.

I like the cut of yer jib !!! Personally I believe regular exercise as well as servicing is essential to maintain these machines! Any technical / service specialists on here to back this up?

You have just quoted one

 

[LowMilerAMG]

Had my eye on this but something else come up on the day! It was for auction and I think it made just around 9k so the reserve is not gonna be low.....

 

[ianrandom]

Awesome car. Don't like these aestheticically normally but this one looks really nice. I'd be too scared though..

 

[SHAKTER]

Looks stunning! What are those centre caps on the alloys?

 

[d w124]

Looks stunning! What are those centre caps on the alloys?

I`ll show you a set of those sat,you can`t have them though lol

 

[millo777]

From what I've read the big issues related to the wiring loom on the early M120s were the ECUs and ETAs, bearing in mind there are 2 of each. Nothing that can't be re-built. Isn't it likely the wiring loom has been changed at 17 year old? certainly something to check before buying.

Whoever prepped the engine bay deserves a medal. It's almost guilting me into cleaning mine.

Even though I'm a massive fan of the w140 and the m120, the coupe's looks are a bit too challenging for me.

 

[millo777]

Looks stunning! What are those centre caps on the alloys?

Part number B66470201 "Black Laurel Wreath Roadster Centre Caps" according to epc, I just bought a set from my local dealer for the princely sum of £13.20 each inc vat.

 

[LowMilerAMG]

I know them wheel caps were standard on the SLK 32, any ideas on what else ?

 

[EDZ649]

From what I've read the big issues related to the wiring loom on the early M120s were the ECUs and ETAs, bearing in mind there are 2 of each. Nothing that can't be re-built. Isn't it likely the wiring loom has been changed at 17 year old? certainly something to check before buying.

Whoever prepped the engine bay deserves a medal. It's almost guilting me into cleaning mine.

Even though I'm a massive fan of the w140 and the m120, the coupe's looks are a bit too challenging for me.

My loom was ok all the time it wasnt disturbed, 76k on the clock at the time As soon as it was disconnected it crumbled. I had no running issues either but it was still cream crackered. The risk with this issue is the potential fire hazzard.

 

[twixfits]

Head Gasket not so much but definately the wiring loom and especially electrical modules.

Your joking right... If the car has been stored in a garage there wont be a problem. Cabling is vacuum sealed when conductors are placed inside the insulator. Only when the insulator cracks via continuous temperature changes, vibration or a heavy fisted mechanic you will start to have problems with damp ingress . Age hardening/dissolving of plastic is hundreds of years

I had stored an old XJS V12 HE for 25 years, It hadn't been started for 14 of them... The wiring loom was that last of my worries, the brakes and old fuel were the biggest problems. Had all four corner reconditioned and then sold it to a guy who drove it to Italy (I thought he would never make it but he did).

Do you change the wiring in your house every 10/20 years?

 

[EDZ649]

Your joking right... If the car has been stored in a garage there wont be a problem. Cabling is vacuum sealed when conductors are placed inside the insulator. Only when the insulator cracks via continuous temperature changes, vibration or a heavy fisted mechanic you will start to have problems with damp ingress . Age hardening/dissolving of plastic is hundreds of years

I had stored an old XJS V12 HE for 25 years, It hadn't been started for 14 of them... The wiring loom was that last of my worries, the brakes and old fuel were the biggest problems. Had all four corner reconditioned and then sold it to a guy who drove it to Italy (I thought he would never make it but he did).

Do you change the wiring in your house every 10/20 years?

No, he's not joking. MB had a problem with the material that the engine wiring looms were made from around that time where the outer sheathing of the cables degraded. There are many threads on here about the problem, just do a search.

 

[twixfits]

No, he's not joking. MB had a problem with the material that the engine wiring looms were made from around that time where the outer sheathing of the cables degraded. There are many threads on here about the problem, just do a search.

Ahh.. so if we park a W140 in the garage for 20 years and just let it sit there the sheathing will just degrade to the point the car won't start point taken though

 

[grober]

Ahh.. so if we park a W140 in the garage for 20 years and just let it sit there the sheathing will just degrade to the point the car won't start point taken though

You are correct -up to a point-- in that the degradation is temperature related- hence the main problems are in the engine compartment where underbonnet temperatures [ especially in a V12-- not a lot of room for air in there apart from a rather large engine!] accelerate the degradation. However the insulation was purposely designed to degrade quickly in landfill once the car was scrapped for environmental reasons so was predisposed to degrade just sitting around. I assume this was done at the manufacturing stage by either cutting down on the level of plasticiser to filler ratio or using a more volatile plasticizer?
In other words sitting in a garage or in land fill the result is the same. As you say nothing will happen till the insulation is actually moved physically or the vibration of the engine causes it to fragment in its now brittle state but unfortunately with these cars its a time-bomb waiting to go off not so much if as when.

ps one previous poster makes a good point however that part or much of the effected circuitry might have been replaced already by a diligent previous owner but any prospective buyer would be advised to see cast iron documentary evidence for this together with a detailed inspection before proceeding.

 

[WesLangdon]

am I correct in thinking that the only SL W129 cars free from the degredation issue would be the 103 3 litre and the 3 litre -24v version of the 104 motor?

 

[d w124]

am I correct in thinking that the only SL W129 cars free from the degredation issue would be the 103 3 litre and the 3 litre -24v version of the 104 motor?

Yes but the later ones did not have a problem either I think

 

[grober]

The crucial years 94,95,96 afaik although exact start and end times are vague. the start of the 320 M104 engines are probably a good rough marker the 3litre -24valve engines used the old wiring insulation and different wiring runs esp HT [ important fact] so should be fine. AS has been said the late 96 320 M104 engines had the improved quality insulation. That said that wiring design with the high tension ignition components sat in a little "metal oven" in the cam cover will eventually cook any insulation with time so are not totally immune--- it just takes considerably longer to happen.

Basic rule hotter the underbonnet temperature = bigger the engine- or hotter the climate [ first examples officially recognised in Southern USA irrc] the greater the likelihood of occurrence.

 

[SHAKTER]

I`ll show you a set of those sat,you can`t have them though lol

I'm having them!!

See you tomorrow mate.