W202 Worth Rescuing?

[Touche]

I was at my parents house again yesterday and spent an hour on the car.

This time I came prepared with a mini hacksaw. I put some masking tape on the fuel line to stop the saw slipping and painfully slowly managed to cut out the section of rusted line.

I'd done some research and found the steel lines have an 8mm diameter. So I had bought some fuel injection rubber hose with a 7.6mm internal diameter to slip over the cut ends after they'd been deburred. I put double hose clamps on each end and... tada... all done. I fired her up and she started with no leaks



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That is one end of the repair. Inspecting the corroded section of pipe I can see there are 2 pinholes where it has rusted through.

I ran the engine up to temperature and got ready to tackle the sump plug bolt. This time rather than attacking it from the ground I'd borrowed some wheel ramps so had much more space to work in. I used a 2ft breaker bar and tada... came of no probs. I changed the oil, filter, drain washer and o-ring.

So it's almost ready for an MOT I think. The only issues I can see are some rust on the undercarriage and 2 spots of rust on the brake lines. I'm going back down in 2 weeks time so will wire wool the spots of rust and treat them with something, then take her for an MOT and see what happens

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[bennesspipers]

Keep at it fella My C220 might not be worth more than a few hundred £s but i'd happily spend that much on it, cracking cars, no intention of getting rid of mine

 

[Touche]

I'm planning on visiting my parents this weekend again so have booked the car in for an MOT on Saturday afternoon. That should give me enough time to get her up on the wheel ramps again and treat the 2 small areas of rust on the hard brake lines.

I'm more than a little apprehensive. It's a 4 mile drive to the MOT centre as nowhere else closer could fit me in on a Saturday and she's not been on the road in at least 6 years.

Does anyone happen to know how the RAC treat call outs to cars that have no MOT or road tax?!

 

[Touche]

Had its MOT today and failed unfortunately. Just the bloody horn not working! I found out on my way to kwik fit (£25 MOT deal) when i tried to warn someone of my presence. Anyway since id paid and it was cheap i thought id just go through with it knowing it would be a failure and see what happens.

Turns out everything was fine except the horn. It tries to sound but is almost mute. The tester was a nice bloke and suggested i get a universal horn from halfords and suggested i come back on Monday for a partial retest. Didnt try to flog me anything, didnt even offer to quote me for a horn! Ive been busy all evening so will hopefully tackle the horn replacement tomorrow.

I also had an advisory for some corrosion underneath but its just what i had seen before so there were no real suprises.

Thanks for the help

 

[guydewdney]

http://www.autolib.diakom.ru/CAR/Mercedes-Benz/1997/C230/SYSTEM WIRING DIAGRAMS/6104.pdf

horn wiring diagram. pita...

 

[grober]

Try cleaning up the fuse contacts and reseating the relay after cleaning its contact pins. Get a hold of a voltmeter and measure the voltage across the battery terminals. Then get someone to sound the horn continuously [ ignition on] and measure the voltage across the horns in circuit----- a large difference means a problem in the supply or earth circuit [ relay or horn connections ]

 

[Touche]

The fuses looked fine so i went ahead and changed the horns this afternoon. Was a real mission as ive forgotten my axle stands so had to use wheel ramps and keep the wheels on while removing the arch liners to access the horns. When i got to them and was removing one of the nuts holding them on, the bolt sheared in half. Eventually i got it sorted and have a working horn. I'll take it for its partial retest tomorrow

 

[merc estate]

Right let me say, you are doing a great job fixing it up by the sounds of it very nice story to read and i wish you luck. i think people may be missing the point here maybe even yourself, YOUR DAD loves you being around mucking about with his old car, he even loves teasing you with the wd40 i bet when you are talking to him about it, its the best thing he has in his life, being and talking with his son PRICELESS !!!! Let me give you a word of warning i once built a fantastic pair of ramps out of thick ply real good stuff when i got from underneath the car once it collapsed it would have killed me. remember your dad loves you more than you will ever know, good luck keep us updated. P.S. what a great doctor when i need fixing i will contact you, have fun.

 

[Touche]

Cheers mate. I started on the car just to move it and clean the driveway! I know why i've carried on though and you're right.

If anyone is interested I've kept a spreadsheet of costs to get the car going. Parts (service items, battery, fuel pump, horn, fluids, new new wheels and tyres etc) and MOT came to just under £450. Tools (safety goggles, head torch, 120 piece socket set, impact wrench, breaker bar, trolley jack, axle stands, wheel ramps, jerry can etc) came to just under £150 (bare in mind i had virtually none of the required kit before i started). So I've spent more than the car is worth but that doesnt really bother me in all honesty.

I'll probably have a go at refurbing the original wheels over the winter (would keep me in the garage for a few days and out of my wife's way!) and sell on the ones on there at the moment. That should bring the total down by £100 or so.

 

[merc estate]

You now have all the stuff to fix every car you will own so none of it should be priced in for the car, you know you always wanted a socket set.

 

[Touche]

You now have all the stuff to fix every car you will own so none of it should be priced in for the car, you know you always wanted a socket set.

Haha, very true mate. I cleaned out the egr valve on my lexus is220d the other week so saved an hour's labour there. If I do just a couple more small jobs the kit has paid for itself. That's why i accounted for tools seperately.

Part of the reason I've never worked on a car before was the lack of tools. The other part was that i didnt want to risk killing my car (essential for work). So its always been easier to just get a garage to sort me out... Bringing this car back from the dead has made me much more willing to sort out issues myself

 

[John Jones Jr]

Good to hear about the MOT and even better that you seem to be enjoying working on the car. A win all round it seems. Keep up the good work and don't forget you'll need to keep clocking up a few miles on the car as often as practically possible.

 

[Touche]

Good to hear about the MOT and even better that you seem to be enjoying working on the car. A win all round it seems. Keep up the good work and don't forget you'll need to keep clocking up a few miles on the car as often as practically possible.

Yeah, i know the car needs to be driven. There are still some cobwebs that need to be shaken off, some minor issues it would be nice to sort and im not sure another 7 years on the drive would be quite so easy to sort out.

When i drove it to kwik fit on Saturday the brakes were crap, the carpet was catching on the pedals which made the controls feel awful, the horn didnt work when i needed it and i wondered whether the car was really going to be usable again.

This morning the car drove much better, i noticed the interior is in excellent condition with barely any wear on the seats and door cards (even has the original first aid kit untouched in the rear)... and passed the MOT!

 

[guydewdney]

:bannana::bannana::bannana::bannana:

 

[bmthnick1981]

Great story and glad another serviceable car has been saved from the crusher or being broken up for bits.

 

[Touche]

Was in two minds as to whether to update this thread as it's been a year... but here it is anyway!

UPDATE

The car is being used as a daily driver by my father-in-law. He's had it for exactly a year and has been using it to pick up/take my daughter to nursery when my wife and I are at work. He also uses it to keep more mobile than previously and helps family members with building work (he's an ex builder) so he's lost a load of weight.

The car hasn't missed a beat in the past year. It sailed through it's second MOT with only a pair of tie end rods needed (tried to do them myself but they were stuck solid so paid a local garage £50 for the job). The tie end rod boots were probably already perished last year but the MOT tester was scared of spiders and wouldn't stick his head in the wheel wells (rammed full of spiders and spider webs from standing for years) so didn't catch it!!

I've also bought another car (Jaguar X Type estate) and serviced it myself this summer. Changed the water pump, gearbox oil, transfer case oil, brake discs and pads, rear ARB bushes and drop links, rear upper and lower control arm bushes, rear shocks. As you can imagine I saved a small fortune in labour. So in answer to the original question... w202 worth rescuing? In my case yes it really was!

 

[dozypillock]

Was in two minds as to whether to update this thread as it's been a year... but here it is anyway!

UPDATE

The car is being used as a daily driver by my father-in-law. He's had it for exactly a year and has been using it to pick up/take my daughter to nursery when my wife and I are at work. He also uses it to keep more mobile than previously and helps family members with building work (he's an ex builder) so he's lost a load of weight.

The car hasn't missed a beat in the past year. It sailed through it's second MOT with only a pair of tie end rods needed (tried to do them myself but they were stuck solid so paid a local garage £50 for the job). The tie end rod boots were probably already perished last year but the MOT tester was scared of spiders and wouldn't stick his head in the wheel wells (rammed full of spiders and spider webs from standing for years) so didn't catch it!!

I've also bought another car (Jaguar X Type estate) and serviced it myself this summer. Changed the water pump, gearbox oil, transfer case oil, brake discs and pads, rear ARB bushes and drop links, rear upper and lower control arm bushes, rear shocks. As you can imagine I saved a small fortune in labour. So in answer to the original question... w202 worth rescuing? In my case yes it really was!

Not much beats the satisfaction in repairing a car yourself? Not only do you learn more about your own car, you save money, and hopefully, you do the job properly (I have had brakes fail in my young days when a spotty youth forgot to do up a bleed nipple properly)
I also end up cleaning other bits etc, that a garage would not do, as they only do what needs doing to fix the job. No preventative normally...etc etc
New to Mercs myself, but every job I do, I learn more about all the other hidden bits around the bit I am fixing, and makes doing them easier in the future.
I think it is a lovely thing you have done, and hope your dad is pleased. I am hoping to keep my car for next 20 years (will be 70 then) and would wish it to be kept going by an enthusiast (no children).

Neil

 

[Dave Richardson]

Great story with a happy ending, you're to be congratulated on your patience & determination

dave

 

[frostbite]

Mate, you have the automotive equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath somewhere in your conscience. Think of this as a patient who may have little left to contribute to society but is actually alive and with a useful level of awareness and communication. Unconscious and needing airway and breathing support maybe for now, but with a beating heart and with brain activity. You'd just do it, expensive MRIs, CTs, a top spec trauma bed with full team of surgeons and ODPs. At the end of it all, the patient may not be the person they once were physically, but they'll still be loved and wanted.
So many people buy and fix up cars just because it's fun and there's immense satisfaction in driving something you've put back on the road. Perhaps the car won't be worth much.... yet. But so what? If immediate value was an issue, think how many gorgeous old vehicles would be missing from today's roads and shows!
Good on you Sir!

 

[DSB SL AMG]

Thanks for the update...what a great thread!

Seems now you can always pursue a new career with car restoration...

How is your father by the way?

Was in two minds as to whether to update this thread as it's been a year... but here it is anyway!

UPDATE

The car is being used as a daily driver by my father-in-law. He's had it for exactly a year and has been using it to pick up/take my daughter to nursery when my wife and I are at work. He also uses it to keep more mobile than previously and helps family members with building work (he's an ex builder) so he's lost a load of weight.

The car hasn't missed a beat in the past year. It sailed through it's second MOT with only a pair of tie end rods needed (tried to do them myself but they were stuck solid so paid a local garage £50 for the job). The tie end rod boots were probably already perished last year but the MOT tester was scared of spiders and wouldn't stick his head in the wheel wells (rammed full of spiders and spider webs from standing for years) so didn't catch it!!

I've also bought another car (Jaguar X Type estate) and serviced it myself this summer. Changed the water pump, gearbox oil, transfer case oil, brake discs and pads, rear ARB bushes and drop links, rear upper and lower control arm bushes, rear shocks. As you can imagine I saved a small fortune in labour. So in answer to the original question... w202 worth rescuing? In my case yes it really was!