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Mercedes 300D Suggestions

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Comments

  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Hello,

    Mr. Shiftright, thanks for the response. I bought the car. I have the service records that include a major tune up incl. valve adj. 3 months ago. Last year all the shocks and struts were replaced and it got new brakes. I have all the receipts. I have the records that go back to 1994. So the car is indeed in "great" shape. I will replace tires. I am really impressed with the car. Also after all the bad things I hear of the A/C systems I just presumed that it would not work. To my surprise the climate control works just fine and the interior is still a B+.

    So, now I just have to learn about this car a little more since I intend to do the maintenace, most of it at least. What do you recommend? Are there service manuals for these things. I think I read somewhere that they exist and are pretty complete.

    Any tips for maintenace are appreciated. Where is best place to get parts??? Thanks so much. Glad to join the club!

    Oh. There is a lever in the left side of driver's seat. What is it for? I think it would adjust the height of the seat but nothing happens when I pull it. Ideas?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes, that lever adjusts the "rake" of the bottom seat cushion. I never use it.

    Diesels needs more frequent maintenance than gas cars. Some things I do religiously area:

    Oil and filter every 3,000 miles
    Flush coolant once a year
    Flush brake fluid once a year
    Always use additives in the fuel, both cleaner and cetane booster
    Change fuel filters (there are two) often (see manual).
    Adjust valves as per factory recommendations (I think it's every 15K)

    It would be a good idea to get the factory manuals. There are 3 I believe. One for engine, one for maintenance and one for chassis. I have the whole set.
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    Just for interest sake does the tac work? I was on the third tac sender before I found a good rebuilder. Tac sender is the black screw on device in the front left corner of engine bay.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul,

    That is an interesting question. I just realized that it only works sometimes. That will annoy me. So what is the secret to making it work?

    Also the speedometer vibrates when starting to about 20mph I guess. Is that the tires or is it just normal?

    Thanks
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Mr. Shiftright,

    I was always under the impression that Diesels required less maintenance. I guess I was wrong. How often should I change the ATF and Differential oil? On my old Honda I used to do a major tune-up once a year and was pretty religious about the 3K oil changes.

    Only one thing. Please help. How easy is it to adjust the valves? I can do everything on the list. I have seen the valves adjusted once on a BMW. And it seemed so darn easy as long as you could tell difference between intakes and exhaust.

    Do the Manuals show how to do this?? I would love a picture or any info on this. I think that I should be able to do it.

    I had a 90 Accord and even though it said you should adjust the valves, I never did. At 170K it was still running perfectly.
  • autojunkyjoshautojunkyjosh Member Posts: 13
    I have found a replacement L5 for my MBZ what do I need to check for. I believe it came out of a 300CD, he put a Chevy 350 in it, (A common swap I do not understand) but I will take it off of his hands for 400 dollars. And does anybody have an idea how much it will cost to have this engine installed. And does anybody know of any good online or paper catologues for MBZ and Volvo. i.e. IPDUSA, JCWhitney, etc...
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    Went to a Starfest a few years ago and attended a seminar hosted by Bob Beckman, of Beckman Technologies, Inc. Very knowlegable on MB control modules. They rebuild the tac senders on an exchange basis , the one I got from them was still working 7 yrs later when I sold my 300DT. The last # I had was !-800-742-1021, they were located in Durham,NC 27704, Knob Hill Road. The speedo problem could be the cable, Call Palo-Alto Speedometer 415-323-0234, if you think it is the speedo head, they have been in business a long time.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    anibalb---I think the speedo cable needs greasing is all.

    The valves are easy to adjust but you need a special "crow foot" wrench to loosen the adjuster nut on the valve. A normal wrench can't get it. Mercedes will sell you this tool or maybe you can borrow it. The manual should give the tool #.

    Most people are confused about diesel maintenance. The general rule is:

    Diesel maintenance is less costly per service, but you need to service them more often. So it's really a wash in terms of expense.

    Also a diesel engine will generally cost more to rebuild than an equivalent gas engine, as it is built to a higher standard.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul,

    What is the Spedo head? Also, can you tell me precisely where I would find this Tac sending unit? Everyone mentions these rebuilt parts. If I went to the dealer is there any chance that they have a new part? Sometimes the new part is not much more than rebuilt.

    Also, where is the Speedo cable located? And how do you grease the cable? Isn't it self contained? How do I get the grease inside the cable?

    I presume when you say grease you mean general lithium grease. I imagine that will do.

    I bought a Hayes manual just so I can look at some of the basic stuff. I hope that I will get a chance to learn this stuff before it breaks down.. Thanks for all the help and tips.
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    The speedo head is your speedometer guage.The tac sending unit is the round black unit about 2 inches in dia in front left corner of the engine bay, made by VDO I believe, lift hood about a foot back of the drivers side headlight. Looks like the end of a flashlight, just unscrew then lift to disconnect the plug. there is a tether strap which can be removed by removing a base screw or two. The base socket that is now revealed is where the dealer can plug their diagnostic or tac meter for under hood service, it uses the same pickup source from the front damper. The rebuilds are about half price compared to oem , and in my case are fixed permanantly.I'm sure MB has sold thousands of these, and if the original design has not changed ,they are destined to fail. The speedo cable is attached to the back of the speedo guage and the casing unscrews from back of the guage revealing the drive cable inside, just your typical speedo cable. You want to use a lube which will not stiffen in the cold. Most shops use a graphite type speedo lube , available at most auto stores. You may find the guage cluster a bit difficult to get out , not familiar with the particular haynes manual you have, but if you need help post and I can tell you how, good luck.
  • dieselsmokedieselsmoke Member Posts: 3
    Mr. Shiftright,

    You mention the importance of changing oil and filter every 3000 mi. for diesels. I assume you mean traditional oil. What about synthetics like Amsoil, Redline and Mobil 1? Both Amsoil and Redline claim extended intervals between drains but what affect do these longer intervals have on the oil filter? Any suggestions? Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You know, I just don't mess with extended drains on diesels as I feel they overstress the filters. I suppose if you pulled the filter at 3,000 and left the synthetic in to 6,000 that might be okay, but you know how dirty diesel engine oil gets and how much stress is on those engines.

    Given the cost of a Mercedes diesel engine replacement, I don't see the wisdom in saving a bit of time and money using extended oil drains.

    I realize that the Big Rigs probably don't change their oils every 3,000, but these engines are monsters and also have masive filtration systems. You really can't compare them to dinky auto diesel engines.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul,

    Thanks so very much for all the tips. They come in handy. I will look at those 2 items soon. The Tac works sometimes. I think more often than not it is not working. I will look into the sending unit.

    I replaced the tires on my car today. They needed it so bad. I kept one wheel as the spare and put a new tire on the spare since it was flat! So instead of unmounting a tire from one wheel and remounting it on the spare they just swapped wheels.... I guess this is not a problem since it is a full spare.

    In doing so I noticed that the rear driver's side brakes are not wearing out evenly. I presume a failing caliper. Should I just replace the caliper? Also I have to press hard on the brakes. Most likely a bad booster. I should be able to do these repairs.

    Paul do you know any good place to get parts? Also, how do I remove the Speddo component? I don't think that will be covered in Hayes manual.

    Again, thanks for the tips. Oh! What oil do you use?
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Hello,

    I realized that there is a rebuild kit for Calipers that costs 1/10 of a rebuilt caliper. Should I just do that. I think all you do is remove the pistons and seals clean it all out and put in new seals. How hard can that be?

    How can I know for sure if I need a new brake booster. I tested it as follows. Pressed the brakes several times with the car off and then turned the car on. Sure enough the brakes went down closer to the floor. But it was very slow. I guess in my newer car as soon as I turn the car on they drop right away and faster.

    How hard is it to replace the oil cooler hoses? The last service invoice said that it needed them and the cost was 275. Seems a lot to me to replace some hoses.

    Glow plugs. It seems more expensive to have them tested than to just replace them. Should I replace them as preventive maintenance? And how often should I replace them going forward?

    Mr. Shiftright/Paul??? I would appreciate tips.

    Also, it seems that there is an excellent Mechanic in Walnut Creek. So may use him for major stuff!
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    The 123 series rear brake always wear unevenly , comparing inside to outside pads, this is normal for the rear brakes. A zone rep suggested years ago at the half way point in service to simply exchange outside to inside to even the wear and get the most economical service from the pads. they will seat in quickly and only contribute a fraction of the brake force compared to the front. To check the calipers , remove the pads and use a piece of wood to pry/ push the pistons in , any stuck pistons will soon be apparent (wood wil not mark the rotors). You can rebuild the calipers as you suggest but my experence is that the rebuilds are more cost effective and easier. Have you ever taken a stuck piston out? What about removing the sheared bleed screw? Now that you have gotten this far on a Saturday, and find the pitted piston has also got to be replaced, that piston/s alone will cost almost as much as a rebuilt caliper and if your paying some else for labour ?? Check your local parts stores , the prices are all over the map, but should be able to find for under a hundred. Your call ! MB uses two types of brakes on your car Teves or Bendix , Replace what you have with the same brand. I have found the OEM pads offer better braking but are softer than aftermarket and produce more brake dust. Two good low dust brands are Mintex and Axxis(repco) The instrument cluster fits in the dash much like a large plug ,no screws or clips are used , you basically pull it out To remove the instrument cluster , fashion a small hook from a piece of clothes hanger wire by flattening the end to about halt thickness, bend this end over to form a hook. on the other end place a piece of wood for a handle or use something similar. push the top of the vinyl surrounding the ins cluster up and insert the tool , hook towards cluster and pull out , now go to thr right side at 3 o' clock position on clock and insert again and pull . cluster should now be free , reach behind and unscrew knurled nut on speedo cable ,disconnect electrical plugs and cluster is in your hands.You can also remove the under dash panel and push unit out by hand. Performance products.com (impco) have a great catalog with parts break down, also www.alleuro.com . As to moter oil I always used Quaker State 10w40 in my MB .not saying it is better than anything else, only it is on MB's approved list of lubes and is available anywhere in Canada and US that I travel. Also use this brand in all my vehicles, different weights for different applications of course. No need to replace glow plugs unless bad , there is a failure warning if one goes but is not that accurate. PS the oil cooler hoses are $44 and $39 plus shipping (2000/01 catalog) respectively at Performance Products 1-800-243-1220 ch. Good luck
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Great advice, thanks! Also you don't turn rotors on this Benz, you have to replace the rotors if they do not meet minimum thickness.

    I agree, I don't think trying to rebuild the calipers yourself has much of a chance of success unless you are very very lucky.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul,

    WOW! Great stuff. I will not rebuild the calipers. Thanks for the advice. It is only the left rear that has uneven wear.

    What do you think of the Booster question? The brake pedal is a bit hard, but I am comparing it to a 2001 Subaru Outback that is known for Squeeshy brake pedal. Is there a way to test the thing out.

    Thanks on the oil cooler hoses. I will have to look for them. I am not sure where they are yet. I am just going by what the last invoice of service recommended.

    Paul, my clock does not work either, is that part of the tach sending unit? I presume not! But one never knows, one thing can screw up the other. One last thing, when I turn my key to let the glow plugs warm up the antenna goes up. And then when I crank the engine it goes back down and then up again. Is this right?

    Where are you located Paul? I am in Bay Area!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You should also check on Ebay for these parts. i get lots of 300D parts from Ebay.

    The 300D has a big booster. Your brakes should stop on a dime. If the booster were defective, you'd have to literally STAND on those brakes to get the car to stop. If you have a bad caliper or two, or glazed rotors or pads, your braking efficiency will be very badly compromised.

    I suppose you could disconnect the brake booster vacuum feed and plug it up and then see if there's any difference. I'd be very careful how and where you do this, and am not officially recommending it.
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    The test you did is a standard brake booster test and indicates the booster is functioning, I agree with Mr Shiftright, the brakes on these cars are like setting anchors when they are working right, . The oil cooler hoses run from the oil cooler at the front left side of the rad (stand alone device) and run back the left side of the body to the oil filter housing on the left rear of the engine. The clock is a separate stand alone item and removes from the rear of your instrument cluster, they get a little "jerky " before quitting, Palo Alto Speedometer Inc. fixes them or it might be more cost effective to get a used one. Potomoc German Auto 1-800-831-8901 is a good source for used MB parts such as this (I bought my clock there). I've been to their yard, lots of Mercs there. When you go to start, most electrical devices are disconnected, you can shut the radio off before stopping the engine, to prevent this on starting and turn it on afterward. If this is the OEM radio and antenna , the antenna will go to different heights depending on Am or Fm. I'm in the North East near Maine.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    I can't tell you how much I appreciate your tips. This is great stuff. Mr. Shiftright, I will try the test that you outlined above on a nice flat empty parking lot. I understand that you are not recommending it. The LR caliper may be failing as it is the only one that is wearing out the pads unevenly. It just may need a good Brake fluid flush! I will look for glazed pads. And when I replace the back pads I will just get new rotors since they are not that expensive. I don't like half jobs. If I do them I will replace everything.

    I think that I will also have to replace the CV boots. I am sure that will be time consuming. It seems that you have to take off the cover of the differential to release the axles. Euffff! Maybe it is not as complicated as I think. I just have to remember that when I get the CV boot kit to get a new gasket for differential and new 80/90.

    Are the Mercedes CD's really worth it? I need lots of pictures to help me spot these things. Like the oil cooler hoses. I will look for them now. Paul you said oil filter is in left back of the engine. Driver's side? There is a filter in the front of engine Driver's side that looks just like and oil filter. So what is that?

    I am taking a big exam this Saturday. After that I will have time to fix all these little odds and ends and my 300 will be in tip top shape. I will let you know how it goes! And am sure that I will have more questions.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The problem with the CDs is of course you can't easily take them out with you to the car. This is why I prefer the workshop manuals. You don't have to buy all the manuals at once, just the one you need for the job you are doing. These manuals are very helpful.

    Most people don't understand that what makes Mercedes different from most cars is that they are made to be taken apart and repaired. Most components are very well built and also built to be disassembled and renewed and even adjusted for best service.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Mr. S,

    I presume that with the CD's you can print out the pages you may need. Is this the case? I just did look in EBAY and they have a set of Manuals (Printed Copy) up for $60. I am not sure if that is a good deal or not. Also I see a lot of ads for the CD's and they are much cheaper. Any reasons for this?

    Also I saw an alert with one of the parts about the Flex Discs on the driveline. The guy mentions that in a few cases they break and cause a lot of damage to the car. Is this true? It is the first I hear of this.
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    So if Mercedes are made to be taken apart and repaired, then any GM product is the same way, right?
  • haspelbeinhaspelbein Member Posts: 227
    You cannot fully appreciate a Mercedes until you've taken it apart. When I compare it to my BMW, the Benz can be serviced with a minimum of proprietary tools, and most services are very straight forward.

    For example, I've never had another car with a drain plug for the torque converter, so that you can fully drain the transmission without having to flush it. Or the oil filter and oil drain are so nicely laid out, that it is possible to perform an oil change without getting a single drop of oil on the floor.

    Or take my instrument cluster. It is just a perfect and tight fit into the dashboard, no fasteners whatsoever. It just sits in place. The electrical connectors to it use small handles to release and reconnect, so that it is essentially impossible to bend the pins of the connector itself. This extreme focus on detail is just very nice.

    Compared to GM, the "taking apart" of the Mercedes is optional for about the first 10 years of its life. With GM it is mandatory, all the time...and not as much fun.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Haspelbein,

    That was very well put. I guess another difference between Mercedes and GM is that you have to take apart a Mercedes if you want to. A GM comes apart whether you want it or not. Ha ha ha.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    IF you lift the hood of a GM car (which is a perfectly okay car for the money) you see lots of plastic snaps and plastic wire ties instead of bolts and nuts and metal fasteners, and lots of sealed units that cannot be disassembled; also lots of plastic tubing instead of steel or aluminum. You just stick your hands in some of the engine compartments and just the pressure of your wrists or arms breaks things. You pop a door panel or remove a dash panel on a lot of GM cars and you've never get it back in without replacing all the fasteners you just broke off.
  • haspelbeinhaspelbein Member Posts: 227
    All the hose clamps in my Benz are the manual type, which you can tighten with the screw driver found in the Benz' toolkit available in the trunk, should you have an emergency that requires you to do so.

    But hose clamps are just an example, electrical connectors are really more important. I remember replacing a throttle position sensor in a Ford. One retaining clips of the electrical connector broke immediately. It was just cheap. The sensor itself was attached to the throttle body with plain phillips screws, torqued beyond reason. Why not spend 50 cents more on TORX bolts, so that the unit can be serviced ? (I ended up removing the valve cover, so that I could put my whole body weight against the electrical drill that finally removed the screw.)

    You just don't find that kind of stuff in a Benz. Sometimes MB's solutions are a little bit odd, but always thought out.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    The comments are making me laugh. Taking a door panel out and then having to replace all the fastners you just broke off. That is hillariously true. The pressure of you reaching your hand into something breaks something else... I am rolling here. This is good humor! The 123 is indeed a great example of simple mechanical engineering. Agree.

    I have not looked yet but, I don't think that I have the Original MB tool box. Is it literally a box with tools? Or just a few wrenches and screwdrivers? Thanks. Still thinking of the comments and laughing.

    Please tell me if there is really a need to replace the flex plate in the driveline as a preventive measure? Thanks
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Old Volvos seem to be built the same way as old Mercedes. They're built to stay durable and for easy, simple maintenance.
  • haspelbeinhaspelbein Member Posts: 227
    Actually, I'm not positive on the 123, but on the other MBs I've seen, the tools were in a little bag that you can roll out, having little pockets for the tools.

    If you don't have it, I'm sure you can find one on E*Bay very easily.

    It is crucial on my car, as it contains the wheel mounting pin. Since my vehicle has lug bolts, and not lug nuts, it is a major pain to change a wheel without it.
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    The filter at the left front of the engine above the injection pump is the main fuel filter. A note of caution here, when replacing this filter do not try to spin this off as you do an oil filter although it looks like one. You must loosen the through bolt which is centered directly on top of the housing, in line with the centerline of the filter, this is how it is attached to the housing, You will crush the filter trying to spin it off. To install hold filter in position and tighten this bolt.There is also a small prefilter (inline) at the manual lift pump on the injection pump . The oil filter housing is on not in the left rear of the engine. This engine takes a two stage cartridge, a full fiow portion (bottom) and a bypass portion (top). It fits into a filter housing which is about 10 inches tall and about 5 inches in dia. It is made of aluminum and has a cap held on with two nuts.Your oil cooler hose pipes attach to the bottom of this housing. Nice to see you are taking an interest in your car.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul wrote:

    The oil filter housing is on not in the left rear of the engine.

    Ha ha ha. I appreciate that correction. English is my second language and I do that all the time. So am learning two things at once. Good to know that is the fuel filter. Knowing me, I probably would try to untighten it like an oil filter.

    Once I find the oil Filter housing I will then see the oil cooler hose pipes. Great! I will look to see if they are leaking!

    I am extremely interested in the car as it fascinates me quite a bit. Also, doing work with my hands is a great stress reliever and break from looking at a computer all day as my career demands. I very much look forward to doing the maintenance on it. Only one thing that scares me is valve adjustment. Would like to watch someone first, but can't exactly ask my mechanic for that.....
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Paul,

    I spotted the Tach sending unit. I unscrewed it and then put it back in and VOILA! Tach works again. I presume this will only be temporary and it will stop again. But at least that tells me that it is the sending unit not the Tach itself. I might try taking it off and getting some wire cleaner/dryer and cleaning it all up. Sometimes that works.

    Can you do me a big favor and tell me what speed your 300 is going in the Highway when the rpms is exactly at 3. I am curious if my speedometer is well calibrated. It seems that when I am going only 65 I am passing a lot of people. So just let me know what the speed should be.

    I also saw the oil filter casing. And attached are the hoses but they are aluminum and I thought that they were just rubber. In any event, I don't see any leaks at all. So am not sure if it was fixed and the Mechanic just forgot to delete that from the suggestions box in the invoice.

    Soon I will test the brakes and booster. If I find glazed pads or something like that I might just do an overhaul and replace rotors pads and flush the fluid. Then I'll be sure it is all good!
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    Do not have the 300dt now, sold it some time ago. Your speedo could be out if the rear diff was changed . Different years/engines have different ratios but the housings all fit and look the same. To test your speedometer , go on a highway with mile markers, hold your speed at 60mph and with a stop watch or wrist watch , record the time it takes to go 5 miles . Should be 5 min.( 300 sec. ) . If it takes longer your speedo is registering fast , if it takes less than 300 sec. your speedo is registering slower than your actual speed . Note before testing set your tire pressure as recomended on the fuel fill door. As for the oil cooler lines, the flex section is at the oil cooler end of the lines , this is probably where the mech. noticed the seeping or leaks. I doubt if cleaning the tac unit will help , you will notice the a lot of the Benz connector pins/sockets appear to be silver plated . In any case they are the best quality connectors I have seen on a vehicle at that period of time. Also the tac sender electronics and pins are completely sealed from the elements when the cap is screwed in place. These cars were expensive and the buyer actually got what he/she paid for IMHO.
  • sgrd0qsgrd0q Member Posts: 398
    Mr_Shiftright HOST said: IF you lift the hood of a GM car (which is a perfectly okay car for the money) you see lots of plastic snaps and plastic wire ties instead of bolts and nuts and metal fasteners, and lots of sealed units that cannot be disassembled; also lots of plastic tubing instead of steel or aluminum. You just stick your hands in some of the engine compartments and just the pressure of your wrists or arms breaks things.

    I wonder if the new entry level Mercedes is as cheap...
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    I think the current entry-level Mercedes cars are really really cheap.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Actually I haven't looked under the hood but I will and I'll let you know what I see under there.
  • haspelbeinhaspelbein Member Posts: 227
    I had one as a rental for a week. The interior materials are nice, and the powertrain with the 6spd is laudable. You can cruise quite nicely at high speeds without too much engine noise. I had no reason to look under the hood, though.

    I can definitely say that it doesn't have the old Mercedes "tank feel" to it. But that is merely a personal preference.

    My issue is rather, that for $30K, you a have a pretty decent set of competitive products.
  • sgrd0qsgrd0q Member Posts: 398
    Thanks Shifty! Please let us know.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Hello,

    In three of my power windows when I close them all the way and hold the button the motor stops working once the window is closed. However, one of them and the sunroof, the motor keeps going as long as I hold the button down. What do I need to do to fix that. Since the other 3 stop I suppose the fourth and the sunroof should do the same. Anyone have tips. Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The sunroof motor doesn't stop automatically, you have to release the button.

    Not sure about the power window...it SHOULD stop but I don't know if it can be adjusted to do so or if that's a defect in the motor itself. If adjustable, you'd need to look at the factory manual. If it's in the motor, I'd just live with it, it's a bit of a pain to change all that out.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Mr. S,

    Thanks. I guess it is a delicate balance in knowing when the roof is fully closed and overdoing it. I am always afraid that I will burn out the motor. But perhaps there is really no damage since after 20 years it is still working.

    My Tac has been working all weekend and I am going to lube the speedometer to see if eliminates the vibrating from 0 mph to about 30mph.

    I see some 300D's and the rear of the car is sig. higer than the front of the car. And some the rear kind of sags a bit. I like the higher look since it looks peppy. My car just got new shocks 1 1/2 years ago. Could it be the Springs?

    Finally, at 75mph my tac reads 3500 rpm's. That seems a bit high. Is this about right?

    Mr. S. I really appreciate the info. I think I will eventually get the CD manuals! But that doesn't show you how to test for things!
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Hello,

    I have realized that my CC does not work. Or perhaps I don't know how to operate it. I was on the highway and simply moved that lever attached to the steering wheel. I tried up and down and nothing seemed to work. Is there a button that I have to press to turn it on? On new cars there is. Am I not doing it right? Also, I see that there are a bunch of CC components. What do I look for to get it to work?

    I hope the answer is that I am not operating it right. Since the A/C works excellent. Only that when it is on automatic the fan seems to stay at high. I thought that as the car cooled it would slow down.

    I know I ask a lot of questions. Curiosity!!! And I enjoy working these things out. So I am always most thankful for tips.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The CC on those cars isn't very good. Mine works like SOME of the time, when the car is warmed up. It's all done with that little stick. You pull it toward you to turn it on and then up to set the speed. You could check your fuses.
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Mr S,

    That may be the key. Pull it towards me first to turn it on! I will check it out again.
  • mbdrivermbdriver Member Posts: 426
    No, no, no! Pulling the CC lever towards you is to reset the cruise control to resume speed (after the CC has been disengaged). To set your speed initially, you have to move the lever toward the windshield (a motion roughly parallel with the plane of the steering wheel). Holding the lever there will also cause the car to accelerate. Move the lever in the opposite direction to slow or, when you release it, to set the slower speed). Pushing the lever away from you disengages the CC (same as tapping the brake pedal). There's no "on" or "off" control for the CC.

    BTW, the CC lever in my wife's 1977 300D operates exactly like the one in my 2000 E320. The only anomaly is that in the older car, the speed seems to slow slightly after the lever is used to set the CC. When I'm driving the 300D, I normally hold the lever for a second or two to ensure that the CC maintains the speed I want. Also, the E320 CC will cause a downshift to maintain the selected speed when the car is going downhill. Nice!

    Hope this helps!
  • anibalbanibalb Member Posts: 193
    Thanks,

    I think I tried moving it toward the windshield and also toward the floor. It did not hold my speed. So I am not sure what is wrong with it. Do you do your own maintenance on the car? I am hoping that I can learn enough to fix most problems myself. For now the most important thing that I want to fix is the brakes. I think they can be a lot smoother. In my 01 Outback I just touch the brake pedal. In the MB I actually have to aaply force to it.

    Also when I open my door lock, the other door locks come up slowly! Is this ok? On a previous BMW they would pop right up.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That's right, toward you resumes the speed, away from you is "off" (that's why I thought there was an "on"), up to accelerate, down to deccelerate.

    Actually, CC on a 300D is a bit of a joke anyway. It's an optimistic notion to say the least.

    Yes, the door locks are slow since they are vacuum.
  • paul29paul29 Member Posts: 178
    The cruise control module is an aluminum box under the driver's side of dash ( about 4x6x11/2 inches ). Mine failed when the car was on warranty and there was an upgrade available which cured the problem.I never had any trouble with it after the fix . I found the CC to be very accurate in mine, also when you do get it working a tap up on the lever will tncrease your speed 2mph , at tap down will decrease by the same amount, very easy to adjust for conditions . The actuator, located on the left front of the engine should not be touched unless you have the shop manual instructions , this little unit is quite complex , and is controlled by the CC module. A defective brake light switch will also prevent the unit from operating. Have you checked your fuses , turn them in their holders as they may have a bit of corrision build up. Good luck.
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Is that also the reason why the power door locks on all Audis are slow? Are they vacuum as well?
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