GregMN's 1991 W126 350SDL Has A New Home - Page 14 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Squiggle Dog · #**196** 02-25-2021, 05:02 PM

I put on new front brake pads, as they were worn.

We had a really hard time finding decent ceramic ones. When I did the brakes 4 years ago, the drilled and slotted rotors came with a nice set of ceramic pads. The closest replacements we found were Brembo ceramics, which are supposed to be decent. They are not! These Brembo ceramic pads leave a lot of dust, almost as bad as organic!

Squiggle Dog · #**197** 02-25-2021, 05:10 PM

The ASD light is perpetually lit, which is annoying. I attempted to diagnose the system, and found that it's likely a faulty right front wheel speed sensor. I tried removing it, and it was really stuck. I spent several hours trying many tricks, but the sensor is stuck inside the spindle. I'm not going to be able to remove it until I take off the spindle when I rebuild the steering and suspension.

The dash buzzer stopped working, so I ended up replacing it.

Squiggle Dog · #**198** 02-25-2021, 05:18 PM

I can never seem to keep the air conditioning in this car working for very long. It's been one thing after another. Once again, as of June 2020, it wasn't blowing cold.

The auxiliary fans weren't coming on and I could hear one of the relays making clicking noises and then sometimes the fans would run intermittently. I tested the refrigerant charge and added some to see if it would make a difference, but it did not.

I tested the various system components and ultimately found it to be a bad wire going to the auxiliary fan pre-resistor. The pre-resistor happens to be located underneath the brake booster, under some wire looms, and back behind a false firewall.

I feel like I do not have hands small enough to be working on this car! Fortunately, I fixed the problem. I bypassed the pre-resistor by attaching the two wires together, since its function is to make the auxiliary fans run at half speed when the air conditioning is on. Full speed is better!

So now the fans always run at full speed when they are switched on, and the air conditioning feels nice and cold.

I had to pull away part of the false firewall so I could access the pre-resistor (the part that fails always has to be the hardest part to replace, doesn't it?).

The pre-resistor is way down there at the bottom, hidden underneath the brake booster.

Here it is. The pre-resistor was loose on one end.

One of the rubber insulators had melted off, and the wire going to the same side got hot and burned. The coil inside the pre-resistor gets red hot and leaves gather in this area, which starts fires. I cleaned out many leaves and a rat's nest from there.

With the one end of the pre-resistor being loose, it would also allow for the screw at the bottom to ground out against the metal frame.

Squiggle Dog · #**199** 02-25-2021, 05:30 PM

Here's the little wire that burned. It's short and difficult to reach. I had to squeeze my hands in there really tight to get at it, and it hurt. It took hours to get a new connector on it.

Now the pre-resistor is gone and I just bolted the two wires together so the fans run on high speed instead of half speed when the air conditioning is on.

Even after the work I did on bypassing the auxiliary fan pre-resistor, in August the fans were still working intermittently, if at all--which causes the air conditioning to not be cold, and the engine to get too hot.

Apparently the wires in the air conditioning portion of the auxiliary fan harness are too small, and it can be a problem supplying current to the fans and can burn up. So, I bypassed that portion of the wire harness and am using the engine temperature portion of the harness to run the fans.

To do this, I got a different style relay (part number 0015429719) which has a 40 AMP fuse built into it (there is no fuse in the auxiliary fan system). I took an old relay, cut off one of the pins so it can't energize, and then attached a wire between pin 85 of each one by tinning the wires, sliding them down, and then heating them with a soldering iron.

This should be a lot safer than what the factory did. Hopefully this solves the problem.

The old and new relays in place with the jumper wire. I thought this would be better than leaving an empty space with a wire sticking out of it.

Squiggle Dog · #**200** 02-25-2021, 06:02 PM

Now that I've caught you up on the progress, I must say that things have been very difficult here. The pandemic has been tough on most of us, but my roommate (whose car this is) had congestive heart failure and has been struggling with his health. Very scary.

My own well-being has deteriorated, as well. I've been struggling with a sleeping disorder which cost me my career, and I haven't had a job in 4 years. It's gotten worse to the point where I could barely function and couldn't seem to be awake for more than 4 hours at a time.

I've also developed swollen lymph nodes (one the size of a golf ball), lost weight, and have constant headaches and nausea. The doctor thinks I have lymphoma (blood cancer). I'm also constantly getting hemiplegic migraines, which are essentially strokes. I lose my vision and one side of my body goes numb, including my face, and I lose my ability to understand speech.

At this point I feel almost completely disabled and have to rest most of the time. I have no appetite, either. Despite this, I'm trying to do what I'm able.

Here, in February, despite all the efforts I've made to try to fix the air conditioning system, the auxiliary fans were STILL acting up and coming on when they weren't supposed to!

I found it to be a faulty temperature sensor located on the upper radiator hose fitting (wiggling the pins showed a broken internal connection). The plastic connector was also broken off of the wires.

Of course, as soon as I took the first step to make the car undriveable (partially draining the coolant), I started losing my vision and getting a migraine. So, I had to shut it all down and take a nap. Working on cars is a real struggle now. I'm just not well enough to do it. I feel awful and my bones and joints even ache.

When I got back out there, I removed the old temperature sensor. The threads were very corroded and needed cleaning with a wire brush.

A brand new Behr sensor.

I put on a new plastic connector. Hopefully this fixes the auxiliary fan malfunction for good!

Squiggle Dog · #**201** 02-25-2021, 06:16 PM

I had installed new genuine Mercedes coolant hoses when I replaced the head, but my roommate wanted to save money by using a ÜRO brand upper radiator hose. The hose rubber felt thick, and the hose clamps didn't seem to compress it well. It ended up leaking in short order, with coolant spraying out from between the rubber plies on each end.

Cost was still an issue for the upper radiator hose, but my roommate bought a genuine Mercedes one on eBay, which would have cost less than ordering it from the dealer and having it shipped. However, shipping took a long time, and he was told the hose was "damaged in shipping", so it never arrived, and he was refunded.

So finally, I placed an order for one from the dealership and was told it was no longer available. Ugh! ÜRO is apparently the only game in town. However, there was a listing on eBay for a new Lemförder brand hose. I had no idea Lemförder made them! Well, when the hose arrived it was obviously old stock with shelf wear and had been relabeled. Hmmm.

Once I removed the label, it seemed to have a manufacture date of 2007, making it 14 years old. I guess it's either old stock or ÜRO. Oh... or cut-to-fit universal hoses that aren't the right diameter--we actually tried that first. I suppose cheapskates are killing the demand for genuine Mercedes parts.

Squiggle Dog · #**202** 02-25-2021, 07:37 PM

I had replaced the belt tensioner spring and damper, which stopped the belt from getting shiny spots from it rubbing on itself, but the tensioner and pulley were tilted due to bearing wear, so it was time to replace them as well.

The fan is difficult to remove. First, the shroud has to be unclipped and then pulled back over it. The radiator should be protected with cardboard, and then I use a special stubby 8mm Mercedes Stahlwille hex key socket on a Harbor Freight serpentine belt tool. There is barely enough room to fit them on the fan bolt.

Then I use a cheap pulley holder tool from the auto parts store to keep the fan pulley from turning while I loosen the fan bolt. I really dislike having things designed to use special tools. It is more common the newer the car.

I installed a new valve cover gasket a little over a year ago, and it's already dry rotted. It's a DPH brand. Probably should have spent the extra money for genuine Mercedes.

I had the tensioner out before, and when I put it back in, I used red thread locking compound. The bolt seemed really stuck, so I carefully heated up the area where the bolt threads into the timing cover with a torch, which allowed the bolt to come loose.

Squiggle Dog · #**203** 02-25-2021, 07:46 PM

The fan and shroud then come out together. We got a new Febi brand tensioner, which is made in Germany.

A top quality new INA pulley was purchased.

I even put new plastic dust caps over the tensioner and pulley to prolong their lives. They were extremely difficult to install. The one for the tensioner required a lot of force to get started, and then levering on it with a screwdriver until it seated fully. The one for the pulley was outrageous. No amount of force seemed to get it on. I finally got it in place by pushing on it hard with a rubber mallet and then rolling it into place.

KJenkins · #**204** 02-25-2021, 09:01 PM

Great job. I hope the health of both you and your roommate improves. This forum would not be the same without all the detailed pics and information that you share.

dude99 · #**205** 02-25-2021, 10:39 PM

Was gutted when I read your post saying that you have cancer. Fight hard man, the odds of beating it are better every day. Yours are largely yte only posts I read these days. Stay strong.

cmac2012 · #**206** 02-26-2021, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

I've also developed swollen lymph nodes (one the size of a golf ball), lost weight, and have constant headaches and nausea. The doctor thinks I have lymphoma (blood cancer). I'm also constantly getting hemiplegic migraines, which are essentially strokes. I lose my vision and one side of my body goes numb, including my face, and I lose my ability to understand speech.

At this point I feel almost completely disabled and have to rest most of the time.

First time I've mentioned this on the forum ...

Last September I started experiencing fatigue, gradually worsening. I had been scheduled for green light laser reduction surgery around Oct. 1, I went ahead with it (turned out very good) - the relevant point, my Stanford Health Care app listed results of my blood test. Red and white blood celll and platelet numbers were below minimim standards.

Much diagnosis later (mid Nov.), turns out I have some fibrosis (scarring) of bone marrow, resulting in reduced blood cell production. Yikes. Also swollen lymph node near groin, about kumquat size. Was excised, non-Hodgkins lymphoma the diagnosis, this in early Dec. After much reading, decided to go with chemo and major diet improvement. Didn't really think wheat grass and out other iimproved diet alone was enough.

Many of my symptoms (drenching night sweats, fatigue) have improved dramatically, this after two chemo sessions (one every three weeks) and quite a bit of diet improvement, albeit with falling off the wagon for multiple days too often. I also lost weight, about 20 lbs.

If it's what you have, you can beat it. Probably. Got to believe it of course. I'm managing my health better than in years. I'm sort of trim looking but I've long had a stupid Haagen Dazs habit. Often a pint a day. Some statistical evidence indicates sat. fat exacerbates NHL likelihood. I have cut that out almost completely though I have had a few. Also virtually stopped on Reese cups. Even my PCP says that cancers love sugar. My take is that sugar does make life better for cancers. I'm looking to go more and more paleo in my diet.

Trader Joes has a product: green juice. Very pungeant taste of raw cucumber and celery. I take a swig or two when I feel like snacking. Also a few fl. ozs. 30 minutes before a meal. I swear it's bringing good results.

Andrew Weil is not universally beloved, I sorta like him, he is now in favor of chemo with diet improvement.

filp · #**207** 02-27-2021, 03:22 PM

Interesting. I've never had any issue with URO hoses, I just clamp them really hard. The lower one is NLA totally as far as I remember...

Anyway, nice show of perfectionism. Just like me...

I also did the AC stuff, new temp sensor, evap sensor, checked preresistor, relay...fan comes on at such high engine temp that I just prefer to jump it (at receiver-drier) in the late spring until end of summer, and I hear it switch to the high mode when stuck in traffic at 110+ F ambient.
Recently I discovered that my climate control flaps do not work as per manual, even though everything checks out perfectly when tested separately. It seems the system works great in auto mode, but in min/max setting I'm getting erratic flow like cold air from center vent when heating. Perhaps it's an electronic issue, that the flaps are moved in incorrect order. Who knows

Squiggle Dog · #**208** 02-27-2021, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJenkins

Great job. I hope the health of both you and your roommate improves. This forum would not be the same without all the detailed pics and information that you share.

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

First time I've mentioned this on the forum ...

Last September I started experiencing fatigue, gradually worsening. I had been scheduled for green light laser reduction surgery around Oct. 1, I went ahead with it (turned out very good) - the relevant point, my Stanford Health Care app listed results of my blood test. Red and white blood celll and platelet numbers were below minimim standards.

Much diagnosis later (mid Nov.), turns out I have some fibrosis (scarring) of bone marrow, resulting in reduced blood cell production. Yikes. Also swollen lymph node near groin, about kumquat size. Was excised, non-Hodgkins lymphoma the diagnosis, this in early Dec. After much reading, decided to go with chemo and major diet improvement. Didn't really think wheat grass and out other iimproved diet alone was enough.

Many of my symptoms (drenching night sweats, fatigue) have improved dramatically, this after two chemo sessions (one every three weeks) and quite a bit of diet improvement, albeit with falling off the wagon for multiple days too often. I also lost weight, about 20 lbs.

If it's what you have, you can beat it. Probably. Got to believe it of course. I'm managing my health better than in years. I'm sort of trim looking but I've long had a stupid Haagen Dazs habit. Often a pint a day. Some statistical evidence indicates sat. fat exacerbates NHL likelihood. I have cut that out almost completely though I have had a few. Also virtually stopped on Reese cups. Even my PCP says that cancers love sugar. My take is that sugar does make life better for cancers. I'm looking to go more and more paleo in my diet.

Trader Joes has a product: green juice. Very pungeant taste of raw cucumber and celery. I take a swig or two when I feel like snacking. Also a few fl. ozs. 30 minutes before a meal. I swear it's bringing good results.

Andrew Weil is not universally beloved, I sorta like him, he is now in favor of chemo with diet improvement.

Wow, similar experience then. I had the sleeping disorder and migraines already, but then it got really out of control to the point where I could only be awake for a few hours, and I had a lymph node in my groin that swelled up to the size of a golf ball. From there, other lymph nodes started swelling, and I got other lumps which I am not sure are lymph nodes. And then like you're saying--feeling constantly overheated, lots of fatigue, losing about 20 lbs, and then for me--losing my appetite.

When the blood tests were done, however, they didn't show any signs of cancer, just markers of increased metabolism and tissue damage. My blood cell counts looked good, and in fact, the rest of the blood tests showed healthy blood. The doctor thinks it was caught early, but I feel pretty awful, so it may have spread quite a bit in my lymphatic system and bone marrow (my bones and joints ache) and not so much in the blood yet.

My diet has been pretty good. I don't really eat junk food, don't eat a lot of processed food, and don't have candy or soda. No animal products, either. It would be nice if there was a clear cause of this type of cancer so I could know what caused it or how I could avoid it. My physical activity has dropped off to nothing during the pandemic because I'm keeping the dogs quiet while my roommate works from home (where he's on the phone and video conferences). Sad, because a year ago I was running as much as 13 miles in a day getting myself in shape, and lifting weights.

Greens are supposed to be a good part of an anti-cancer diet. I have started eating raw kale recently. It's one of the few things my stomach can tolerate anymore. I'm glad to hear you're showing improvement, and it is a much better cancer to deal with than, say, pancreatic cancer. I have an uncle who recently died from it, and another uncle who died from it a long time ago. Both only lived about 3 months after their diagnosis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by filp

Interesting. I've never had any issue with URO hoses, I just clamp them really hard. The lower one is NLA totally as far as I remember...

Anyway, nice show of perfectionism. Just like me...

I also did the AC stuff, new temp sensor, evap sensor, checked preresistor, relay...fan comes on at such high engine temp that I just prefer to jump it (at receiver-drier) in the late spring until end of summer, and I hear it switch to the high mode when stuck in traffic at 110+ F ambient.
Recently I discovered that my climate control flaps do not work as per manual, even though everything checks out perfectly when tested separately. It seems the system works great in auto mode, but in min/max setting I'm getting erratic flow like cold air from center vent when heating. Perhaps it's an electronic issue, that the flaps are moved in incorrect order. Who knows

Clamping it really hard might have been what caused this one to leak; not sure. I should investigate it at some point. We got a new lower genuine Mercedes radiator hose, but maybe they have now been discontinued as well. Should have gotten the genuine upper while we still could.

The way the auxiliary fans are set up now, they should only come on 1. when the temperature switch tells them to while the air conditioning is on (rather than the whole time) and then they will come on at full speed and 2. when the engine gets close to overheating, which will also be at full speed. It could be beneficial to have the fans run any time the air conditioning is on, so that might be a future modification.

The monovalve doesn't work properly and will need to be rebuilt at some point in the future. I have the heater hose clamped off except in the winter when cabin heat is needed. Otherwise it heats up the cabin and the air conditioning has to fight it. Oh, and at least the recirculating air flap vacuum pod is bad. The vacuum system will need attention some day.

cmac2012 · #**209** 02-28-2021, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

Wow, similar experience then. I had the sleeping disorder and migraines already, but then it got really out of control to the point where I could only be awake for a few hours, and I had a lymph node in my groin that swelled up to the size of a golf ball. From there, other lymph nodes started swelling, and I got other lumps which I am not sure are lymph nodes. And then like you're saying--feeling constantly overheated, lots of fatigue, losing about 20 lbs, and then for me--losing my appetite.

When the blood tests were done, however, they didn't show any signs of cancer, just markers of increased metabolism and tissue damage. My blood cell counts looked good, and in fact, the rest of the blood tests showed healthy blood. The doctor thinks it was caught early, but I feel pretty awful, so it may have spread quite a bit in my lymphatic system and bone marrow (my bones and joints ache) and not so much in the blood yet.

My diet has been pretty good. I don't really eat junk food, don't eat a lot of processed food, and don't have candy or soda. No animal products, either. It would be nice if there was a clear cause of this type of cancer so I could know what caused it or how I could avoid it. My physical activity has dropped off to nothing during the pandemic because I'm keeping the dogs quiet while my roommate works from home (where he's on the phone and video conferences). Sad, because a year ago I was running as much as 13 miles in a day getting myself in shape, and lifting weights.

Greens are supposed to be a good part of an anti-cancer diet. I have started eating raw kale recently. It's one of the few things my stomach can tolerate anymore. I'm glad to hear you're showing improvement, and it is a much better cancer to deal with than, say, pancreatic cancer. I have an uncle who recently died from it, and another uncle who died from it a long time ago. Both only lived about 3 months after their diagnosis.

Wow. Some similarities all right and numerous differences. Complicated stuff. Have they taken a core sample (I forget the correct phrase) from the enlarged lymph node? I would guess they have. Probably a PET scan also.

I know the feeling about feeling good not long ago. About 6 months before all of this I finished a big job, got paid and noted that I felt remarkably good and energetic. This just after the pandemic broke, about April 2020.

Good luck with it all of course. The body wants to heal, I think. Knowing what to do to help it is the tricky part.

vwnate1 · #**210** 02-28-2021, 07:08 PM

I'm another who reads your every post .

My father was an Oncologist and the one things above all others I learned from him was fight cancer ! .