$2k budget for preventative repairs - suggestions?

[Cadence]

I want my newly acquired '94 E500 w/60k miles to be a dependable and trouble-free daily driver. My goal is to have an old car that I can count on as if it were a much newer car, although this might be a bit of a pipe dream

Unfortunately I know very little about the car's past service history so I am willing to spend some money making sure than none of the common E500E weak points leave me stranded.


My starting budget is $2k for parts, plus labor.

This is the list of parts that I am considering:
-Upper engine harness
-Neutral safety switch
-Water pump
-All cooling system hoses (unsure of exact cost)
-Distributor caps, rotors, plugs and wires

Am I missing anything obvious?


As a secondary list, if my wallet is feeling cooperative:
-Fuel pump
-Fuel pump relay
-Radiator
-Coolant overflow tank and cap
-Secondary water pump (electric)
-Lower engine harness
-Transmission K1 spring and B2 piston (common 722.X failure items I've been told)



Moderator - please feel free to move this topic if I posted it in the wrong section.

 

[2phast]

Hmmm. If I were you, I would start by doing all the fluids and parts related to "tune ups". Most of those items you mentioned don't fall under that catagory, but it would be a good idea to inspect them and if you find any signs that the parts are failing, then add them to the replacement list.

 

[Cadence]

Hmmm. If I were you, I would start by doing all the fluids and parts related to "tune ups". Most of those items you mentioned don't fall under that catagory, but it would be a good idea to inspect them and if you find any signs that the parts are failing, then add them to the replacement list.

Good point. I should have said that I will be doing an engine oil + filter change as well as fresh fluids in the trans and diff, plus fuel injector cleaner in the tank. I will also install a new fuel filter and if the air filters are old I will replace them with K&Ns (+2hp LOL).

The focus of my $2k parts project is to replace items that might leave the car in a "no go" situation. Historically these situations have caused my love affair with a car to end tout de suite!

 

[gsxr]

First, verify if the upper harness is original. You may be able to find a date code on the harness near the CAN box, or on a label wrapped around it in that area. Or if it has any cracked insulation, just plan on replacing it (cracks = probably original). If it's been replaced once, don't waste your money replacing it again - the new ones are an improved design.

I would inspect the caps/rotors/wires and only replace if required; the caps/rotors are generally a good idea, but the OE wires can often last 150k+. Only use F8DC4 or equivalen non-resistor plugs!! DO NOT use any fancy platinum/yttrium plugs or any resistor plugs, no matter what your tech says. For cooling hoses, the important ones are the upper radiator hose, and two curved hoses at the rear of the engine (should be <$100 total plus labor). The lower radiator hose and other misc hoses can be skipped.

FWIW - I'd skip the water pump unless it's leaking. They are quite robust and not a common failure. I'd also skip the fuel pump relay (also not a common failure). The fuel pumps may not be a bad idea if you get E10 at the pump. Radiator could be skipped if not leaking, but wouldn't hurt if it's original. Coolant overflow tank, cap, and level sensor; along with new t-stat... DEFINITELY replace when coolant is flushed/replaced!! Cost is ~$100 total for all those parts. Secondary electric water pump only affects heater performance at low rpm's, btw. Lower engine harness could be skipped if it passes a visual inspection. Ditto the tranny springs if the trans shifts ok, but change ATF & filter at least every 30kmi.

Items to add: Mechanical fan clutch, if original. Also the t-stat inside the washer reservoir/bottle is a good item as preventive maintenance; I've had to replace this on pretty much all my cars, it starts leaking coolant into the washer fluid. Remove the cam solenoids and re-seal them (replace if there is oil leaking near the electrical connector), only use the proper anaerobic sealant - if your tech wants to use RTV or anything else for the cam solenoids, find a new repair shop. Check the p/s hoses, if any are leaking, replace BOTH of the low-pressure hoses (one curved, one straight); replace steering box output shaft seal at the same time if there is any sign of leakage there.

 

[Cadence]

Wow, thank you for the detailed reply. It is very helpful. I will add a few more questions below


"For cooling hoses, the important ones are the upper radiator hose, and two curved hoses at the rear of the engine (should be <$100 total plus labor)."

Good to know. Does anyone have the parts #s for these "rear of the engine" hoses?


"FWIW - I'd skip the water pump unless it's leaking. They are quite robust and not a common failure. "

Does it usually start to leak bit by bit and then more and more before it leaves you stranded? Twice I've been stranded by failed pumps that didn't give any warning signs (Not in MBZ vehicles)!


"Radiator could be skipped if not leaking, but wouldn't hurt if it's original."

After 15 years I imagine it's cooling capacity has been reduced by build up in the exterior fins and inside the front scaling, etc.


"Coolant overflow tank, cap, and level sensor; along with new t-stat... DEFINITELY replace when coolant is flushed/replaced!!"

I must have picked a real winner here These will all be added to my A list!


"Secondary electric water pump only affects heater performance at low rpm's, btw."

I didn't know that. What happens when it fails? Does it leak externally?


"Items to add: Mechanical fan clutch, if original."

The unit built by ACM is available at a very good price. It is a decent fan clutch?


"Also the t-stat inside the washer reservoir/bottle is a good item as preventive maintenance; I've had to replace this on pretty much all my cars, it starts leaking coolant into the washer fluid."

What on earth is this?!?!? Can someone post a photo and maybe provide a part # ?



Thanks again.

 

[szvook]

With your mileage being low, your suspension bushings should be ok, unless the PO drove the car hard. If you hear any noises while in motion when turning, going over bumps/cracks or braking, you may need to replace the suspension bushings. If that is the case, you’ll want to replace all of them at the same time. Is the serpentine belt tight?

 

[gsxr]

"FWIW - I'd skip the water pump unless it's leaking. They are quite robust and not a common failure. "
Does it usually start to leak bit by bit and then more and more before it leaves you stranded? Twice I've been stranded by failed pumps that didn't give any warning signs (Not in MBZ vehicles)!

In general, yes... you should have some warning before it dies. I can't think of anyone offhand who's had an M119 water pump fail, at least none (?) have been discussed on the forum.

"Radiator could be skipped if not leaking, but wouldn't hurt if it's original."
After 15 years I imagine it's cooling capacity has been reduced by build up in the exterior fins and inside the front scaling, etc.

Agreed - although if your car tends to run cool, it may be fine. But it sure doesn't hurt, then you don't have to worry about it for the next 15 years. Make sure the cooling system is totally flushed, including opening the two block drains, and pushing water back through the heater core to flush that out too. When refilling, I don't believe the factory spec of 16 quart system capacity... my experience says actual capacity is more like 12-13 quarts. At any rate, use only MB antifreeze or Zerex G-05 which is a light yellow/clear color (not green, blue, red, or orange!). And use absolutely no more than 8 quarts of antifreeze. I use 5-6 quarts in my cars but it doesn't get that cold here in Boise.

"Coolant overflow tank, cap, and level sensor; along with new t-stat... DEFINITELY replace when coolant is flushed/replaced!!"
I must have picked a real winner here These will all be added to my A list!

I forgot to mention - only need to do the tank & sensor if they are original. Original tanks are a nice yellow color, new ones are clear/white as shown here.New cap & t-stat are recommended every 5 years or so as preventive maintenance, OE/OEM t-stat only (Behr/Wahler).

"Secondary electric water pump only affects heater performance at low rpm's, btw."
I didn't know that. What happens when it fails? Does it leak externally?

Typical failure mode is the pump fails to operate, i.e. the motor dies. Easy test is to turn the key on (engine off) and set heater to max hot. The pump should run and you can hear/feel it. If it doesn't, tap it with a screwdriver and it may come to life. This indicates a pump motor near failure. The pump is ~$100 (maybe less) but is a serious nuisance to R&R. Oddly, both my 500's have good original pumps, but both my 420's had dead pumps.

"Items to add: Mechanical fan clutch, if original."
The unit built by ACM is available at a very good price. It is a decent fan clutch?

The jury is out on ACM longevity, but so far, it seems to be a decent unit, especially given the drastic difference in price compared to the Sachs! I have a new ACM clutch that will be installed in my 420 soon.

"Also the t-stat inside the washer reservoir/bottle is a good item as preventive maintenance; I've had to replace this on pretty much all my cars, it starts leaking coolant into the washer fluid."
What on earth is this?!?!? Can someone post a photo and maybe provide a part #?

The washer fluid is heated to help with melting ice & snow in the winter. Coolant is routed through the washer bottle in a coiled tube which has a t-stat in place to control the flow of coolant. Although sometimes it's just the O-rings that fail, I've had at least two of the t-stats crack (the body is plastic) and cause a coolant leak into the washer fluid. A cooling system pressure tester easily identifies this (pressure drops, coolant level drops, washer level increases). But, since you're scheduling preventive maintenance, I'd add it to the list at least as a secondary item. See attached photo - the black plastic widget is the t-stat. Part # is 126-830-07-84, current MSRP is $22.50 from MB in USA.

 

[cm60k]

Dave,

Is there any risk with a cooling system if canceled that coiled tube.........??

ZAYED,,

 

[gsxr]

Dave, Is there any risk with a cooling system if canceled that coiled tube.........??

Nope, no risk! You can bypass the washer fluid heater entirely if desired. It's not needed in climates that never go below freezing, or if your car is never driven in snow or ice.

 

[gerryvz]

I think you're being WAAAAAY too pessimistic about the number of things that may be wrong with your car, particularly only with 60K miles on it.

First of all, find a mechanic who REALLY knows these cars, who is conscientious, and whom you can trust implicitly.

Next, spend the money up front with that mechanic to REALLY examine the car so that you know what you have, and what you are dealing with. As Rik said, baseline the car by replacing ALL fluids. That is important to do. Have the mechanic examine all suspension and chassis rubber, and the engine/accessories for any leaks, check the serpentine belt, etc. By chassis rubber I mean all bushings in the suspension, motor/transmission mounts, and so forth. All systems should be checked for proper operation.

Whatever the mechanic comes up with (and a knowledgeable mechanic will come up with a list) you need to work with him to prioritize the tasks that must be done. The just do it as your budget allows.

There has been lots of discussion on this thread of "worst case" types of items. And yes, on many cars (particularly with higher mileage) these issues pop up. But going about proactively replacing things just because they MIGHT go out is not a good strategy. I bought my car in 2003 with 67K miles on it. Since then, I have been stranded one time: when my starter motor failed. There is no real way I could have predicted this much as to the exact time and place this would have happened, and "proactively" replacing items like starters doesn't make much sense!

The bottom line is that these cars are supremely reliable as long as you take care of them and inspect/look at/listen to what is going on with them. Yes there are certain items like the wiring harness that should be replaced (proactive is better, not quite often harnesses' demise is accelerated when a mechanic disturbs them in the course of fixing something else on the car). Because these are now old cars, you can't make them 100% reliable but you can make them 95% reliable by just taking care of them how MB intended and by having a good mechanic who can and will catch things before they cause problems.

So my advice is before you go madly and blindly spending your hard-earned dough on proactively replacing all of this stuff, get a KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE E500E mechanic's help & advice about your car's condition and needs, and then formulate a plan of attack from there. Doing anything else and/or just blindly replacing parts is a recipe for a frustrating and unsatisfying ownership experience.

There is no substitute for knowledge and experience (good mechanic) and data !,

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[samiam44]

Most of these things won't leave you dead on the road. I'd check the harnesses and go from there.

Idler arm bushings and a new dampener are cheap and easy. PS lines, check for resevour leaks on the PS pump, cam magnets, valve cover gaskets. Give the a/c a check over- probably going to need new pods soon for optimum function (new cabin air filter).


A good mechanic familar with these can go head to toe on the car and make a list in 15 minutes of needed items and future considerations.

Your at too low of a mileage to be overly concerned about much. Flush brakes, change all fluids. Drive it.. and enjoy. Also, if the tires are over 5 years old-replace them regardless of the miles. There are manufacturing date molded into the tires.

Was $2k parts or Parts and labor?

1994's have the improved hoses and with proper MB coolant last a long time. I'd replace the upper and lower hose when you do a radiator.

Michael

 

[Cadence]

Idler arm bushings and a new dampener are cheap and easy.

Which "dampener" are you referring to?

PS lines, check for resevour leaks on the PS pump, cam magnets, valve cover gaskets.

Was $2k parts or Parts and labor?

Can someone elaborate on the cam magnets? Are these a wear item or just an area that could potentially need to be resealed?

My $2k budget is for parts only.

1994's have the improved hoses and with proper MB coolant last a long time. I'd replace the upper and lower hose when you do a radiator.

Interesting. Did Mercedes change the hose construction on all models for the MY94 or just for the E500? The upper and lower hoses are cheap. Hopefully the two special hoses that gsxr mentioned aren't too costly.


Gerry,

I certainly agree that these are well-engineered cars that should be able to cover many trouble-free miles without needing to replace a bunch of major components. On the other hand there are some know weak points on these (or any) car so I want to address them before they cause me grief. A good E500E is still fairly inexpensive to purchase vs a nice new car so I look at the preventative maintenace as an insurance policy against break downs


All the fluids + filters will be changed right away. My updated replacement list looks like this.

-Upper engine harness (inspect)
-Neutral safety switch
-Four coolant hoses
-Radiator
-Thermostat
-Thermostat in washer bottle
-Coolant overflow tank, cap and sender (inspect)
-Distributor caps, rotors and wires (inspect)
-Spark plugs
-Fuel filter
-HVAC cabin filters

 

[samiam44]

dampener- steering dampener. You can pull 1 bolt out and push it back/forth to feel the resistance. But, it's most likely original(unless it looks new) and it is good bang for the bucks.


There is something in the manual about a manufacturing update to the hoses.. not sure when it went into effect,but your 94 is definately post improvements.

Hoses just don't tend to fail very often like old american iron did. My 86' has most of it's original hoses. The only real reason to replace the radiator upper and lower hoses is so you won't over torque the hose clamps on the plastic trying to get them to quit leaking.

Cam magnets are on the front of the heads- they are how to activate the camshaft advance retard on the intakes cams. I don't like oil leaks... ps and trans leaks are nastier due to the fluid. You'll want to change the hydraulic suspension fluid and filter too.

If your going to replace the radiator hoses- get the short elbow on the T-stat and replace it.
I'd do a transmission service and consider replacing the trans cooler hoses too.

FYI, factory parts purchased through parts.com are great prices compared to the aftermarket. And the quality of MB parts is quite good. If you need distributor cap/rotor and spark plugs.. I'd get them aftermarket. Stay with the factory bosch non-resistor plugs.

Michael

 

[gerryvz]

Like I said, you need an expert mechanic to help you assess the condition of things and ensure that the car is "up to date" with regard to key service items and fluids. Your list in the immediately preceding post looks prudent and appropriate as compared to what you were proposing in your first message and in the "doomsday scenario" responses from other board members.

Realistically, the upper wiring harness should be proactively replaced, though on a car with 60K miles it very likely hasn't seen a lot of heat damage nor has it been rooted around (moved) by a mechanic doing other top-of-the-engine work. So yes it should be replaced, but IMHO it's not an IMMEDIATE "must-do" item. Now if your car had 150-200k miles on it, then I'd be saying that it should be the FIRST thing you should do.

If your upper and lower radiator hoses and serpentine belt haven't been replaced that you know of, then I would replace those out of hand. I've seen serpentine belts with significant cracks even after just a couple or three years. If you live in a hot climate, it's even more critical as the rubber breaks down even faster (I recently experienced an alternator belt failure of a Conti belt on my 560SEC after less than 1.5 years no the car). I agree that is cheap insurance and important for baselining a car. Thermostat too.

But for some of these other things, you really only need to replace them if they are going bad, and generally if you are in tune with your car you will know they are going bad. i.e. the fuel pumps -- generally you can HEAR them going bad before they fail. And it would be unlikely for fuel pumps to fail before 100-125K miles. So you have plenty of life in them.

Fan clutch? it's documented here how to check if it's bad or not. You'll also be able to tell pretty easily depending on the temps your car reaches on hot summer days or at high speeds under load. Not necessary to replace unless bad/failed. Not saying yours isn't, but you should check it & confirm it's bad before just throwing a new part on the car.

A radiator IMHO is not required for proactive replacement on a 60K car unless it is leaking or if it sat around with the wrong (non-MB or Zerex) coolant in the engine.

Same thing for a water pump. Generally water pumps leak slightly out the weep-hole, which is a visual indicator of its internal condition. Not weeping/leaking .... no worries. Not gonna leave you stranded by the side of the road, generally.

Cam solenoids/magnets on a 60K car? Not likely a problem. A knowledgeable mechanic can help out with diagnosing this, but IMHO it's not a widespread issue that requires proactive replacement/maintenance.

Thermostat in the washer bottle would only be required for replacement if you can see that it has failed by checking the reservoir. I mean seriously, I've never seen this as an issue among the hundreds of folks I've known, over the past 9 years. Yes it's a cheap part and easy to fix, but is it going to leave you stranded by the side of the road? Probably not.

The neutral safety switch. Just not going to fail on a 60K car. I've replaced them on my E320 wagon and my E500 and it's a part that generally fails with usage -- it's a combination mechanical + electrical part. Again, generally you have plenty of warning that it's failing. If your car had 125K miles on it, then it might be a candidate for replacement. Otherwise, it's just not necessary on a 60K car.

Caps and rotors -- definitely inspect them. Replace depending on condition. If corroded with nasty green stuff or carbon tracking inside the caps, and pitted-out cap contacts and rotors, definitely replace. If they're clean, just clean them up a bit more and be on your way. Plugs -- every 20-30K should be fine. Inspect and replace if necessary. Or re-gap yours if they check out OK.

Fuel filter -- replace every 20-30K miles. If you are baselining the car, then I agree it's a good idea to replace it.

Cabin filters -- a "nice to do" item that most owners here have never even done!! Gonna leave you stranded by the side of the road? Nope. Heck, 1992 and 1993 cars don't even have 'em !!

I've yet to see an E500E that DIDN'T need at least $2K in repairs/maintenance. Usually it's around $5K no matter what anyone here says. With your car, I'd be most concerned with the rubber bits due to age and non-use -- suspension bushings, motor mounts, hoses, shift linkage bushings, steering shock, drag link, and so forth.

But like I originally said, get a mechanic to test and assess everything, and then you can build your "to do" list based on what he finds. Outside of a couple of items like the wiring harness, gobs of "proactive" maintenance just isn't necessary on these cars.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned the evaporator and the climate control vacuum pods, speaking of proactive maintenance. Evaporators & vac pods are like wiring harnesses - all of them go bad sooner or later. And the labor in replacing all of that will run you an easy $2,500 right there. Just sayin'. Not gonna leave you stranded by the side of the road -- just uncomfortably hot.

Power steering/tandem pump is another problem area, but you will know either by seeing seepage UNDER the car or inspecting the level of the steering fluid as to whether you have a problem there or not. Lots of owners have tandem pump and/or steering gearbox issues. $$$, but only if needed. Not gonna leave you stranded by the side of the road.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[cm60k]

Nope, no risk! You can bypass the washer fluid heater entirely if desired. It's not needed in climates that never go below freezing, or if your car is never driven in snow or ice.

Dave,

When i tight the short hose(attach 1), the closed gommet in the left side of the tank(attach 2) leaks, and if i release the long hose

short one leaks, no idea whats going on..!?!, do you think something hapening with the Water valve or a Recirculation pump........???

ZAYED,,

 

[Christian_K]

I have a few things to throw in here, which maybe are different because its done different here in Germany than in the US.

Coolant: Mercedes Specifies for the M119 clearly in the WIS, that on starting "aluminum corrosion" you should ONLY and ONLY use the MB "Type 30" coolant which is red and my inside sources confirmed me that this is a Rebranded "BASF Glysantin G30 Alu-Protect". My 500E, as well as a few others and E420s i had test-driven in 2009 and 2010 had a white/red sticker on the coolant-overflow reservoir cap, which stated in German "NUR KÜHLMITTEL TYP 30 EINFÜLLEN!" which is in Eng: "ONLY (Re-)FILL COOLANT TYPE 30". Alu-Corrosion is very common on the M119s, yet still mostly unnoticed by the most people.

Sealing-compound for the Cam-solenoids:
There are literally countless of Sealing-compounds available on the market and i personally don't see a reason why only one or two different ones should be used. The Majority of those compounds available on the market are Silicone based which is good. On my now broken 5L it was sealed with the same sealing-compound which was used on the front timing cover (MB origin, Color orange).
I had a discussion about it with my mechanic which has done that work many many times already (since its common failure on M119s and others like M104?), said, you can possibly use "any" *good* sealing-compound which fulfills some basic characteristics, like being impervious to oils, water, coolants, fuels, etc. A Good one is for instance "Hylomar" from Rolls-Royce, which we use often here, but there are many others for instance by the famous sealing-company "Elring", like "Dirko (HT)" and others.... Like i said countless ones may be ok for that Job. Im curious to hear why *only* the ones Dave mentioned, qualify for that Job.

 

[gsxr]

Coolant: Mercedes Specifies for the M119 clearly in the WIS, that on starting "aluminum corrosion" you should ONLY and ONLY use the MB "Type 30" coolant which is red and my inside sources confirmed me that this is a Rebranded "BASF Glysantin G30 Alu-Protect". Alu-Corrosion is very common on the M119s, yet still mostly unnoticed by the most people.

I've read about this in the FSM/WIS as well, but never looked into it more seriously. I think this coolant is quite expensive in the USA, at least when purchased through MB, and I'm not sure if it's available via aftermarket sources in the USA. But, I wouldn't mind learning more about it. Note that MB did not specify this coolant for all their cars, either during or after W124 production, so there must be some reason behind that.

Sealing-compound for the Cam-solenoids:
There are literally countless of Sealing-compounds available on the market and i personally don't see a reason why only one or two different ones should be used. The Majority of those compounds available on the market are Silicone based which is good. On my now broken 5L it was sealed with the same sealing-compound which was used on the front timing cover (MB origin, Color orange). I'm curious to hear why *only* the ones Dave mentioned, qualify for that Job.

Three reasons:

First, silicone-based sealants act like a strong glue. On one of my cars a previous owner/mechanic used RTV to attach the cam solenoids. I was only able to remove one intact, the other one was stuck on so tightly the solenoid broke in half (the rivets holding the two halves sheared). Reason One: RTV holds the two parts together too tightly, making removal difficult. The factory anaerobic sealant does not act this way.

Second: Due to reason #1, cleaning off old RTV is a nightmare. Especially on aluminum surfaces, where you cannot use aggressive methods to remove it, as that may damage the aluminum sealing surface. The factory anaerobic sealant kind of turns to powder and is much easier to scrape/clean off. Reason Two: RTV is far more difficult to completely remove from the sealing surfaces.

Third: RTV dries up in presence of air, and leaves dingleberries inside the engine, which (over time) can drop off and get into the oil pump screen, or worse. Most mechanics use too much RTV and it squeezes out the edges of the solenoids, or front cyl head cover (to cyl head), or timing cover to block, etc. This increases the danger of getting blobs of RTV into the oil pump screen. Same when removing the parts, or cleaning them off, RTV can get into the engine - not good. The factory anaerobic sealant only dries in the absence of air, and remains liquid when air is present. So when the engine is started after installing a part with the anaerobic sealant, the engine oil will wash it away. No blobs of sealant can plug up the oil system. Reason Three: Excess RTV can get into the oil pump, and it's nearly impossible to not have excess RTV, no matter how careful you think you are.


Final thoughts: MB engineers spent years designing these engines and carefully selecting the sealants specified. Yes, there are newer sealants available today. But that does not mean they are better for all applications. IMO, the main reason people don't use anaerobic sealants is because of the cost (2x-4x the cost of RTV) or due to ignorance (they don't understand why not to use RTV). My other favorite thing is when mechanics use RTV on the M119 valve cover gaskets (on either or both sides!). TWO of my cars had this treatment! IDIOTS....

 

[cm60k]

Dave,

When i tight the short hose(attach 1), the closed gommet in the left side of the tank(attach 2) leaks, and if i release the long hose

short one leaks, no idea whats going on..!?!, do you think something hapening with the Water valve or a Recirculation pump........???

ZAYED,,

Finally i found the Recerculation Pump pin is broken, and some of water leakes around the hose, i think i need to replace the heater hose

either....!?!?

ZAYED,,

 

[Cadence]

For cooling hoses, the important ones are the upper radiator hose, and two curved hoses at the rear of the engine (should be <$100 total plus labor). The lower radiator hose and other misc hoses can be skipped.

I have asked two MBZ dealers to identify and order these "two curved hoses at the rear of the engine" but neither have been able to do it.

Does anyone know the part #s for these hoses?

Thanks

 

[gerryvz]

These are the coolant circulation hoses to the heater/coolant circuit and to the engine's water jacket.

The hoses are as follows (and you can see them in the attached diagram):

124 830 76 96 (all 1991-1993 cars & 1994 models up to VIN #096686, excluding 080206)
124 830 74 96 (all 1994 models after #096687)

124 830 54 96

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[Cadence]

These are the coolant circulation hoses to the heater/coolant circuit and to the engine's water jacket.

The hoses are as follows (and you can see them in the attached diagram):

124 830 76 96 (all 1991-1993 cars & 1994 models up to VIN #096686, excluding 080206)
124 830 74 96 (all 1994 models after #096687)

124 830 54 96

Gerry

Perfect! Much appreciated I will order them right away.

 

[omegabenz]

If you roll the harness between your thumb and index finger, and it starts falling apart, it is time to change. Usually a good place to check that is at the temperature senders at the front of the engine. Go through it with a fine tune comb, and prioritize the repairs as Gerry suggested. No sense of replacing things that are not broken.

Zayed, I have bypassed that before, and I would suggest using a U-shaped metal hose, instead of just blocking the two ends.

 

[cm60k]

Zayed, I have bypassed that before, and I would suggest using a U-shaped metal hose, instead of just blocking the two ends.

Thankss Austin,, U shape is the best idea in this case of course,, is there a U shape from MB..?, or i need to customize it......??

ZAYED,,

 

[Cadence]

The big service/tune-up is underway!

Upon removal we discovered that the PO had installed these fancy spark plugs http://www.globaldenso.com/en/products/aftermarket/plug/power/features.html

 

[gerryvz]

Ugh..... don't know why people have to have the "K&N" mentality and think that "super-plugs" and their bogus performance claims are somehow leagues superior to the POB (Plain 'Ol Bosch) plugs....