1995 E420 in Houston wrecking yard

[gerryvz]

Came across a new-to-the-yard E420 with ASR, but no rear SLS, that is in one of the Houston yards. It wasn't there last week, so it hasn't been picked over too badly yet. All of the CAN computers, DM, convenience module, and other relays are still there; MAF and ETA are still there too.

Interior (particularly driver's side) is shot, leather really bad. It's the late-generation 124 "mushroom" shade. Vacuum pump is gone. Radio is there along with amps. Antenna is serviceable too. Other than that she is all there. Center console wood is decent. I'm going back to get a few things, including the turn signal stalk and such. Both airbags are still there (on wheel and in dash).

If anyone needs anything badly, let me know. EZL is there and I stashed it in case someone needs a 4.2 EZL.

part numbers for the CAN computers + EZL are as follows:

011 545 97 32 (Base module, shared with E500E)
013 545 39 32 (ASR module, shared with E500E)
124 545 40 32 (E-GAS module, shared with E500E, 4.2L-specific)
016 545 13 32 (4.2 LH module)

015 545 60 32 (4.2 EZL, late 4.2L only)

If you need something let me know quick; this baby will be picked clean in a matter of a week or three.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[gsxr]

Email sent.

 

[gerryvz]

Thanks for the corrections on the ASR and EGAS modules - I transcribed my handwritten list from the EPC wrong from paper to keyboard.

 

[ivanned]

Is mushroom parchment color?

 

[ivanned]

Is mushroom parchment color?

If yes are is there anything on the interior that is really good?

 

[gsxr]

All 1994-1995 "facelifted" W124's share the same interior colors.

1993 and older have different colors for interior codes xx4 and xx5.

Ivan, this 'shroom' E420 will have the same color interior as your 94 E500, if you have Parchment.

 

[gerryvz]

There is early mushroom, and late mushroom. One corresponds to what GSXR calls "cream beige" and the other corresponds to "parchment" depending on the year of the car.

This Houston E420 wreck is late mushroom.

If yes are is there anything on the interior that is really good?

All of the "hard" trim pieces are pretty much there, and in good condition. For example the mirror bolt cover, dash fascia for the airbag, etc.

 

[gerryvz]

Here are some photos of the Houston E420, taken today after I got done with it. I pulled the intake off the engine and snagged the ETA and the MAF - the MAF was a 2003 production date, so obviously a replacement. The ETA was original.

I also got the complete instrument cluster, plenty of relays and vacuum items, the turn signal and cruise control stalks (for my wife's wagon, which needed a turn signal stalk). All five of the car's CAN computers are still there.

You can see what happens to the wood when some dodo bird drills into the burl wood, in the first few photos. LAME !!!

The owner of this car obviously had it goin' on ... he/she had the gray switch in the trunk !!!

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[gsxr]

Doggone that car is in sorry shape.

Gerry, you know the MAF and ETA come out the top/center of the intake, without disassembling the manifold, right...?

 

[gerryvz]

I couldn't get them to budge, trust me I tried for the better part of 30 minutes in that 97F heat to get them out the top. Finally I just decided to unbolt and break free the whole intake. That whole process only took 15-20 minutes and then everything was nicely free and exposed, and 1-2 minutes later I had my MAF and ETA in hand....

 

[gsxr]

You may need to loosen the clamps on the rubber boot, but the MAF should pop right off. Extracting the ETA requires removal of the metal vacuum pipe first, not easy if you don't have the proper crowfoot wrench... in that case, yep, need to take the manifold apart.

 

[Jimbo]

That front cross member with stickers intact is a good find for someone with a smoke silver car with front end damage.

Are the front door card leather inserts in good shape from memory G? I know someone who wants a set.

 

[gerryvz]

The door cards are among the best things on the car. The wood is actually quite good too.

 

[8899]

You can see what happens to the wood when some dodo bird drills into the burl wood, in the first few photos. LAME !!!

Yes, I know...although that one looks a tad worse than mine.

 

[gerryvz]

I went back to the wrecking yard bright and early this morning to get the 8 injectors, valve body, EZL and radio/amps that I left in the E420 last weekend. The car was gone !! They'd taken it and crushed it this week! A full CAN box and valve body and all. I was BUMMED.

Was walking slowly out toward the exit of the yard when I heard a familiar voice call out my name. It was slownrusty !!!

So we caught up for a few minutes, and decided to carpool it together to one of the three "consumer" LKQ yards in the Houston area, the yard in Wallisville in Northeast Houston. It was about a 40 minute drive from where we were in North Houston. So I followed slownrusty to his house so he could drop off his car, and we hot-footed it together out to the yard in Wallisville. Our $2 entry fees at the first yard got us into the second yard for free. Slownrusty had told me that the Wallisville yard was larger than the North Houston yard, and probably had more Benzes.

He wasn't kidding. There were a number of 124s and 126s, as well as a smattering of 140s, 201s, 123s and even a Fintail !! One of the 126s was a gray-market 500SEL and it had Gen 1 AMG bumpers and side skirts, original and generally unmolested except for the front edge of the bumper, which is fixable. I found a 1995 E320 wagon with ASR, that was largely complete ... and we also found a 1992 500SEL (W140) with M119/LH engine. So we're heading back out in the morning. I'll get my fuel injectors after all, as well as a working LH unit from that W140 ... and some great parts from the E320 wagon too.

It was great to see slownrusty again and we'll be connecting together in the morning to get those AMG bumpers. They ought to be worth something to an AMG aficionado.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[Roma_500E]

I went back to the wrecking yard bright and early this morning to get the 8 injectors, valve body, EZL and radio/amps that I left in the E420 last weekend. The car was gone !! They'd taken it and crushed it this week! A full CAN box and valve body and all. I was BUMMED.


Cheers,
Gerry

That is sad , so many useful parts for which we pay hundreds at dealer got wasted on those yards .....

 

[DerFuror]

So we're heading back out in the morning.

I had a similar despondent experience.

You gotta attack these fleeting boneyard opportunties like a pack of ravenous Piranhas!

...right down to the carcass.

Leave no satisfaction to the Crusher!

 

[emerydc8]

I've never gone to a junkyard for parts. Does anyone know if there is any kind of Internet access like a real estate MLS for junked cars, where you can see what they have without driving there and looking? Is there a national junkyard data base?

 

[gerryvz]

Yes, GSXR knows all of those resources.

Also, as an example, the local LKQ yard that I have been going to (with the E420) has the following page, which they update daily with new cars in the yard:

http://www.lkqpickyourpart.com/locations/LKQ_Northville_Self_Service_Auto_Parts-235/recents/

Not all yards have these, though.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[gsxr]

http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx

http://row52.com/home

 

[emerydc8]

Thanks, guys. I didn't find any E420's within 100 miles of me but I'll play around with it to ensure I'm doing the search right.

 

[gerryvz]

Today I hung out again with slownrusty at LKQ in Wallisville. He scored the AMG Gen 1 W126 side skirts and front bumper/spoiler combo. Unfortunately he couldn't get the rear bumper.

I walked away with the following, from a 1992 500SE and a 1995 E320 wagon:

• Hirschmann antenna (motor + mast)
• M119 MAF
• M119 LH unit
• M119 fuel injectors
• late W124 windshield wiper mechanism + windshield rubber strip
• E320 wagon w/ASR complete instrument cluster
• E320 wagon all relays (including a KAE convenience relay that I almost "threw back")
• E320 wagon rear tailgate third brake light housing
• E320 wagon left taillight
• late W124 radio

Then we went to Rudy's for BBQ, where slownrusty treated me to a nice lunch. Thank you again !!

All in all, not a bad day at the wrecking yard....but very very sweaty.

 

[slownrusty]

Gerry - It was certainly a great weekend and small world bumping into you in big old (HOT!!) Houston.

Lets do it again!

Yasin

 

[gerryvz]

Sad to see a photo of that once-proud ol' girl....

 

[gerryvz]

Today was a pretty wild day at the pick 'n pull. First off, there was a 1994 E420 there (ASR car with mushroom interior), 199 color, relatively unmolested although the engine had been picked over. The ETA was gone, as was the tandem pump. Distributor caps and rotors gone.. Front and rear bumpers were gone too; radiator was in the back seat. The MAF was still in the engine compartment, but since I have a spare and this one didn't look that good, I left it. EZL was still there too, but as it was a 4.2 EZL I didn't need it. The CAN box was unopened, and it had the usual stuff inside. I snagged the E-GAS computer and the driver's side seat adjustment switch. I did also get the smog pump from this car as I could use a spare for my E500. Radio amps were still there although the radio was gone. Probably should have nabbed the alternator too, but I didn't have a ton of tools with me, and unfortunately I'm leaving for Seattle in the morning If it's still there next weekend I'll get all four of the window regulators as spares, and maybe try to get that alternator too.

The second interesting car was a Euro 500SEL, which had a trunk triangle (a bit rusty, enough that I didn't snag it) with no cracks or other issues, and a fire extinguisher bucket. I snagged the bucket and as I have a spare bracket, didn't bother with that (it was attached to the seat anyway). The car had blue cloth seats, which you NEVER see. Since it was a late Gen 1 car, there was not much I wanted or needed, but the fire extinguisher bucket was a decent score.

There was also a US 1987 420SEL in black that was fairly complete. Not too much I needed on it (just some bits here and there) but inside one of the rear deck compartments was a PRISTINE set of hang-cards for the operation of the cruise control and the ACC system. These cards are orange, and blue colored and are VERY VERY rare to find in perfect condition. They still have the strings attached ! They were put in the cars when new for the new owners, and are English on one side and German on the other. I will scan them and post them here.

I also found a 1993 E320 and snagged a spare switchover valve that was in good condition. These switchover valves are fairly spendy, I think around $150 new, so not a bad thing to have on hand. All three of the coil packs were there, but they were original style units so pretty old and not worth getting given the relatively cheap price of new Bosch units. One of the best things I found on the rear floorboard of this E320 was a BRAND NEW O2 sensor! It was an original MB part and still had the anti-seize paste on the threads, and the little clear plastic cover over the tip !! Heck, that was probably worth $75 right there, and had never even been installed on a car !!

There were a couple of other 124s (M103s) and 126s, and a pretty badly smashed 1986 560SL (R107) that had rear-ended something pretty badly. That's about all for LKQ Pick Your Part from North Houston.

 

[Maui]

Dang, I wish the junk yards around here had Mercs.

 

[kwontumspeed]

Today was a pretty wild day at the pick 'n pull.

Gerry, curious. What color was the 95 Wagon and any plans to go back? I'm sure it's gone over fairly well by now but I'm looking for interior parts that one usually doesn't go after.