OWNER Ascension (1995 E420 and 1990 300TE)

[luckymike]

Have you consider lowering the 300TE slightly?

 

[Ascension]

Have you consider lowering the 300TE slightly?

Yes did and decided to leave it as is. Reason is this will be a daily and both of my drive ways are steep. Both the 420 and my old Volvo V 90 would drag if the angle wasn't right coming in and out of my front drive where this car will be parked. Thought seriously about going to the next thinner front spring pads when we did the struts last week but decided against it.

Car is right now getting a lot of work done. Some will do myself but moving the core support back into place and the front suspension work I had no place nor the tools to do here. Also everything had to come off to replace the struts in the front so just had them do the brake Rotors pads and lines plus the flush at that time. Almost all flexible lines like the brakes, both trans cooler and SLS lines will be or have been replaced as was the serpentine belt after the core support was moved back into place and got it out of being eaten by the fan shroud. Also all the front sway bar bushings were beyond gone. Both the trans pressure cable and throttle cable were way out of adjustment as they were held on by hose clamps because the plastic adjusters on both had completely denigrated and have to be replaced. Also will be replacing most of the vacuum lines as well as resealing the upper timing cover. Will also do a full cooling system service and trans service with Redline D4.

The struts when we removed them were completely blown out with absolutely no resistance, as was the steering damper. It's amazing that this car was drivable at all. Knew it was a little sloppy feeling and loose but had no idea it was in this bad shape. Surprisingly the rear suspension was intact and in good shape though. Car evidently sat in a garage some where for years and was neglected. Air filter was hand dated the last time it was changed in 2006 and was still somewhat usable so--.

It's going to be a nice car and was very solid for the most part but needed a LOT of TLC! Hopefully should have it all done some time next week and am anxious to see how much difference it makes when it's all finished.

 

[Gatorblue92]

Totally understand leaving the daily stock. I lowered my dearly departed 300TE with a 5 speed swap and it rode like it was on rails but I wouldn't have wanted to use it as a daily as low as I had it even with the functioning SLS. I really miss that car but it was quite rusty underneath and I wanted another V8 W124 so it was sold. I'm friends on Facebook with the guy I sold it to and he is in the process of a OM606 STD swap so its in good hands.

 

[Ascension]

Totally understand leaving the daily stock. I lowered my dearly departed 300TE with a 5 speed swap and it rode like it was on rails but I wouldnt have wanted to use it as a daily as low as I had it even with the functioning SLS. I really miss that car but it was quite rusty underneath and I wanted another V8 W124 so it was sold. Im friends on Facebook with the guy I sold it to and he is in the process of a OM606 STD swap so its in good hands.

View attachment 158445

Cool like that look and its the same color as my car. I bought this one instead of a newer car to bring back to stock and use as a daily. Only thing I may do is change that rear gear to something like maybe a 2:68 2.65 from a E 320 instead of the 3:08 3.27 it has now. Its turning over 3000 RPM at 70 MPH now so getting that down a little would certainly help fuel mileage plus make it a better car to cruse long distance on the open highway with. Want to see how it responds in town as is after getting all the cables changed and then properly adjusted first before I consider this. Man wish this one had a 5 speed instead of an auto!

My car is absolutely rust free except for some rust under the right rear window seal that I have to deal with soon. Was bought new by a doctor in Huntsville Alabama and has been only titled here in Alabama since new. I'm the 4th owner with 2 of the 4 only having the car a very short time over the last 2 years.

 

[gsxr]

... Only thing I may do is change that rear gear to something like maybe a 2:68 2.65 from a E 320 instead of the 3:08 3.27 it has now. Its turning over 3000 RPM at 70 MPH now so getting that down a little would certainly help fuel mileage plus make it a better car to cruse long distance on the open highway with. Want to see how it responds in town as is after getting all the cables changed and then properly adjusted first before I consider this.

Be careful with the diff changes. Yes, it will lower RPM's on the freeway, but it may not change MPG significantly (1-2mpg, maybe) and it will make the car a total dog off the line. There's a reason MB put 3.27 gears in the early M103 wagons.

2.65 @ 70mph = 2600rpm​

2.87 @ 70mph = 2800rpm​

3.07 @ 70mph = 3000rpm​

3.27 @ 70mph = 3200rpm​

Sure, the 600rpm reduction will make you feel better, but it will not save you a pile of money at the pump.

Also, the E320 (which by definition is 94-95 only) uses a 210mm diff for all M104 engines, vs your 185mm diff in the 300TE. If you change to the larger 210mm, a lot of other parts may need to be swapped. You want a 2.65 (or, 2.87, or 3.07) in 185mm size to be a bolt-in for the 300TE. Don't forget you also need the matching speedometer head for the different gear ratio, which should have the odo adjusted to match when swapped.

 

[Ascension]

Be careful with the diff changes. Yes, it will lower RPMs on the freeway, but it may not change MPG significantly (1-2mpg, maybe) and it will make the car a total dog off the line. Theres a reason MB put 3.27 gears in the early M103 wagons.

2.65 @ 70mph = 2600rpm​

2.87 @ 70mph = 2800rpm​

3.07 @ 70mph = 3000rpm​

3.27 @ 70mph = 3200rpm​

Knew the gear felt a little short didn't know it was a 3:27 not a 3:08 though. The old Volvo wagon had a 4:10 posi but also had a 4 speed trans with overdrive and about 20 more horses. Will drive the car as is for a while before I do anything with it. It's a little sluggish right now around town unless you really get in it simply because the pressure cable adjuster is absolutely gone and the cable is WAY to loose. Should change things a lot after I replace that cable and can properly adjust it. It's that high RPM at a 70 to 80 MPH cruse that I'm questioning. The 3200 at 70 with the 3:27 is spot on BTW.

 

[Ascension]

Update on the 300TE progress. Over the last 2 weeks she has gotten a LOT of new parts and work done on her. Good bit I did and a few things were done at Birmingham Benz with Paul.
Used a porta power and wood block to move the core support back into place to get the serpentine belt and pullies out of the fan shroud and then replaced the serpentine belt.
New Billstien B4 struts, Lemforter Strut mounts and all sway bar bushings up front.
BUNCH of new fluid lines ( Brake hoses , SLS hose, trans cooler hoses ect).
New ATE front rotors and Ankabono pads all around with all new brake hoses plus a full system flush.
New throttle and trans pressure cables (plastic adjusters for both were GONE they patched it all together with hose clamps what a mess!) .
Full Trans service with Redline D4
BUNCH of misc small rubber lines and hoses.
Replaced the SLS hose from the pump and with in 2 days now have a leak from the tandem pump front seal. Evidently getting full pressure back in the system was to much for the pump seals so--.
Now trying to find a replacement tandem pump for the car.
Driving it now is a whole other world from what it was when I brought her home a little over a month ago. This car has surprised be at just how nice a driver it is! Just got the Struts on it and will have it aligned next week but already its a huge improvement in how it drives. Other than the power difference drives almost exactly the same as my E 420 now. This M103 is surprisingly decent on response and power plus is silky smooth and dead silent.

 

[Ascension]

Thought I would throw out an update on the wagon. I found out the hard way why there is the saying nothing is more expensive that a cheap Mercedes!

This one has been a real fight to get back right. If the former owner had not spent a bunch of $ on the car just before I bought it IMO it would not have been worth saving. Got MUCH deeper into this one than I thought when I bought it. Have just under 2K or so in just parts in this car now not counting some labor costs on things like the suspension work I had no place to do. It was a real mess to say the least.

Here is just some of what I had to do to get this car running and driving like it should. Core support was knocked back how I have no idea. Had to get it up on a rack and use a porta power and wood blocks to move it out about 7 or so inches first off to get the belts and pullies out of the fan shroud. Saw it was into the belts before I bought the car but thought some one had just miss installed the shroud or it had the wrong shroud on it but nope.

Then the struts, mounts and steering dampener were all beyond dead up front but when we checked the rest it all looked intact except for the sway bar bushings which have been done also. Had major fluid leaks all over the car. Both trans cooler hoses, all the brake hoses and the SLS hose were replaced. Also had to replace the horseshoe gasket on the upper timing cover behind the distributor on the M 103 and also the hoses for the air pump were just gone hanging broken swollen and dead.

Brakes were in bad shape. Replaced both front rotors, pads all the rubber hoses and did a full system flush with dot 4. Both the throttle cable and shift pressure cable adjusters had crumbled with both cables being held in with hose champs so were replaced. When we replaced the pressure cable serviced the trans and refilled it with Red Line D 4. Found that the tandem Vickers PS pump was leaking at the front seal but was masked by that SLS line leaking so badly. When we aligned the car found the rear SLS adjuster rod was bad so had to replace it. The good thing is after all the suspension work the car aligned spot on with no other issues.

Then the ebay special no name coil the former owner had installed died with out warning and I had fits diagnosing the issue because I over looked the new coil. Next was the car would not go into cold start and when I tried to use a blink to diagnose it could not. After going through some steps found the ECU was stone dead and the car had been running ( running pretty well actually ) on the CIS alone with no electronics.
Bottom line have really gotten an education on these W124's because of buying the wagon over the last couple months.

Today I have a few cosmetic issues to get to but this car is now a dream to drive. Had a bunch of personal stuff going on with family and my wife was injured at work and went through rehab ect so fighting with the wagon to get it back was a nice distraction. Gained a lot of respect for how these cars are put together I didn't have from the 420 as had to do a LOT more work to this one to get it driving and acting right.

Thanks in particular to a few of you guys here and your help n this wagon as would not likely have gotten through this without you.

Am still ok in money on what I have in her and learned much in this process.

Will see if I can drop a photo out from my phone on her now a little later.

 

[Ascension]

 

[gsxr]

Core support was knocked back how I have no idea. Had to get it up on a rack and use a porta power and wood blocks to move it out about 7 or so inches first off to get the belts and pullies out of the fan shroud. Saw it was into the belts before I bought the car but thought some one had just miss installed the shroud or it had the wrong shroud on it but nope.

The radiator lower support tube (aka "core supports") get knocked inward on EVERY single 124 chassis, except the 036 because the 036 has a completely different design. On a standard 124, this is the low/forward point immediately below the bumper. When pulling up to any concrete parking curb, unless it's super low profile, the curb hits the radiator support. Hit it hard enough, or enough times, and it shoves the radiator inward.

At a minimum this results in the plastic splash shield mounting screws not aligning, as the 2 forward screws go into - you guessed it - the lower radiator support which is as rigid as Gumby. I've had to press this damned tube out on almost every 124 that I've owned (except, as stated, the 036). And, it never pushes back into position 100% correctly. As a bonus, this support is NLA so you can't buy a new one from MB and weld it in. It's one of the 124's more annoying design flaws.

 

[gsxr]

Here's a good view of what the crappy lower radiator support looks like, image courtesy of Kridre.

I wonder if Porsche looked at that, rolled their eyes and said "uh, nein, ve vill make a proper support for the 036." The 036 support is an order of magnitude beefier, a wide/flat oval instead of a skinny hollow tube.

 

[Ascension]

Heres a good view of what the crappy lower radiator support looks like, image courtesy of Kridre.

Thanks for that Dave. I never pulled it apart to really see what was going on as had no place nor the tools to do that work. Paul and the guys at Birmingham Benz pushed it back in place when they did the front struts and mounts. That explains a lot as I though it was the larger upper core support that was bent back and couldn't understand why the fenders ect were still aligned if that was bent until now. They had the car on a lift and full access plus had seen this before and didnt charge much to do the work. It just made sense to let them do this while the car was there rather than trying to fight with it to get it back in place on ramps working off a creeper in my drive way.

 

[Ascension]

Haven't posted any thing in a while. Most of my attention has been on getting the wagon sorted out since I bought it in March. It's turned into a very good driving and running car now. Still have to get it into the body shop for the hood repaint and minor rust repair around the right rear window but other wise all the big issues have been addressed finally. Hopefully will get to the 420 after the first of the year and drop a Sun Valley trans it it as reverse is pretty much gone now. Here is a photo from a wash day a month or so ago of the pair and then a photo of the wagon with the new 16 inch 8 holes and 215 X 55 Conties I dropped under it a couple weeks back.