OWNER SchmutzigEier (Tribute 500E)

[SchmutzigEier]

So here we are, 8 years later and yes, I'm reviving this dead thread. Why? I now own this car I wasn't looking for this frankenstein of a car, but it popped up at a local impound auction. I couldn't pass it up I guess.
Currently, odometer shows 128,xxx miles and does not appear rolled back or tampered with. Still wears the same wheels, ugly tail lights, and some even uglier 94-95 head lamps which are wired completely wrong.
I've had no issues with this car and drive it weekly with the perfectly functioning air conditioning.
How it ended back up in Oklahoma I'll never know, but it's here again and is starting to show it's age as you can see in my avatar.
Anyway, really enjoying the 500e forums, thanks for having me aboard.

 

[SchmutzigEier]

Welcome aboard! Glad you were able to rescue it and drive it. What have you done to it since you got it? What maintenance items does it need?

Maybe the PO (@Swordfish) can chime in from his end as to what happened some years back.

I'll try to make a long story short...At the time they auctioned this car, of course it brought a lot of attention. I had to have it and at the time I didn't have enough "time" to run the VIN so I just went with it. It did run and drive, and the story is, the guy who owned it was arrested for a DUI and was sent to jail then rehab and never "claimed" the car.
Aside from the obvious "neglect" the only thing I've done is a coolant flush, fuel fitler, new thermostat, and a fresh oil change. Everything else checked out ok.
Overall, the car is solid aside from the transmission having a weird "slip" when cold or about the first 300 feet of driving. I've not delved into that issue yet but have followed some of the tech you all have posted on making sure the transmission is HOT when checking the fluid.
I did find out who the DUI owner bought the car from. He and I met up one day so I could get all the new parts he had for the car. (new front end parts, headlight switch, etc). I did some research on the VIN and that's how I found this forum.
Not sure how far I plan to go with the car, the wrong headlights bother me, as do the "crystal" tail light lenses. I read some of the previous posts about the car and many of you are correct about the little things (warped rear bumper - the muffler is tucked right behind it with about a 1/2 inch gap so I'm assuming it's heat warped), but first, if anyone can give me suggestions on repairing that cold slip in the transmission I'd be grateful. After about 300 feet of driving it will shift and seems to function normally, it only happens when it's cold and right about when it needs to do the 1-2 shift.
Thanks for reading and I appreciate the warm welcome!!

 

[SchmutzigEier]

I haven't found the posts I think may be this car from BW, but found this from MBWorld from much earlier than I thought.. 2005

This may be the same car.. just not sure

400E converted to 500E - MBWorld.org Forums

E-Class (W124) - 400E converted to 500E - Hello everyone Im new to this forum. Im not a Mercedes owner, but I have been hired to sell a E400/E500 1993 Mercedes. This car belongs to a terminally ill friend of mine. This car was his baby. He has converted a lot of the origianl car E400 to a E500...

mbworld.org

If this is the same car, this MBworld thread says $8,700 for a used 500 engine, another $4,500 to rebuild it, then $1,800 to install.
That's $15K into the engine alone, if it's all true...

The posts I remember from BW were probably around 2010-11 with different pictures, and then it was on Autotrader at a used car dealership in the NY city area later on if memory is working properly.... But it's a long time ago...

That's crazy you found that thread I looked for the engine VIN today just above the water neck directly in front of the intake and nothing was visually obvious to me. I'll check again later this week because I need to clean up the engine bay anyway.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone regarding this car. I'm a long-time "other German"car guy and what converted me to Benz was the 2001 E200 Diesel I had when I was living overseas. My wife hated it and a few weeks before we moved back to the states the car met it's untimely death when another driver pulled out in front of me. One of the best cars I've ever owned, cold a/c, hot heater, comfortable seats and 56 mpg on the autobahn (true mpg figures). Ok sorry for the drivel. Thanks again everyone!

 

[SchmutzigEier]

Just updating the specs on the car. It seems to have had an actual 500E engine swap according to the Engine #'s and help from GSXR

 

[Blankets]

As for the weird slip when cold- Loss of vacum to first gear shift delay system. I forget the correct terminology

 

[gsxr]

Loss of vacuum to the 1st gear cold-upshift delay would result in the first couple of 1-2 and/or 2-3 upshifts being at a lower RPM after a cold start, but no change in shift firmness.

First order of business there is to check the ATF level fully hot, and find out when ATF/filter was last changed.

Now, if what you mean is immediately after moving from P/N into D, and then pressing the accelerator to go forward, there is a slip/clunk right as the car starts moving (NOT 300 feet later)... that's a different issue, and is very common on the 722.3 trans. Need more precise data on the symptoms, and when exactly they occur.

 

[Blankets]

"Now, if what you mean is immediately after moving from P/N into D, and then pressing the accelerator to go forward, there is a slip/clunk right as the car starts moving (NOT 300 feet later)... that's a different issue, and is very common on the 722.3 trans. Need more precise data on the symptoms, and when exactly they occur."

Yes this is what mine was doing.....was as if the trans couldn't decide which gear it should be in. After reconnecting the vacuum line the problem went away.
Besides a quick visual inspection should always lead off your diagnostic procedure for best practices
Maybe tonight I shall disconnect that vacuum line again and try and reproduce the same symptom in case my memory could poss be skewed.

 

[SchmutzigEier]

Loss of vacuum to the 1st gear cold-upshift delay would result in the first couple of 1-2 and/or 2-3 upshifts being at a lower RPM after a cold start, but no change in shift firmness.

First order of business there is to check the ATF level fully hot, and find out when ATF/filter was last changed.

Now, if what you mean is immediately after moving from P/N into D, and then pressing the accelerator to go forward, there is a slip/clunk right as the car starts moving (NOT 300 feet later)... that's a different issue, and is very common on the 722.3 trans. Need more precise data on the symptoms, and when exactly they occur.

I’ll try to get out later and shoot some video. Once I get it to shift it acts normally. I’m not used to it so when it starts the “slip” it goes nowhere. Literally like a 1-2 slip. Transmission fluid is at the mark when driven and checked hot. But I’ll confirm that when I get it out this weekend and report back. I’ll also try to check the vacuum lines while I’m under it doing the fuel filter.

 

[outrbnks]

If you still need the side skirts under the doors, go here, they may still be available on this rusted 500E being parted out

FOR SALE - Parting 93 500e shortly (July 2020) | Off-Topic Discussions

ADMIN EDIT: Updated title with date after thread was bumped in 2022, don't want everyone to get too excited. Stay tuned Let me know what you guys are looking for and i will see if available

www.500eboard.co

Good Luck

 

[SchmutzigEier]

If you still need the side skirts under the doors, go here, they may still be available on this rusted 500E being parted out

FOR SALE - Parting 93 500e shortly (July 2020) | Off-Topic Discussions

ADMIN EDIT: Updated title with date after thread was bumped in 2022, don't want everyone to get too excited. Stay tuned Let me know what you guys are looking for and i will see if available

www.500eboard.co

Good Luck

Appreciate the heads up. I replied to his post. My alternative is some from a supplier overseas. Waiting to hear from my German car guy on those.

 

[TimL]

No affiliation:

Gebrauchte Autoteile günstig | kleinanzeigen.de

Kleinanzeigen: Gebrauchte Autoteile günstig kaufen - Jetzt in Ludwigsfelde finden oder inserieren! - kleinanzeigen.de

m.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de

They been up for sale for a while for a really steep price. These do tend to pop up for sale once in a while on that website though, so you might find a cheaper set

 

[SchmutzigEier]

Been away for a few weeks taking care of things around the house. I was finally able to get more personal with the car. I replaced the "incorrect" headlights with the "correct" ones. US Spec. The previous owner had installed some "Euro" models from a 94-up version, they just didn't do it for me plus the gap between the grille and headlight glass was ANNOYING. Anyway, at 65 mph, turning about 2500-2600 rpm (I think GXSR had asked me about this), and the actual "slip" the transmission has is when it's cold and it's the 2-3 shift, not the 1-2 as I previously posted. I do notice a some slack in the throttle pedal before the car will take off, I'm wondering if this could be related. I've been reading up on the bowden cable adjustment via the forums.
Anyway, I'm thinking of replacing the pimp-tastic wheels on it with something a little more in character OR I'm thinking of just letting the car go and listing it for sale. I can't decide at this point because I just picked up an all-original 1977 Trans Am Y82 "Special Edition", a car I've always loved since the Smokey and the Bandit movies. It needs some love so my heart and wallet are torn between the two.