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Newsletter No.056 W116 heaters part2, MBCV Concours

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M.B Spares & Service

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Supporting Australia's Mercedes-Benz
Owners on the Web since 1996.


Newsletter Number 56
24th March 2003


Hello and welcome to another newsletter.

Hello again.  The new web site is almost here! Also in this newsletter we have the second half of the heater tap vacuum system and news of the up coming MBCV Concours.

John Green.

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Little cars for sale...

I have mentioned a few times that I have quite a collection of model cars.  These are displayed in my office and behind the service counter.  Many of our customers have asked if the cars are for sale and for many years, the answer has been NO!  However, we are now glad to announce that we are going into the Model Car business! 

We have several brands of cars that we will be offering for sale and are going to try to concentrate on models that are not commonly available at toy shops.  The car on the right is an excellent example.  There are many models of the W107 SLC on the market, but this is the only one of the famous 450SLC 5.0 (or 500SLC as it was later known) rally cars that were campaigned by Mercedes-Benz in the World Rally Championship from 1978-80.  This is a 1:18 scale model and is made by the Ricko Company.  They also make a plain 500SLC (no bullbar, etc) in either red or champagne.  Cost is $65.00AUD.  Send us an e-mail here if you are interested in this model.

              

Special of the week/MBCV Concours

You will have to travel to Melbourne this weekend to buy the Special of the week!  This weekend is the Mercedes-Benz Club of Victoria Concours.  The Concours is being held in conjunction with the with the AOMC British & European Motor Show at the Dandenong Show Grounds on Sunday the 30th of March.  There is also a dinner on the Friday and Saturday night.  Bookings were required in advance for the dinners (I am not sure if you can still get in), but anybody can turn up to the Concours.  If you want to you can download an information pack here.  More details of this event and other MBCV events can be found here.

The reason for the special of the week being there, is that we will have a trade display there with plenty of bargains to be had. See you there......

The big news on the website.

Hopefully you guys all noticed the strange URL for this newsletter!!  We are very close to launching the new web site.  It is still a beta version, but is now in the final stages. If you click here, you will get to see the new front page.  It is designed to be a page that can be used as your homepage.  It will have up to date information of our cars and specials as well as interesting info like the news headlines, time in Canberra and a link to Goggle (haven't done that yet).  We are planning to change some aspects of the front page every few days so you should be able to see something different each time you view it.  Don't bookmark the link just yet it is still a beta site....!  

Please don't try to buy anything from the shop as we are still setting it up.  However the big news is that you can now log on as a member and get your own password.  You will need this if you want to continue to get the newsletter.  To do this simply click onto the red Newsletter button on the right hand side and follow the link to the subscribe page.  You can also nominate what model you own so we can inform you of any specials we have that are specific to your car.  Or if you are interested in buying a specific model you can also nominate that.

Please feel free to offer what ever praise or criticism you like by e-mail to me. 

W116 heaters, part 2.

Last newsletter we discussed the layout of the vacuum lines, switches and taps that make up the heater system in the W116 and early W107 models.  Here is part two, how it works and what goes wrong......

First of all, let me explain how the vacuum switches, that are in the console and are operated by the heat control levers, work.  Remember the red vacuum line that winds its way around and holds the heater tap closed?  When you operate the heat control lever you create a "controlled vacuum leak" that means the vacuum supply to the heater tap drops.  As a result the tap opens and the heater core gets hot. (presuming the engine is at operating temperature and the thermostat has opened).   This operation happens in the first 1cm of travel of the heat control lever.  If you operate it gently you can feel the switch opening.

The next 7-8cms of travel on the heat control lever is controlling a flap that regulates the amount of air that can flow through the heater core.  Don't be fooled into thinking that the amount of air flowing over the heater core is controlled by the fan speed. 

The second most common fault with this system is that the flaps that control the heater core air flow jam in the full open position. S o once again, when something goes wrong, the heater is jammed on, not off.  What causes the flaps to jam is that over a period of time they have warped and no longer fit in the hole!  There is a simple solution to this using a piece of foam to support them, but it is 6 hours labour to insert the bit of foam!   know because I have done lots of these over the years. 

When the flaps jam in the open position, the heater tap is also jammed open, as you can not push the heat control lever all the way to the bottom.  If you remove the trim under the dash (both sides) you can see the levers that control the vacuum tap and the flaps.  There is a 10mm nut that connects a rod to a lever (sorry that's the best description I can come up with).  In an emergency you can loosen this screw which will allow you to push the heat control lever to the bottom and shut the heater tap. However this is a short term solution.

Even when the heater tap is in the closed position it allows a small amount of coolant to pass though.  The idea of this is that over summer when the heater is never on there is enough flow to stop it from blocking up. In theory there should be no air passing through the heater core so the fact that it has a small amount of hot coolant in it does not matter.  But when the flaps are jammed open you can still get some hot air even with the tap turned off!

Hope that helped.......

Cars for dismantling.

No new cars this week.  Heard of plenty, but the owners all wanted too much money for them!!!

Big cars for Sale.

Another few quite weeks on the car front! The first six weeks of this year were the best on record and then it slowed right down?  We are not worried however, as we have seen trends like this before.  One month you sell nothing and then the whole lot sell in two weeks!!!  The only cars to sell since the last newsletter were the white 230E and the lovely 1995 E280 sedan.  We traded a nice 82 model 280Se sedan on E280, 268000kms silver with blue tex.  Everything works and it is in rather good condition for the age and mileage.  

I have been driving the 1983 280SE this last week and it really is a nice car.  These must have been a great car when compared to all the others on the market back in the early 80's.

We are rather keen to sell a few more  cars, so if you are interested in any of them, now might be the time to try and twist my arm......

 

Don't forget you can check out our cars for sale here!

C180 Sedan 1998 model.

"Update" C class model. 5 speed auto, air bags, cruise control 10 stack CD and all the other great C class features. Current C class alloys. Only 94000kms and full dealer service history. Green black with unmarked dove grey MB-tex interior. $31500.00AUDMore details

 

 

 

190E Sedan 1987 model.

Great little car only 166000 kms and good history. Latest style Becker radio, long NSW rego. Grey MB-tex interior.

  $12500.00AUDMore details

 

 

 

 

C200 Sedan 1996 model.

Popular 2.0lt version C class model. 4 speed auto, air bags, cruise control 10 stack CD and all the other great C class features. Full dealer service history. Green black with unmarked dove grey MB-tex interior. $29990.00AUDMore details

 

 

 

380SE Sedan 1983 model.

Not often you see one of these in this condition anymore. Immaculate dove grey leather and burled walnut interior. Original Becker radio, Cruise control, original alloys, etc. Only 179000kms, two owners and full Mercedes-Benz dealer service history. NSW rego till December. $12500.00AUDMore details


 

 

500SEL Sedan 1984 model.

The model we never got here in Australia. Yes its an import but it is a good one! Lets face it if you want a 500 you have no choice but to buy an import. Black leather, Sony CD player, electric seats front and rear  $9990.00AUDMore details

 

 

 

 

230E Sedan 1986 model.

196000kms and service history. Climate control, cruise control, external temp gauge, electric windows, Beautiful silver duco and unmarked tan MB-tex interior. $12990.00AUDMore details

 

 

 

560SEL Sedan 1986 model.

560sel-bronze.jpg - 55.94 KAn excellent example given the mileage. 240000kms but with a condition that looks more like 150000kms. Champagne duco with tan leather trim. Like all 560's it is fully optioned right down to the electric rear seats and the town and country horns system. air conditioning, multi point central locking, power steering, tilt action sunroof, climate control, etc, etc $17990.00AUDMore details


 
 
 



So that's it for another newsletter. Hope you liked what you saw.  If you have any ideas or want to contribute any articles, pictures or other material please e-mail me here.  Also, don't forget that you can check out the old newsletters here

Thanks, John Green.