Hi Conrad, and welcome! I didn't get started wrenching until after college, so you are already ahead of me. :)
> I would like to ask for some knowledge about a 1973 280. I bought it a few months The letters at the end are important, if there is an 'E' at the end it is fuel injected, if not it has a carburetor. I think both were available? Though there is a reasonable chance someone here will correct me based on the year. :) ) I will try to repair whatever I can myself before even thinking of taking into a mechanic. Good plan, even when I do hire a mechanic they seem to know less than I do about my cars. With something this old it helps to diy as much as possible. :) > First of all, the car smokes after getting up to temperature(maybe after driving 4-9 miles). It is a white smoke Might it have a bluish tinge? Try holding a sheet of printer paper behind the smoke next time you park in the daylight. White is water/steam, blue is oil. Oil is pretty okay, water not so much. :/ ) from the exhaust. Because of this I've been careful about regularly checking the oil. Also make sure the radiator stays full. I think there is no overflow tank on that engine? If not you will probably always be a little below the filler neck, and that's okay. If it is oil, checking the oil is good, but unless you are leaving a huge plume of smoke you have some time to fix the problem and probably won't notice the loss in the oil pan for a while. Also, if you and your dad still aren't sure about the smoke, find the teacher at your school with the oldest car and ask for advice. At my high school it was the math teacher, or if you have a mechanic class that person. I am quite certain they would be happy to look at it. ) Can I do it with the head still on the engine? If so, wouldn't the pistons have to be at top dead center to do job? There will be markings externally so you can do this. Someone here will be able to tell you exactly where those are, but not me. :) ) What I was wondering is how to turn the crank in order to do this. On the diesels you can turn the power steering bolt, and there is enough tension on the accessory belt to turn the engine. You should be able to do the same. If not you can probably get a socket on the crank bolt - it should be a little recessed - to get a breaker bar on it. Only tip here is, guard the radiator! My 115 radiator was a few hundred dollars several years ago, I would not be surprised if they were over $500 by now. ) Also, if I'm careful, can I reuse all of the gaskets and seals, or would I have to buy new ones. The paper gaskets are probably going to tear up as you remove them, they are also very cheap. Seals you have some discretion; if you can leave the car in the driveway while parts ship you can decide once everything is apart. I usually order them because I would rather be able to finish in one day, and worst case I have some spares. > I was also wondering about the vacuum pump. Is it really necessary at all? Would there be any benefit in removing it? Does it put extra strain on the engine? What would I have to do to remove it? Necessary: yes, it will drive either the carburetor or the injector timing. Yes, it adds load. You could theoretically create a computer to replace it... but don't, it's a fine old car as it is. :) > Also, the sun roof doesn't work. It worked for a couple days after I bought the car, then stopped working. When I press the open button nothing happens, but when I press the close button I hear the electric motor. The seller said it Probably a bad switch. Pull it out and open it up (inside a shoe box, pieces and bearings will pop out). Try to clean everything and figure out how it should go back together. :) ) We tried to repair the switch to the best of out ability, but I feel like it was better off before. I should have kept reading. :) You could buy a new switch, but really you can get them back together - it often takes me several tries. I usually work on that sort of thing when I'm in a parking lot waiting for someone. ) Maybe I should buy a new switch just incase we killed it (any good places to buy one). Rusty knows a lot about these cars, and can order any parts you need. He will also be able to tell you what gaskets and seals you have to replace, should replace, and probably won't have to replace for a given job. Also a nice guy on the phone, and stands behind his products. Web site is buymbparts.biz but call him, phone prices are better and he'll give you all the time you need to get the right parts. (If you call and someone else answers, you should probably ask for Rusty unless you are 100% sure of your order. Tom is nice but doesn't have Rusty's experience. And no I don't get a commission, just a very satisfied customer. :) > Finally, are there any little nuances about operating and maintaining an old Mercedes W114 that I should know about? 0) If it has a carburetor, learn to adjust it, and plan to do it every couple thousand miles. 1) Drive safe but drive hard. 2) Fix things as soon as you notice them, using the best parts you can afford, and doing the best job you can. 3) Don't get discouraged when you do something wrong. It is helpful but not necessary to have friends with car experience, who can listen to engine knocks and creaking links. 4) Don't try to keep the car after it has lost all its fun. ) Other than these things I mentioned, I love the car and hope to keep it in good condition. Then you will fit right in. :) I'm only on my second and third MBs, but some of these folks have been through dozens - so don't hesitate to ask! Best, Tim _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
