A friend purchased a 1998 E320. Will he have the same AC problems?
On 6/6/07, Gary Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Eric, While I still love mine, there are a few issues you should be aware of before buying. Not all of these are catastrophic, but may be used to negotiate price :^) 1) Most of the later W124 chassis cars (I know starting with the M104 engine intorduced in 1993) came with a newly introduced biodegradeable wiring harness. Unfortunately, the high heat environement of the engine compartment caused the insulation to degrade prematurely. Many of these have probably been replaced by the 120K mile point, but it's always good to ask. If the current owner doesn't know if it's been replaced, assume it hasn't. It's not a particularly difficult DIY job, but is very time consuming if you're doing it for the first time. 2) Head gaskets have been known to begin to seep oil out at about the middle on the passenger side. Take a look here for old, crusty, seeping oil. If the gasket needs to be replace, might as well do a valve job while it's off. The M104 bottom end is quite robust, so with a fresh valve job, you're easily good for another 150K miles. 3) In warm southern climates, where the A/C goes through a lot of thermal cycles, the evaporators have been known to spring leaks around the seams. This doesn't sound too bad until you realize Mercedes hung the evaporator by a string and then built a car around it. I've seen quotes between 14 and 18 shop hours to replace, though I good tech who's done a few can get it done in one solid day. Not for the faint of heart to DIY. Ask the current owner about A/C issues, and be wary of any car that "just needs a charge." It can be very difficult to diagnose the evap leak since you can't get to it directly. Sometimes a good leak sniffer (or even your nose if you know what PAG oil smells like) can get a whiff of refrigerant out of the vents when the blower is first started up. In other cases, you can detect refrigerant or oil coming out the evap drain under the car. Don't want to sound too discouraging as the 1995 E320 is really quite a car. Gary Thompson Georgetown, TX 1995 E320 139K miles On 6/5/07, eric peterson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > What problems should I look for in a 95 E320?? Car is > said to be well maintained with aprox 120K. > > Thanks in advance > Eric > 85 300CD 112K _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
