Recently, I set out with the goal to provide our customers with all the resources they would need to troubleshoot and repair the brake systems on their own cars. As your favorite Benz ages brake problems will arise and they can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Since brakes are a safety related system it is also VERY important that any repair work be done properly and with great care.
Announcing Club Mercedessource! For a long time now we have been trying to find a way to reward friends of Mercedessource. We decided the best way to do this would be through a membership subscription that would automatically change one's access level on our website. Once you join you will be able to gain access to all the unique club products and services
Here is a summary of current key benefits:
For me 2010 is going to be the year of the transmission. It is hard to believe I have been working on a transmission repair manual for the past 6 years I Just the other day I was looking at an email I wrote to a customer in 2006 telling him the transmission manual should be out by the end of that year! Each year we receive an ever increasing number of requests for transmission help. Neither these transmissions nor myself are getting any younger so I decided I had better get my act together and deliver on my promise.
In the 45 plus years that I have been working on old cars I have tried every product on the market that promises to fix rust. Almost all of them do not live up to their promises nor do they product permanent lasting repairs. Even welding does not last if the weld line can not be treated properly on the back side of the weld.
Nothing works like Miracle Paint. Their new heavy duty (thicker formula) stands above the competition and is ideal for making the types or repairs you see in the picture below. To learn more about this amazing product and to see how I am using it to repair my 1978 6.9 CLICK HERE to read the full story.
We decided that MARCH will be Ignition lock repair month. Talk about March madness! Lock problems on your Mercedes can drive you mad. During this month we will be offering a number of lock related items on sale. Some with have special tools and instructions included. When we are talking locks we mean ignition lock, door locks, vacuum locks and even bolt locks....
Follow along as I take you through the products and procedures I will use to repair the rust on my 6.9. I have been working on rusty old cars since I bought my first Model A Ford when I was 13 years old. I have tried every product imaginable. Very few live up to their claims to make it go away and not come back. Even welding in new metal is not a guarantee that the rust will not come back. You should see some of the dozens of examples where I have seen the weld seams rust from the inside out because they were not properly coated and protected from moisture on the blind side! And NOTHING rusts faster than an oxidized weld seem. I have come to believe that unless you are restoring a valuable collector car, one should stay away from sheet metal weld replacement.
The following are key signs your transmission may be in trouble.
But before you let anyone try to convince you to replace it, DO proper diagnose first! Here are some diagnostic tips and some things you can do to improve performance and extend its useful life:
25 amp Fuses, made of brass copper alloy. High quality. Sold in a package of 20.
CLICK HERE to see our fuse kits with Instructions.
16 amp Fuses, made of brass copper alloy. High quality. Sold in a package of 20.
CLICK HERE to see our fuse kits with Instructions.
8 amp Fuses, made of brass copper alloy. High quality. Sold in a package of 20.
CLICK HERE to see our fuse kits with Instructions.
Timing chains have been used on Mercedes engines since the early 1950's. My 1953 220 has an overhead cam six that is driven by a twin row chain - similar to engines well into the 1990's. Timing chains may be old technology, but they are proven and they work for long periods of time (provided the engine receives proper service).
WARNING: Timing chain failure is the NO. 1 cause of catastrophic engine failure in these old engines. If it lets go the valves will hit the pistons. If it comes off at high speed, the pistons can be damaged and the camshaft can driven right out through the valve cover!
CAUSES: There are a number of reasons for excessive chain stretch / chain failure.
Don't forget the injector cleaner! This is a very simple and often neglected maintenance service on fuel injected gas engine Mercedes. If we are talking cars over 15 years old - even more so! If you have recently acquired the car I recommend you initially give it a couple very heavy doses of quality injection cleaner (available at auto parts stores- like Chevron or Lucas). Put a full can in half a tank of fuel. Do this twice. Then for regular maintenance add every third tank of gas and mix according to instructions. You won't believe the difference clean fuel injectors will make on the smoothness of your idle, acceleration, and fuel economy!
New in 2010! After years of receiving email and forum requests for tech help, the problems most customers have and the questions they ask start to follow a very predictable pattern. So to better help you find out what is wrong with your Mercedes and what parts you need to fix it we are launching a new WHATS WRONG section on our website. Each category will list the common problems, what steps need to be taken to fix them and links to the parts and instructions needed to tackle the repairs. Where applicable you will be directed to one of Kents kits or manuals for help in diagnosing your problem. We know that isolating the problem can be more frustrating than fixing it!!!
Over the years I have used many different products to try to adhere chrome and trim pieces to body and interior panels. None has performed better for me than E6000. When dry it holds like nothing else. It never dries totally hard so you can always cut it with a sharp razor knife to remove the part in the future. Great for adhering bumper trim and rubber, side mouldings, and interior wood and trim. It does take overnight to dry, so you will need to something strong to hold it in place while drying. Note: For bumper rubber I have even driven the car up against a wall to hold the rubber in place while it dries overnight!
I don't know about you, but I just can not stand loose trim. Kent Bergsma
Ww offer this superb glue on our website:
Sometimes it can be frustrating to keep an exhaust hanger ( or what we call donuts) from falling off its metal hangers - especially if some exhaust shop has redone the system and has not properly aligned the hangers. Best way I have found to keep them from falling off is to use a zip tie as shown below. Squeeze the center of the donut together to help keep it in place. Exhaust donuts fail regularly and should be inspected yearly. Replace them at the first sign the rubber has started to crack. We do carry a heavy duty type that has a center plug but these sometimes will not work if the hanger brackets are not lined up correctly. CLICK HERE to order new donuts.
These long reach ball end hex wrenches will allow to get access to bolt heads at a angle from a longer distance. When used the other way the long end will provide an extra length handle for more torque. A must have if you work on Mercedes engines. Sizes include 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm.
Brand new Great locking gas cap with two new keys for these gas powered earlier models.
We forget sometimes that working around cars and other mechanical things can be hazardous to our health. Even if we consider ourselves cautious, some hazards may be hidden and symptoms may not show up for years. I want you to think safety this holiday season and in the year ahead. I wish I would have worn more face masks, ear plugs, gloves and safety glasses when I was younger. At my ripe age of 63 I am already feeling the affects of loud aircraft engines and breathing too many chemicals over the years… Lungs, ears, and eyes are just too important and they don't heal themselves once damaged! I have recently discovered a great dust mask that does not fog up my glasses. It even comes in a resealable plastic bag!
Long clear tube with one way check valve. Ideal for bleeder brakes into a container. When you let up on the pedal you can not suck air back into the caliper.
These are handy for heavy duty ratcheting. Clicker reverses direction. Sizes 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 mm
Use them on your car, use them in your yard, you can never have too many tie wraps!
This tool has the leverage to remove the most stubborn manual transmission or rear differential drain / fill plugs with the standard 14 mm hex fitting. Handle on this heavy duty hex wrench is 9 inches long. You can even get more torque by slipping a short section of metal pipe over the handle.
NOTE: also fits early oil drain plug from the late 50's 180D up to late 70's V8 450SL.
Membership in our unique club has its rewards. Members get instant access to a special troubleshooting and repair help section and can post technical questions to Benz Aid.
Fun daily Posts, tech tips, specials and possible contests... Sign up to follow me on Twitter.HI Kent. Finally got around to adjusting my valves on my '82 300d. Your wrenches really made it easy, and after the first few it was only taking me 5 minutes a valve. Regarding the clacking noise in my rear-end, turned out to be the cv shaft which I found a rebuilt one for $180CDN. It's a lot more pleasurable to drive again and a lot cheaper repair than I figured. Thanks for all your help, talk to you soon.... Read More
