May 1999 

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Day 9:     May 1, 1999    Hyraulics are working.  Carpets arrive. Clutch still bad.
Day 10:    May 2, 1999    Install the Interior
Day 11:    May 3, 1999    Free the clutch!   Tow the car.
Day 12:    May 4, 1999    Remove the Transmission and Clutch.
Day 13:    May 5, 1999    Reinstall the Transmission and Clutch
Day 14:    May 6, 1999    Engine Overheats
Day 15:    May 7, 1999    McGuiver the Thermostat Housing
Day 16:    May 8, 1999    First Drive, First Breakdown
Day 17:    May 15, 1999    Replace Headlights, Engine runs rougher
Day 18:    May 18, 1999    Clean the carburators
Day 19:    May 20, 1999    Major Tune-Up
Day 20:    May 21, 1999    Reassemble the carb
Day 21:    May 22, 1999    Adjust the valve clearances

The hoses arrived today and were promptly installed.  The rotors were rusty, all four were sanded down -- I know I should have gotten the rotors turned, but I'll have them turned if I notice any brake problems/vibrations.  The brake reservoir was filled with ATE Blue Brake Fluid and bled.

The carpets and the door panels arrived in the afternoon.   The guys over at DLS Car Interiors cleaned out the floorboards and lay the new carpet.  The carpet was cut to size right there to ensure a good fit.  They'll come back tomorrow to install the seats and the door sidings.

With the brakes and the clutch hydaulics working, I was very eager to drive the car around the block.  I still don't have seats, so I got suitable wooden chair and put used it as a driver's seat.  I crossed my fingers and started the engine.  I step on the clutch and try to ease it into first gear..... nothing.  I try the other gears and cannot seem to engage any.  With the engine off, I can select the gears... but not with the engine running.

I try putting it in gear, stepping on the clutch, then starting the car.  The car would lurch violently forward everytime.  I try all the gears and there was no difference.  At least I've verified that my car has 4-forward gears -- If I could only find Reverse.

The clutch and the pressure plate is stuck/seized I believe.

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Early Sunday morning, the guys from the upholstery shop came back to finish the job.  They install the newly upholstered door panels and the front seats.   The car is now looking complete.   Other flaws in the interior are now beginning to be noticed -- the dashboard has some paint overspray, the wooden inserts in the dash are faded and cracked, the steering wheel is grimy, and the chrome trim inside the car all need some polishing or re-plating.

I also found time to work on other areas today:

• The underdash AC unit that I took apart last week was lovingly put back together -- in the process I rebuilt the electric motor.  The motors shaft were rusted -- I used a lot of WD40 and some fine sandpaper to smoothen things a bit.  I put it all back together and now the motor spins freely and quietly.
• I repainted the black aircleaner and I mended the rubber hose that connected the carbs and the air-filter can.  I used some pieces of an old innertube and rubber contact cement.  It doesn't look anything like new -- but functionally, this would work.
• The whole driver-side and the hood was color sanded and polished.

The clutch still remains stuck to the flywheel.  Some members of the Mercedes Benz Veterans Mailing List have the following suggestions:
1.  Warm-up the engine, then turn it off.
2.  On a long empty road (or driveway), put the car in gear, step on the clutch pedal, then start the car.
3.  It is expected that the engine's torque would eventually the clutch disk witll free itself from the flywheel.

It didn't work.

Another suggestion called for putting the car on jackstands with the rear wheels off the ground, car in gear, then starting the engine... alternately stepping on the gas then the clutch.   I thought that this was a little too dangerous.  So....

The car was towed to a trusted garage for some major clutch work.

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The transmission was removed from the car to gain access to the pressure plate and the clutch.  The Clutch and Pressure Plate was then separated from the flywheel.

Upon inspection, the mechanic suggested that he just cleans the clutch, sand the flywheel, lube whatever needs lubing and he'll put it all back together.  NO GUARRANTEES, of course.   The clutch lining was still thick and the pressure plate looked ok.

I figured that we might as well change everything now while its all apart.  And have piece of mind that everything will work.  A new clutch, pressure plate, and release bearing was ordered.

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All the parts arrived today and the garage put it all back together.  The clutch now works well and the engagement is smooth.  BUT, the car still has no reverse gear.

The gear shift linkages are worn enough that the reverse cannot be selected.  The other gear selection are also sloppy.

Two new "end-links" were ordered and promptly installed.  These end-links look like tie-rod ends.  With those installed, reverse gear can now be selected.

But its not over yet.

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The engine overheats in just a few minutes of idling.  At this point the garage suggests that we get the radiator ovehauled.  I agree and the pull out the radiator from the car.

Upon removal of the top radiator hose, it was also discovered that the thermostat housing was badly corroded. Only 1 cm of metal is left for the hose to attach to.   A new thermostat housing was ordered.

The radiator was 'unsoldered' open at the top and the water passages were rodded out to remove any blockages.  After a throrough cleaning, the radiator top was soldered back on.  The black paint was burned off in the de-soldering and soldering process.  The top of the radiator is now a shiny gold color -- brass.   A new radiator cap was also purchased.

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A replacement Thermostat Housing would not be located -- either new or used.  It was suggested by the garage that they'll cut open a piece of metal pipe and JB-weld it to the Thermostat Housing.   McGuiver to the rescue!

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This is it.  This is the day that I drive my 280S for the very first time.    I start the car and it roars to life.  It still does not have a muffler.   I sit in the car and work out the gears -- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and Reverse -- YES!

I take the car for a short drive around the block.  This is only a 1st and 2nd gear drive, with lots of speed bumps to stiffle any momentum you might have gathered.  Everything feels fine:  The suspension, steering, brakes, clutch... no horn, the signal light switch won't stay on, no mirrors, a slight miss while idling, and it was LOUD.

Ok, my Dad and I decide that its going to get a new muffler today!   We jump in the car, I'm driving, and my Dad in the passenger seat.  Within a block from the house the car stumbles and dies.  We ran out of gas!  I run back home and get a couple of 'jerry cans' and the Nissan.  I drive to the nearest gas station and fill-up with Premium LEADED.  We drive back to the Benz and emptied the gas containers.  She fired right up and our trip to the muffler shop was on the way again.  My Dad decides to follow behind in the Nissan -- just in case.

We get to the muffler shop with no untoward incidents.  As the car is put on the lift, the muffler-man sees that the gas tank is leaking!  He refuses to fire-up his acetelyn torch while the fuel leaks -- good idea!   I run to a parts store nearby and buy a short length of rubber fuel hose.   After draining the tank -- good thing we still had the 'jerry cans' to catch the fuel, the rubber fuel hose was installed and the leak was fixed.

While we were fixing the fuel hose, the muffler man went ahead and bent the two tubes that go over the diferential.  He also made two exhaust tips that bent downwards.

Eventually, the muffler and pipes were welded in place.  Four new rubber exhaust hangers (donuts) were also installed.

With the new muffler, the Benz hummed like a Benz should -- except that there's this slight mis-fire every now and then.

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I install new headlight bulbs today.  New halogen bulbs rated at 90watts/110watts were installed.  However, the higher wattage may be too much for the Benz's light switch and 30-year old wiring.  I'm afraid that I'll burn a switch or some wires.  I'll have to wire-up some relays to handle the larger current draw of these halogen bulbs.  Until the relays are installed, no night driving.

I found an electrical plug in the trunk.  This goes to the fuel level sending unit.  I plug this in and the yellow 'Reserve' light on the dash comes on.  Afraid of running out of gas again, I drive the car to the gas station an filled it up.  On the way back, the car started running really rough -- I had to increase the idle speed just so the engine will continue running.

As soon as I get home, I removed the air-cleaners and looked down at the carbs.  I can see that fuel was flowing out of the venturi in the front carburator, but the rear carburator was dry.   A shot of carb cleaner didn't help.

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The top half of the carburators were removed. All passages were blown clean and any the exposed jets were cleaned with gasoline and compressed air.  Although not original, an inline fuel-filter was installed right before the fuel pump.

The car ran better again after this operation. But there is still a slight miss.

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Attributing the misfire to fouled plugs and pitted contact points, the car was treated to a ' major tune' up.  All the spark plugs were replaced and so were the contact points and the condenser.  Still the car idled with a slight miss.

The carbs were then removed and completely disassembled for a thorough cleaning.  Carburator overhauling kits were ordered.  The first kit that arrived only had gaskets and washers.  Another kit was ordered that had replacement jets.

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The Carburator repair kit arrived late today.  The carburators were reassembled today.

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After the carburators were bolted back onto the engine, the car is now running fine.  Except there's this slight ticking noise which is associated with bad valve clearances.

The valve clearance was adjusted to specs.  However, the brittle valve cover gasket leaked oil in some spots.  A new gasket was ordered.

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