Off-Roading - A No.. No!

[bpossel]

 :evil:  :oops:  
I am doing this post in order to save others from doing something as stupid as I did this evening...

The temp here in Memphis is over 100 degrees this evening.  I decided to take my 113 for a little drive and got stuck in a traffic jam.  So...  I decided to turn around and head back home rather than sit in the very hot car cabin.  Well, I thought that I would be ok to turn around in the grass median.  Not so!  I ended up bottoming out and pushed the lower radiator into the fan.  I was able to stop the car and engine and loosen the bottom radiator nuts and pull the lower radiator forward (thanks to Dennis for giving me a nice 113 tool kit!)
The fan didnt really do much except slight scratching of the fins. The real issue is that the radiator was pushed into the large nut of the power steering pump and put a large dent into the radiator.  How its not leaking at this point is beyond me.  Drove the car home with no other problems, but now I need to pull the radiator out "again" and have it fixed.
So, PLEASE...  dont off-road in your 113.

I am sooooo sad!  
Bob


bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[zanone]

Bob, the next time you decide to go off roading in your Pagoda stop by and get this skid plate, I don't need it. DZ

[n/a]

Dear Bob,
Funny, I've many pics of Pagodas in dirt road rallys...you'd think that would be a diaster to them. Getting under the car, one can see they have lots to bend and break. Glad to hear you didn't suffer anything worse!
R/
Joe

[JamesL]

I do hope no-one in the traffic behind you laughed :oops:

[joelj]

Hi bob,

I am sorry to hear about your misfortune.

I'll remember that our pagoda is a "country club" car and not an off road vehicle.

good luck

Joel

1969 280sl auto
White exterior
Blue interior

[steven0401]

I was talking to Gernold Nisius (SL TECH) a few days ago when it was very hot. He asked if I planned to take the car out in the extreme heat (+98F). He said the car really doesn't like being out in heat above 90F - used words like melt, boil, fry. I promised to wait until it was cooler.

[harleydan]

Steven,

With the recent heat wave hitting the country, including Denver where I live, then sighting a Pagoda will surely become an even rarer sight.

I experienced my overheating problems when the outside temperature was 101.  Maybe I'll make it a rule for me not to drive when the temp hits over 95.  To some of us Pagoda owners, driving in high temps is the equivalent of off-roading....a no-no.

Danny
1970 280SL Euro manual

[TheEngineer]

Well, here is Seattle it was in the high 90's and my air conditioning quit! I thought it was just low on freon and put some in: It leaks all back out at the bottom of the condenser where a tube is chafed thru. Time to renew/repair things. The A/C wasn't really very effective with the top down, but nice with it up. Never a problem with overheating: I have the 3-row radiator.