fresh air vent levers substitute

[Ron]

My car's levers were missing, and as per this site, I knew the M-B dealer would sell me the incorrect part, but I purchased a set from the dealer.  Yes, they have the tabs horizontal not vertical, but the worst part is the shank that clips into the arm inside the vent slot: that shank is too thin.  So the levers never would stay in place, and were barely able to move the arm inside without falling out. 

Then I saw this on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330276901673&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=#ht_500wt_1184

listed as heater levers for 111 220 280 SE.  They looked good, had a thicker looking shank, and had the tabs vertical.  The seller will sell two, instead of 4, at half the price, so I purchased two.

They work great, snap in tight, and move the mechanism with ease!  I don't know why they are not sold as a SL part, but they sure are better than the present part from M-B. 

I hope this helps someone out there,

Ron

[114015]

Excuse me Ron,

You did what?
You fitted the 220 SE (chrome) heater levers into the slot for the original SL's plastic fresh air levers? 
And that does fit & hold?
Very strange indeed.
I am well aware that the handle (fresh air lever) for the W113 changed the shape of its "knob" from vertical to horizontal throughout the production without a change in the parts number... However, the newer style should fit correctly forth and back.
It is more likely that the spring in the attachment inside the fresh air tunnel is not more holding correctly.
You can "open" and turn the round grid of the chrome plates of the fresh air intake and look inside with a flashlight what the condition of the retainer springs is. Perhaps you can bend them back with a screw driver ...

Whatever, the new ones from the MB dealer must fit. If not, there is something wrong with the attachments.
The original fresh air vent levers are only available as used parts.
How about using our  "Wanted to buy" section?

Good luck!

Achim
(Friedrichsdorf, Germany. Parts & knowledge collector)

[scoot]

They work great, snap in tight, and move the mechanism with ease!  I don't know why they are not sold as a SL part, but they sure are better than the present part from M-B. 

My guess is that they are not sold because they are also NLA.

[scoot]

Whatever, the new ones from the MB dealer must fit. If not, there is something wrong with the attachments.
(Friedrichsdorf, Germany. Parts & knowledge collector)

Yes, I bought the replacement ones from the dealer also and they fit.  (Unlike OTHER things that the dealer sells like SUN VISOR CLIPS).  I have since purchased the old style and now I can sleep at night.

[Ron]

Hi all, attached is a photo of the levers I purchased. They are not chrome, but were advertised as "SE" (W111) levers.  The levers from my dealer had shanks about half the thickness as the ones in this photo.  I tried bending the little metal clip in the fresh air vent, but it would not hold the thin shank, and the levers fell out easily - the would not operate the door for the air.  These pictured levers, I purchased 2, seem made for the car, so what's your guess?  Are these really for a 230SL?  Thanks, Ron

[thelews]

 Are these really for a 230SL? 

No.  Two pictures, first 190 SL ('61), second 250 SL ('67)

But, maybe Ron has stumbled on something here.  Do you have a picture of them in your car?

[66andBlue]

John,
I have a hunch that Ron is talking about the levers in the fresh air supply ducts (see photo).
Ron,
are these the levers you are having problems with?

[thelews]

John,
I have a hunch that Ron is talking about the levers in the fresh air supply ducts (see photo).
Ron,
are these the levers you are having problems with?

You are right, of course, and I realized that when I first read the thread awhile back, but made the same initial mistake on my revisit.  Looking at your pictures, the 190 SL levers (and others like it) would work.  What you pictured is the same type of setup for insertion of all the 190 SL levers.  Chrome would probably look pretty nice on the 113 vent!  In 1961, the 190 SL levers were changed to black plastic for cost and safety and obviously continued as plastic through the 113 model.

I changed the picture in my post above.

Two for sale on Ebay right now!  350174155625

[Ron]

Thanks all, I think I understand it now!  What I have purchased are 2 190SL levers, black plastic.  In answer to Alfred's question, yes, that is the lever I'm looking at.  I've never seen one like in your picture, and the picture from John.  Having never seen a real one, thought these would be worth a try.  They work very well, and I think I'll leave them.  I'll attempt a photo tonight or this weekend, but I have to figure out how to get the file size down first.  And John, that chrome lever in your final picture is exactly like mine, which are not chrome. 

On second looks at the photos, I see something will help.  Notice the taper on the shank for the chrome lever close up in John's photo.  That taper hold the lever up in the "socket" and against the spring.  I don't think the M-B dealer lever nor SLS lever has that taper.

I've attached a photo of the SLS site's version of the lever, and it looks like the one I got from my M-B dealer.  As I've stated, the shank is so thin with no taper, the lever falls out when you operate the vent door.  Before I purchased the 190SL levers, I was just going to super glue the dealer levers in.

Ron

PS In looking up into the right vent to work on this, I noticed what looked like insulation coming out of the duct from the cowl.  I figured some factory insulation was loose and that would have be addressed someday.  Last night I took the cowl vent grille, hood, door, and filter out to start the heater valve/plastic door repair - yep, it has the stuck heater valve and the PO broke the door.  I found a huge mouse nest in the right side.   This nest was made of shredded carpet, and was probably 13 years old.  My car is indoors away from mice, - I have bait all around it.  Good news is that all cables work, and no rust in that area!

[114015]

Hello Alfred,

I realize that the linkage rod and ball adjustments are cadmium (zinc) plated in your fresh air vent boxes.
This is not what I found in my car - it is (or was before the rust came) painted black! without zinc. :'(
But mine was an early '63 where the factory still tried hard to learn building and assembling these cars correctly - and failed. 

It's not like yours - yours is a real pagoda .


Achim