The gist: I need to "reset" the entire system to a baseline tune/settings. Everything is out of whack. I'm trying to get this dialed in before 9/9 - I put a deadline on myself and entered it at the
Artmobilia event. I've realized that I won't be able to get all of the detailing, dry icing, etc. on the list done by 9/9, but I'd like to at least drive it in.
**Long Post Warning**
History & Background: I have a Euro 1966 250SE Sunroof sedan, purchased in Germany. M129.980, column shift auto trans. (Please don't put this in W1xx purgatory
) Purchased in Feb. 2020. From what I have been able to gather it's 3 (possibly 4) family owned and has 85,000 actual km. I purchased it from the son of the most recent owner, who died years ago, but had it parked in his airplane hanger. The son seemed to be mechanically inclined, but preferred American and motorcycles, so after roughly 10 years of sitting, decided to let it go. Body and interior are in fantastic shape considering.
Milage:
It drove roughly ~1,300km from 2004 to 2020. Documented 27,769km in 1978. It was registered at 74,400km in 1990 (final owner till me). 79,120km documented in 2015. I bought it with 79,548km. I've put 5,500km on it.
According to the documentation that came with it (partial service records since new, but I did not receive them till about a month or so after I purchased it), in the early aughts it went through a large service including a fuel pump rebuild. I have attached the invoices.
2004 Service Quick List:
- New distributor
- New thermo switch
- Engine Mounts
- Trans Mount
- Replacement/retro fit of hydraulic compensator to the spring
- Valve adjustment
- $4,104 (in 2004
)
2015 Service Quick List
(**Note: where it appears some of the current issues were first documented...and perhaps started due to the shop that did the work**):
- "Customer states has spark no fuel"
- "Rinsed out mechanical fuel pump"
- "Fuel was rancid" Flushed tank and replacement filter (note: filter was quite clean when I did it again in early 2020)
- "Brake pedal goes to floor"
- "Master Cylinder leaking, we removed brake fluid from brake booster" -- the master cylinder was replaced
- "Serviced brake calipers"
- "Removed and replaced transmission linkage bushing"
- "Lubricated body components"
- ~$1,200
I drove it from Milwaukee to Indianapolis home. It was running, but barely. Alternator was shot so had to keep swapping batteries (had three just in case). It had a massive vacuum leak at the brake booster amongst some other issues and leaks.
I replaced the brake booster, gave it the general once-over with new oil, plugs (W6DC at the time), alternator, cleaned grounds, transmission filter, fluid, oil filter, fuel filter, drained the fuel tank, new fuel tank filter, etc. It seemed to run much better, though it was obvious it was tuned by the previous owner/shop they used to run with the vacuum leak.
I just rolled with it and proceeded to put ~2,000mi. on it after the first year or so during the warm months. Went on a few trips from Indy to Lake Michigan, Cincinnati and back and some around-town driving. Generally drove great, got decent milage, stopped fine, took a little to start sometimes, but generally started up without issue.
On one trip back from Lake Michigan to Indy, and more consistently thereafter and especially on hot days, it started to stall and die at stops. I would have to let it sit for ~20-30min before it would start up again. Around the same time it started to burn through coils. It arc'd one and I started to burn through spark plug wires.
After going down the rabbit hole, and trying a handful of things regarding the stalling/dying, I determined the fuel pressure damper needed rebuilt. That got pushed to the back burner since it was generally only after extended (1hr+) drives or 95 degree + weather where this was an issue.
Because points and old ignition systems for whatever reason do not compute in my brain, I figured a 123+ (bluetooth) distributor would be the move, so I bought one.
It then sat, covered and stored in a climate controlled garage for ~6mo. over winter. For a while I was good with starting it every now and then but I'll admit I wasn't consistent.
Upon installing the 123+ and actually for the first time looking at the timing, I started to notice that wasn't keeping time and was generally sloppy when looking at the crank with a timing light. I got the 123+ set to something close to what the non-bluetooth standard setting for this (I can't remember the letter or number) and it was definitely peppier than before but after warming up and driving it would start to sound like a sewing machine at higher revs/highway driving.
About two block from home after a drive, lost breaks, blew the rear right caliper seal. It then sat, stored and covered, for about a year and a half or so. I let the brake fluid drain once I got it to my garage, put it on jack stands and there it sat on the backburner.
2023: Finally decided to get back to the last of my projects in the garage. On dollies, I moved it over and started to assess. Since I got it there were always minor leaks and the engine bay was generally dirty from not having regular use in nearly 20 years. It started up after some convincing, but ran horribly.
- Checked valves - were very much not in spec. Did valve adjustment.
- Timing chain had a lot of slop. I did not get the actual degree/spec but you could pull it at least 5mm off the cam gear. The upper guide was quite worn.
- Inspected timing chain guide, was 2mm out of spec from the blue book
- Leaks from distributor cover, power steering lines, water pump/housing - general front end leaks.
I decided to spend the summer and actually clean up the engine bay and get this running properly.
- Replaced chain
- Replaced upper chain guide (genuine aluminum one)
- Replaced timing chain tensioner
- Rebuilt fuel damper
- Replaced all power steering lines
- Replaced 3 fuel lines, all crush washers
- Replaced water bypass line and crush washers
- Removed and refinished: valve cover, distributor cover, water housing, alternator bracket, thermostat housing, power steering bracket, had fuel lines and coolant lines zinc plated, refinished oil pan
- All new gaskets on the front end, oil pan, valve cover
- All new hardware on everything mentioned in this list plus some, all NOS norma hose clamps
- All new coolant lines on the front end
- Flushed and cleaned up radiator
- Replace plugs
- Fuel filter change
- Oil filter & oil change
- Top off trans fluid
- New thermostat
- Not on yet, but sitting in the garage, I had a new exhaust made from time valve. From about half way through the mid-pipe back is a little swiss-cheesy.
- New tires (The whitewalls on it didn't have date codes...
but still held air and barely had any rot)
- Rebuilt rear calipers
- Brake fluid bleed and flush
- New battery
- New fan clutch
- Refinished power steering reservoir
- Replaced engine torque damper**
About 2-3 weeks ago it was ready to be turned on for the first time. It fired right up. No leaks. Timing/general running is much better after replacing the chain and guide. After taking last week off due to it being 110 degrees outside. I sat down today to try and get the timing dialed in.
Some points to note from here: - The injection pump adjustment screw was played with when I first got it before we knew exactly what we were doing with this system. It was never moved when it was on.
- I've never been able to find good settings for the 123+
- My eyes glaze over and brain shuts down when thinking about curves, distributors, injection pump timing, crank timing...
- The adjustment for the trans in the transmission tunnel has been played with
- I have zero clue what "baseline" or OK is for the injection pump
- Since I've owned it, there's always been an exhaust smell/vapor/smoke/fuel burning coming out of the exhaust. I generally attributed it to the muffler being toast, but I'm not sure.
- The idle air control on the manifold has been played with, a lot (from when we thought timing was good, when 123+ was first put in, etc.)
- The linkages have been done, but the linkage from the injection pump to the throttle linkage across the valve cover has a bend to it - I don't have a replacement, and I don't think it's supposed to have a bend in it.
- Something that has come and gone since I've owned it, but is now very consistent is a strange feeling when driving it/giving it throttle - it's delayed. Best thing that I can think of to explain is the slinky/dog from Toy Story. Picture the front part of it moving forward and rear staying, then catching up all the sudden. I'll give it throttle, and the engine revs, but the car doesn't follow till shortly after...I've never experienced this in any car I've owned before.
- Generally speaking, throughout my ownership, the car has shifted as it should. I did not notice any metal when I originally did the gasket, filter and fluid flush.
- I will post some of the 123+ settings I've used
- I have some videos I can try and post of it idling today
- I think it's advanced a lot because there is some pinging
- It ran best today on a cold cold start, went down to 750rpm normally, pinging wasn't as pronounced -- it got worse and worse over the next few hours today
- On that cold start today, idle was at ~32 degrees with the timing light...I turn 123+ to 5-8 degrees and it runs horribly and dies, doesn't like to hot start.
- Engine and trans mounts most certainly need replaced. There's quite a bit of movement of the engine on revving and start.
- **It has been brought to my attention that apparently I have a unique, modified or incorrect motor mount situation going on. Chris Stewart (not sure if he's on here, but a good resource it seems out of Australia per the W108 group I'm in) noted that I have the older mounts with some sort of roll-over protection built in, and with that set up I should not have the front torque damper, but yet I do. I have new mounts, but they are the 280SL/SE mounts. At first I figured I couldn't use them, but I believe I can now? Why is this setup like this? 1966 seemed to be somewhat of transition year so who knows...
- On that point, I haven't found a great, reliable source on a 66 sedan. My throttle body seems different than most, the engine mount setup, etc. I have the full BBB, but it's the 1965 + some supplemental additions dated from the early 1970s but the BBB has been more confusing than helpful in most cases.
I think, at least going back to the fact that it was set to run with the booster vacuum leak, so many parts are out of tune/whack. Injection pump is probably wrong, timing chain was replaced, valve adjustment, using 123+ now, etc. All of the tuning things that you shouldn't do have probably been done. I wish there was a flowchart for this and I feel like there is a correct order to check and set this. I don't know where to start at this point to get this running correctly.
Talk to me like I'm five, tell me what to do and where to start, what to change...hopefully I'll see some of you there at Artmobilia next weekend.
If someone is willing to spend some time helping remotely/via zoom - I've got a NOS full set of M127 camshaft towers in it for you
