[W126 Coupe] 560 SEC general questions and specific A/C requests

[Dick Spellman]

Hi John,

That AC needs to be gone over by someone that can diagnose a bad ETR 
(very probable), flush off the evaporator & condenser and go through the 
entire system yet again..  Is it R12 or R134?  Where you are in 
St.Pete,  where hot temps and humidity are common.  I'd make the 
modification that calls for aux fan at all times when AC is switched 
on.  And there is a resistor add on the ETR that will serve to lower the 
evap temp to just above freezing (frost) if running with R134.

The cracked dash depending on how bad is either a DIY'r repair with 
solder plate heater kit (that's what I used and its perfect) or send to 
Just Dashes.com for a renewal.  Presenters are a bit of labor (1-hour 
each) but, the new aluminum gears last!  The original nylon were a 
problem,  that's what you have.  Wood requires a removal, and 
refinish...I did mine for $700 and did the labor myself.  R&R is a 
project so labor is gonna be high.  The leather can be restored with a 
lot of TLC and the right gear (cut the finish, wet sand, air brush new 
dye).  The seat cushions, springs and frames should be gone over at the 
same time.  Rattle may be something simple.  The water pump won't 
rattle. but, does weep coolant as it fails.  PS pump groan is common, no 
rattle.  Rattle sounds like something easily located using a stick or 
stethoscope. No big deal.  Check the oil level as an overfill condition 
is not good.  You can with a pump suck the excess out of the filler tube 
with care if that's truly the situation you have.  What weight M1 did 
you put in the motor?  What's the level after sitting 5 minutes or more?

 From reading your post it does not appear you do the work, which is 
fine.  But as you noted, finding a competent person who cares and 
understands the restore process is difficult.  If you can live without 
the SEC for a bit and based on your proximity to Atlanta and the fact 
you have gone so far already, I'd get the SEC to Jonathan.  IMHO he is 
the one I'd run to if the distance were not so great!

Sounds like you have a keeper but, just need the right person to finish 
up what has you miffed.  Then enjoy the 'cool' ride and the finished 
look.  I plan on keeping my few MB's for many more years.

Regards,
Dick
Boston

johnfolger wrote:

> Hi fellow SEC addicts!

>

> My beautiful 88 560 is bothering me now that I'm at the $20k repair

> threshold!

>

> The car has 138K miles and over the last 2 years I have gone through most of

> the running gear and basics to get her to perform. My mechanic was an idiot,

> so he didn't see that she needed motor mounts, valve guides, A/C revamp,

> etc, etc, etc.

> The car looks terrific-anthracite grey with lower panels matching the body

> with black interior and has BBS spokes that are painted to match the body

> color-the car really turns heads!

> I did the tranny with boosting so the car now runs like an attempted rape

> victim, but I think I'm now going down that slippery slope. The interior

> needs to be redone, cracked dash and front seats, the presenters don't work

> and despite Jonathans terrific assistance with my mechanic-the A/C won't get

> cold anymore. Now I get tepid air, not cold, despite new controller,

> compressor, and monovalve. I think we did all of the vacuum modules the last

> time-new fan motor and that part under the passenger side that looks like a

> large dog brush that mounts to the side wall under the dash.

> Don't get me wrong, I love this car, but for this much I could have bought

> one of Jonathans super specials with a 6.0 stuffed in it! 

> Now I have a little rattle only at idle in the front of the engine-water

> pump? I changed to the synthetic Mobil One and I may have over filled

> because oil is now spraying out from under the air cleaner/injection. I may

> be writing this as a means of catharsis, but would like to hear from those

> with more experience with this model-I don't see anyone here with this much

> aggravation. Should I repair, replace it and use this as parts, kill myself

> or go into therapy???

>

> ------------------------------------

> American Community Development

> John D. Folger

> johnfolger at earthlink.net

> St. Petersburg, FL 33701

> fax: (763)-431-1680

> mobile: (727)-735-7777

> americancommunitydevelopment.com

>   

>