[W126 Coupe] Maintenance question-Now Brake Fluid Dot #

[Josh Allen]

I want on the possibly excessive route and did as I was reading MB 
currently recommended for the car and used DOT 4, just for the slightly 
higher boiling point.  That being said, with a year or so of time on it, 
the moisture absorbed from ambient humidity lowers that boiling point a 
ways, so it's not too much overkill, near the point I'm getting ready to 
flush it again.

As to a 500 euro motor being fun, I can state from my own experience 
that it is. :)
This car was Californicated after import, and then the engine was seized 
up due to someone forgetting that oil is useful in engines.
A quick refresh and swap in of a 500SE engine, minus all the cali-crud 
that had been hacked onto the other engine, and I make good use of the 
brakes from time to time!

-Josh

Dick Spellman wrote:

> Hi Dean,

>

> Check with Jonathan <blueridgemb at gmail.com>on the brake parts and go 

> by his recommendation on the DOT 3 or 4.

>

> I'd love an unadulterated 500 euro motor.  Good find.

>

> Dick

>

> Dean Slone wrote:

>> Hi Dick,

>>  

>> Thanks for the come back ... the car is a 1981 Euro 500 SEC 

>> Federalized into California USA in 1984. 

>>  

>> When you said early cars were DOT 3 I went and got the part number 

>> off the reservoir.  Part No.: 3.3508 8073.1 ??????

>>  

>> Interesting that it has Mercedes markings on the reservoir body (with 

>> MIN and MAX markings) and the cap is printed in English and German:

>> "USE DOT 4 FROM ..." and the normal wipe of the cap statement but on 

>> the inner circle of the cap is

>> "NOT ORIGINAL BREMSUISSIGKEIT VERWENDENT" whatever that means?

>>  

>> The cap may be genuine and original. 

>> The car has a shipment date of  02.12.1981(dd.mm.yyyy) and is one of 

>> the first 500 built.  Many parts have weird numbers and or non 

>> existant numbers. 

>>  

>> I was just curious if I should be using DOT 3 or DOT 4.  I think they 

>> are interchangeable (unless the heat factor matters).  I recently got 

>> the car and will have to replace rotors and pads soon.

>>  

>> Dean

>>  

>