[W126 Coupe] MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 77, Issue 20

[calvin young]

>

Hi Kirk,

not sure I understand the reference to Ethanol either.  I may have assumed 
(makes an ass out of you and me) that the ethanol SHOULD not be used in 
higher octane gasoline as the higher octane comes up higher up in the 
cracking process of oil refining and I just assumed that ethanol could not 
produce the higher ratings.  Will have to get back to you on the MON/RON 
numbers, also on the Ethanol amount.  I believe it is 10%.

No, this was not a consideration in the engine rebuild.  I knew that I had 
enough kick from the higher ratio rear end to give enough power in this 
area.  I also had an AMG engined car in the 86 SEC I have.  If I ever had a 
need for speed, I just changed cars.  This latter vehicle is the one I 
always used on the road trips anyway.

I wish I had discussed the issue more thoroughly with Noel.  It was just not 
that serious a consideration, and he suggested it as a way to save a few 
bucks.  Since my daughter is now using the car, those few bucks mean a lot 
to her.


>

> Cal,

>

> I'm not sure I understand the reference to Ethanol in in connection with 

> higher octane gasoline. Granted, Ethanol has become the de facto choice 

> for both oxygenate and octane improver at most refiners, partly due to 

> cost (farmer subsides, tax re-allocation at it's finest) and party due to 

> the decline in MTBF use since the discovery of certain 

> unpleasant/unanticipated side effects with groundwater leaching from 

> underground tanks and supposedly hose and tank permeation which EPA has 

> been very interested in of late.

>

> If Ethanol is properly distilled and anhydrous, it shouldn't matter what 

> the source is from the standpoint of the end product. Energy inputs and 

> overall caloric efficiency to "refine" (ferment, distill and separate 

> water from) are another mater (sugar cane is hard to beat, it's the sugars 

> that are converted after all).

>

> Out of curiosity, what is your pump gas MON/RON over there and just how 

> much Ethanol is in the Winter and Summer blends in VA? Was this really a 

> consideration during your engine rebuild?

>

> -K

>

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

> Kirk R. Erichsen

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

>

>

>

>> From: calvinyoung at cox.net

>> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

>> Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:48:14 -0500

>> Subject: [W126 Coupe] New Engine

>>

>> Yes Kirk, he did lower the compression ratio.  I did ask not ask how, but

>> probably by changing out the pistons.  The car has more than enough power

>> for the northern Virginia area with all the horrendous traffic as I 

>> changed

>> out the rear end on advice from Satish.  Really cannot get much past 80

>> without getting yourself into trouble.

>>

>> Dan, regarding the difficulty of getting good high octane fuel, I did not

>> discuss this with him as I was satisfied already with the acceleration I 

>> was

>> getting with the higher ratio rear.  He may have been referring to the 

>> "corn

>> starch" they are using.  The fuel they produce from sugar cane in Brazil 

>> s

>> much better than the ethanol we are forced to use here in the US.

>>

>> Cal

>>

>> Message: 3

>> Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 17:23:26 -0800

>> From: kirk erichsen <krerichsen at hotmail.com>

>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] New Engine

>> To: <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>, <dan at landiss.com>

>> Message-ID: <SNT126-W393C2A75C05B29FC380687DB310 at phx.gbl>

>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>>

>>

>> I would suspect it's use of commonly available US/Japan/Oz spec camshafts

>> (less aggressive) and lower compression pistons. 8.0:1 up to about 8:8:1 

>> are

>> your C/Rs outside of the lands of the Autobahn. You can further retard

>> ignition with those switchable EZLs, the combo of the two (if you can get

>> one) would given fairly wide latitude on acceptable fuel octane ratings

>> without pinging. Not sure which route the chap referenced took, but I'll 

>> bet

>> limited to cams/piston selection.

>>

>> -K

>>

>>

>>

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

>> Kirk R. Erichsen

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

>>

>>

>>

>> The MB Coupes Website!

>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

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> Message: 3

> Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:38:36 +0200

> From: Vance Rowley <vance_rowley at hotmail.com>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Self-leveling suspension

> To: <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID: <BAY133-W1989126DB6D802D5082D2FF5320 at phx.gbl>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-7"

>

>

> I can't offer exactly what procedure to rectify this problem, but I would 

> imagine at some point through the procedure, you will need to release the 

> high pressure lines on the system. Just one tip from my own experience is, 

> if you do release the high pressure line, make sure you release it SLOWLY. 

> I had this done on my 560 by my local MB mechanic while he was preparing 

> for a cylinder head reconditioning job. This resulted in the Nitrogen 

> filled spheres bursting and making the ride as hard as a rock. Luckily, 

> after info from members of this site, and several discussions with the 

> mechanic about the tips I had received from mbcoupes, he agreed that this 

> is indeed the result of him releasing the high pressure line too fast and 

> I finished up with brand new ones fitted for zero cost.

> Good luck with your repair job.

> Vance

> 1991 560 SEC Euro

>

>

> From: eelploot at hotmail.com

> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

> Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:00:51 +0000

> Subject: [W126 Coupe] Self-leveling suspension

>

>

>

>

> I have a W124 1990 300TE (station wagon) with the self-leveling rear 

> suspension. This is essentially the same system on the 123 300TD s/w and 

> some models of 126 SEL, & SEC. The pressure hose from the pump has 

> developed a leak and need replacing.

> Has anyone had experience with this self-leveling suspension system who 

> can detail the procedure?

>

> -Bellamy

>

>

>

> The MB Coupes Website! W126 SEC Mailing List Postings remain property of 

> MB Coupes, L.L.C.

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> Message: 4

> Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:27:54 +0000

> From: Mister McGoo <eelploot at hotmail.com>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Self-leveling suspension

> To: MB COUPES <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

> Message-ID: <SNT123-W121623F18837AC9B05C50ECB320 at phx.gbl>

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>

>

> Markus, Vance...

>

> Thanks for the replies. My concerns were dealing with the pressure line? 

> is it constantly under a "resident" pressure that needed release, does 

> lifting the rear wheels to relieve the weight pressure help (or hinder, or 

> neither). I was assuming that at rest (no change to rear loading) the 

> level valve shuts the lines to the shocks/rams and the lines to the shocks 

> becomes static, and while the engine (and pump) is "off" no further 

> pressure is introduced to the line other than the static resident 

> pressure. However, I have no data explaining how the system works. The 

> other question I have is after installing a new pressure line, how do you 

> bleed off the air in the hose (as you would in a hydraulic cylinder 

> installation), or is that necessary?

> -Bellamy

>

>

>

>

> Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 05:33:45 -0500

> From: markusfmeyer at gmail.com

> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Self-leveling suspension

>

>

> I've had both lead and had to replace them on one of my cars.  For the 

> pump, you want to drain as much fluid from the reservoir as you can or the 

> line will leak out all over.  Then its just 4 allen screws that you take 

> out, the in and out hydraulic lines, and replace.  There is a "key" type 

> chuck on the inside that you want to make sure you don't lose.  The high 

> pressure line off that pump snakes behind and under the alternator and 

> down below. Its a PITA to replace, but doable.  I practiced on my spare 

> engine first to get the hang of what angle to do it at.  I also think I 

> removed the alternator to make it a little easier so I could route it 

> under the air pump.

>

> Markus

>

>

> On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 11:12 PM, Michael Ramay <mike.ramay at gmail.com> 

> wrote:

>

> Most of the time, it's the pump that is leaking. A W126 hydraulic pump has 

> three large o-rings that get old and hard, then leak.

>

> Mike

>

>

>

>

>

> On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Mister McGoo <eelploot at hotmail.com> wrote:

>

>

> I have a W124 1990 300TE (station wagon) with the self-leveling rear 

> suspension. This is essentially the same system on the 123 300TD s/w and 

> some models of 126 SEL, & SEC. The pressure hose from the pump has 

> developed a leak and need replacing.

> Has anyone had experience with this self-leveling suspension system who 

> can detail the procedure?

>

> -Bellamy

>

>

> The MB Coupes Website!

> W126 SEC Mailing List

> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

>

> The MB Coupes Website! W126 SEC Mailing List Postings remain property of 

> MB Coupes, L.L.C.

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> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>

> End of MBCOUPES Digest, Vol 77, Issue 20

> ****************************************

>