[R129 SL] Soft Top and Roll Bar Indicator Lights On - SoftTopControl Unit

[GLENN PERLAKOWSKI]

Corosion and oxidation are the enemy regardless of mileage/condition of car.
I've have issues with the hard/soft top switch which I think are now 
resolved.

Glen
1992 500SL  92K miles






----- Original Message ----- 
From: "seitle" <seitle at whidbey.com>
To: "Peter S" <joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz>; "SL Mailing List" 
<r129list at mbcoupes.com>; "Deneal S" <deneals at sbcglobal.net>; 
<jimc at windwireless.net>; <mercedes at mercedesmailinglist.com>; 
<simssj at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 5:48 PM
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Soft Top and Roll Bar Indicator Lights On - 
SoftTopControl Unit



>I second Peter! Often just connector corrosion and poor solder connections 

>are the problem. Dealers and many mechanics will just throw part at the 

>problem. I get lazy and sometimes use bad judgment myself. The other day I 

>replaced the auxiliary water pump that provides heat during idle. The 

>lowest price was just under US$200.  After I replaced the pump, I took the 

>removed unit to the bench and took it apart. The pump impeller is driven by 

>a magnetic coupling from the motor. The motor did not seem to be openable 

>without destruction. It did however roll off the bench and drop to the 

>floor. I reconnected it to a 12 Volt source and it ran and never stopped in 

>24 hours of test. I now have a spare I will never need again.

>

> Spring is finally coming to the Pacific Northwest! But I think NZ would be 

> the ideal place to go between January and March! I want to consider this 

> next year.

>

> Rolf Seitle

> 300E, 320SL

>

> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: "Peter S" <joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz>

> To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>; "Deneal S" 

> <deneals at sbcglobal.net>; "Rolfe" <seitle at whidbey.com>; 

> <jimc at windwireless.net>; <mercedes at mercedesmailinglist.com>; 

> <simssj at gmail.com>

> Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 3:02 PM

> Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Soft Top and Roll Bar Indicator Lights On - Soft 

> TopControl Unit

>

>

>> Hi Jody,

>>

>> With electrical and electronic failures, the mileage has very little to 

>> do

>> with the failures!  In fact in the older circuit configurations of the

>> electronic 'goodies', corrosion/corrosion oxidisation, and capacitors

>> 'drying out' are the main causes of failures.

>>

>> I actually pull apart the electronics and try to fix them.  Many of the

>> older parts have discreet components (transistors, resistors, some mini

>> chips etc) so I have fixed most of the parts myself (unless the vehicle 

>> is

>> under a limited warranty).   At the moment, I am repairing a 'flasher 

>> unit'

>> for my 1983, W123 .  While I have some spare parts for most of my Merc's, 

>> I

>> like to find out the reason for failures, hence the inquisitiveness. 

>> The

>> Flasher unit has a dud transistor and a dud capacitor - just have to 

>> replace

>> them and the parts cost me about 20 cents 15 years ago. A replacement

>> flasher is about NZ$300.

>>

>> If you have a circuit board out at all (or the auto electrician has it

>> out!), spray the circuit board with CRC Zone 240.  This is good stuff and

>> limits corrosion.  Note also that corrosion also occurs on plugs and

>> sockets, so these also need to be maintained. True also for your fuse

>> connections.

>>

>> I have repaired 2 x central lock controllers - reasons for failure - 'dry

>> joints' (poor soldering by the manufacturer). Cars had travelled less 

>> than

>> 35,000 miles!!!!  MB contract out all this stuff and Bosch do a fair bit 

>> of

>> manufacturing for MB.

>>

>> Note also that window switches fail as well.  There are only about 7 

>> parts

>> in each these switches, I have accumulated a lot of old ones, so I fix 

>> these

>> for people if I have the exact bits - and if they are club members!  Easy 

>> to

>> repair and saves a heap of $$.

>>

>> So Jody, sometimes mileage has little to do with electrical and 

>> electronic

>> failures as atmosphere takes it's never ending toll on metallic parts.

>>

>> Well, getting colder in good old New Zealand as we are now in Autumn.  21

>> degrees C, 2 days ago and now it is 8 degrees C.  Nearly time to put on a

>> jersey!!!  Easter Thursday here, so a full weekend is planned with Easter

>> Services and car/ motorcycle events.

>>

>> Have a good one wherever you are in the world.

>>

>> Regards, Peter S.

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> ----- Original Message ----- 

>> From: "Jody Techlin" <starfishsailor at mail.com>

>> To: "Deneal S" <deneals at sbcglobal.net>; "Rolfe" <seitle at whidbey.com>; "SL

>> LIST" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>; <jimc at windwireless.net>;

>> <mercedes at mercedesmailinglist.com>; <simssj at gmail.com>

>> Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 9:23 AM

>> Subject: [R129 SL] Soft Top and Roll Bar Indicator Lights On - Soft

>> TopControl Unit

>>

>>

>>> Hello All,

>>> The mechanic called this afternoon with the reason why my 1996 SL320's

>>> roll bar light and soft top activation button light are lighted.  In my

>>> case itr is the soft top control unit which has failed.  This just so

>>> happend to coincide with when I had the car detailed but the detailer 

>>> had

>>> nothing to do with the units failure.  The trusted shop I use shopped 

>>> for

>>> the part, if we purchase the replacement part from the MB dealer network

>>> it is $2100; if purchasing a remanufactured unit with the same 1 year

>>> unlimited mileage warrenty the price is $925 so needless to say we are

>>> using the remanufactured unit.  I am surprised the original unit failed

>>> with so few miles on the car but age is age I guess. I would like to 

>>> thank

>>> the many people (Daneal, Jim, Rolfe, SJS and others) for their 

>>> assistance

>>> and advice. I was hoping the problem would be much less costly but I 

>>> guess

>>> that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Thanks again one and all.

>>> Best regards,

>>> Jody

>>> 1996 SL320, 29k

>>> Punta Gorda, FL

>>>

>>>

>>> -- 

>>> Be Yourself @ mail.com!

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>>>

>>> The MB Coupes Website!

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>>

>

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