I have to thank the Government.....

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I have to thank the Government.....
Topic Started: Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:22 am (173 Views)
Tiggeywinkle	Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:22 am Post #1
Newbie Posts: 6 Group: Members Member #4,235 Joined: June 5, 2009	..... for bringing me to your site. So a big HELLO to all you lads and lasses at mercedes190 I've had my 190 1.8 auto (reg Aug 92) for five or six years now and recent introductions of the much voiced 'scrappage scheme' saw me trawling the net for a new car to buy using the 190 as my trade in. She unforunately suffers with the usual probs' - cold only heater, water in the boot and passenger footwell, plus other minor niggles, and thought why should I put up with this - I'll get a new car. Low and behold when push came to shove I couldn't do it, I loved her so much I couldn't just chuck her on the scrap heap so set about resolving the issues, and came across you guys here. I didn't realise how much 190's were treasured and, although mine can only be described as a 'nail' compared to some of the beauties you lot have, she's now destined for greater things and a much longer life, but where to start? She's a bog standard 190E 1.8 auto and the bodywork ain't too bad - one or two minor rust spots and I've been thinking of having a total re-spray. She has all original bits and pieces with nothing missing (apart from the push in cover in the front spoiler where the tow hook thingy is) inside is the usual cloth which is reasonably clean. No major surgery apart from a head gasket (Ł500 ish) about three years ago and only let me down once in the middle of the night when the alternator gave up the ghost - the 'man who knows' towed me home. So where to start? I'm reasonably handy with the old spanners etc and I'm going to have a crack at the heater and water leaks as a priority but, once that's done, what do you suggest I do? Should I start a new thread for ideas? Oh by the way, I've just retired so don't want to end up with a car in which I could be seen as a 'geriatric living the dream in a boy racers car' Should I try and keep her as original as possible or would you think I should spec her up somewhat - what do you guys think? Thanks Tiggey ps. I'll post a piccie or two when I get chance.



jeremy	Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:38 am Post #2
Member Posts: 6,561 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	Hi Tiggey, The problems you have are pretty minor, compared to some. 1. The cold-only heater is an easy fix. Try a caustic soda flush . On the back of the radiator at the bottom-drivers side, is a tap. Actually , even better, there is a "Walkthrough" in the relevant section. (The centre vents only ever blow cold air) 2. If you take out the spare wheel , and the side boot liners , you will see three drain holes , one under the spare wheel, and one in each of the side wells, clear these out with a thin screwdriver/biro/wire hanger. Then make sure your sunroof closes properly, for it is here that that the problem lies ,(the drainage channels corrode and leak into the boot) or it could be the boot lid seal. 3. As for your wet feet , it could be a blocked heater matrix, or blocked drain holes under the bonnet near the scuttle, Clear the leaves, dead cats or old copies of Popular Mechanics! If this doesn't do it , keep asking, and we will post you in other directions. Jeremy



aemt	Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:43 am Post #3
Member Posts: 2,899 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	Welcome to the forum. sounds like a few minor niggles which are easily fixable. If you cannt find the answer, ask. Oh and piccies please.



NEIL	Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:46 am Post #4
Fewer Posts than Kenny Posts: 16,148 Group: Members Member #63 Joined: November 18, 2005	Welcome Tiggeywinkle, really glad to hear you're saving another 190. Good luck with the repairs



Rich27	Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:46 am Post #5
If it has tits or an engine it will be trouble Posts: 13,244 Group: Members Member #348 Joined: June 15, 2006	jeremy Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:38 am 3. or blocked drain holes under the bonnet near the scuttle, Clear the leaves, dead cats or old copies of Popular Mechanics! Welcome to the site. I regulary have to clear out the muck from the drain channels, its a quick and easy job, just dont chew your biro aftewards.



Tiggeywinkle	Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:48 am Post #6
Newbie Posts: 6 Group: Members Member #4,235 Joined: June 5, 2009	Thanks very much for the welcome..... Made a start with the heater today and couldn't quite figure what is happening. Had some Rad Flush in for a couple of days and decided to drain, back flush and refill which all went okay and flushed out plenty of brown muck. Refilled and got her up to normal temp, tried heater blower and as expected it was cold, however, on feeling the two pipes that feed/drain the matrix both were cold as well so it appears may be a circulation prob. 1st Q. Which pipe is which? Looking into the engine bay from the front of the car, I have (A) one on the left connected to the water pump and via a rubber hose to a metal pipe going through the bulkhead and another (B) on the right side - a rubber hose coming through the bulkhead connecting to the back right corner of the engine block. Is (A) the feed or return? and what 'coolant' do you guys use? I've only ever used plain old water plus anti freeze in the winter and, as I've learned already, this maybe causing the brown muck. Symptom. Checking to see if I had any flow through the heater matrix, I disconnected the hose (B) at the engine block, there is no flow either way (heater set to hot) from the block or out of the disconnected hose through the matrix. If I remove the expansion tank pressure cap then water gushes out of the engine block, put the cap back on and it stops. Is this normal or is my pump knackered? Q2. Seen reference in the forum to a rubber plug/bung on the left inside edge of the boot lid to drain water as sometimes I get a boot lid full of water. Open the boot and thank you very much I get a nice wet and cold shower. I only have two bungs, one on each side, which I assume to be some form of vibration dampers (They have a square hole in the centre similar to a carriage key lock) Is it one of these I should be removing? Q3. What or where is a 'Scuttle'? the only one I've heard of was the infamous 'Fred' Could it be the channel between the windscreen and the rear edge of the bonnet where the wiper gubbins are? Oh yes, nearly forgot. Many of you refer to the centre vents always blowing cold. May sound stupid but are we talking centre vents on the floor or centre vents on the dash? Sorry so many questions but I'm determined to crack this. Tiggey ps I haven't forgotten the 'Before' photos. Edited by Tiggeywinkle, Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:50 am.



moomycossie	Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:52 am Post #7
2.3-16v engine now in Posts: 3,065 Group: Members Member #2,263 Joined: February 12, 2008	welcome



Mike wantza Merc	Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:58 am Post #8
Autophile. Posts: 1,010 Group: Members Member #3,753 Joined: January 23, 2009	Welcome to the Club, you'll love it here. It's as if all your family suddenly became 190 experts. There is very little that one or the other of us can't help you with. I can speak from personal experience. What we (collectively) don't know, possibly ain't worth knowing!! Good luck with the TLC programme!!



Martrider	Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:05 am Post #9
Longest build time in history? Posts: 1,531 Group: Members Member #2 Joined: November 2, 2005	Just as i am reading this , there is rather ironically a Chevrolet advert banner at just above the "add quick reply" box that says "With the new scrappage scheme, a brand ne Chevrolet Matiz can be yours for under Ł4,300!" Why on earth anybody would want to spend even that on a car which is not a 190 (It will cost you less than that over 20 years of motoring if it's well maintained!) i really have no idea. Good choice, Tiggy, lovely to have you on board ad as mentioned above, clear out the drain holes, the centr vents are for cold air only anyway, if there is water or steam ingress into the cabin from the passenger side it is more likely to be the heater matrix and a bottle of rad-weld should do the trick. Put it in, heater on full heat and full blow for 20 mins and that should cure the problemo. Talk to you soon.



skutter	Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:05 am Post #10
I am NOT a brummy!!! Posts: 1,415 Group: Members Member #1,627 Joined: August 18, 2007	Hey and welcome phil



MadMike	Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:44 am Post #11
Member Posts: 3,808 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: March 15, 2007	Tiggey, welcome to the site. If both your heater pipes are cold you might want to check that you duo valve ( heater control valve ) is working corectly. You will find it behind the firewall, on the side of the car by the fusebox. You will see the heater hose going to it. IIRC it has a thin red hose going to it, It has a round white plastic centre, which has a slot in it. If you get somebody to sit in the car and turn the hot / cold heater control you should be able to see it turn properly. These are worked by a vacum and are known to give problems. I had a cold heater.....took me a long time but eventually I got it fixed. It can take a while, you simply have to try one thing at a time. Mike.



jeremy	Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:46 am Post #12
Member Posts: 6,561 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	The centre vents in the dash are the cold ones.. You want to clear any leaves from anywhere under the bonnet, and yes the scuttle is above the front bulkhead. Jeremy Edited by jeremy, Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:48 am.



alan	Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:54 am Post #13
this looks like fun Posts: 3,984 Group: Members Member #2,052 Joined: December 21, 2007	welcome to the site glad to hear the government has been useful for something for a change lol and dont worry i never found the wee bung in the boot lid either i stuck an old rag in there and wring it out once in a while if you have rust under the parcel shelf it wont help with the water getting in the boot you might wana try changin the boot lock seal think its only a quid or so from mb and silicone any bolts for a spoiler



Tiggeywinkle	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:40 pm Post #14
Newbie Posts: 6 Group: Members Member #4,235 Joined: June 5, 2009	BINGO Mike..... Found it (mine has a little lever underneath) SWMBO sat in the car operating the hot/cold knobs and it didn't move. Pushed it up and down a couple of times and within seconds she's moaning about how hot she is - can't satisfy some people. Now it's freed off it appears to work as normal with the knobs on the dash, so I'll have to wait 'til it's cold and then try again. Thanks..... I've even found the bung in the boot lid. It's located right on the left corner of the lid (literally millimeters from the corner) and looks like a flat screw head. Mine was partly covered with sealing mastic which is why I didn't spot it first time round. Also found the petrol cover release, the dash dimming switch and, thank god, the bonnet raising to vertical system - fed up of banging my head, now it's easy peasy. You guys are absolutely brilliant - thanks for your help so far..... Hey, job's a gud un!! Now what's next. Tiggey



aemt	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:43 pm Post #15
Member Posts: 2,899 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	Another satisfied customer Edited by aemt, Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:44 pm.



MadMike	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:45 pm Post #16
Member Posts: 3,808 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: March 15, 2007	Pleased to be of help. Any other problems just post them up........there is usually somebody on here who has had it,done it,or got an opinion about it.......... Mike.



jeremy	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:46 pm Post #17
Member Posts: 6,561 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	aemt Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:43 pm Another satisfied customer And another convert........ This is easier than the moonies jeremy



jeremy	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:47 pm Post #18
Member Posts: 6,561 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	If this was the Mercedes-Benz-Club site youd've waited three weeks for all the above................................... Jeremy Edited by jeremy, Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:48 pm.



MadMike	Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:57 pm Post #19
Member Posts: 3,808 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: March 15, 2007	Here`s the big question....if I am so clever ...how did it take me over a year to fix my own heater...



Tiggeywinkle	Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:07 pm Post #20
Newbie Posts: 6 Group: Members Member #4,235 Joined: June 5, 2009	Don't knock it Mike at least you found it, I've been without the hot stuff ever since I had the head gasket done - three years ago now. Some piccies of my Panzer before I do anything to it. I haven't even washed it for three weeks... .....together with the odd spot of rust... Standing up reasonably well to say how old she is (1992 - makes her 17 on the 1st of August) and only 113,000 miles on the clock, so she's just about run in... Tiggey



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