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Welcome to the Mercedes 190 forum

Welcome to the Mercedes 190 owners forum, the place to be for all owners and lovers of the Mercedes 190E, 190 and 190D cars. Including Cosworth (2.3 16v and 2.5 16v), EVO 1 and EVO 2 models. Modified and concourse, track cars and daily drivers, all are welcome.

This free UK based club was started back in November 2005 to serve the w201 community and now has over 4000 members from all around the world and 340,000 + posts.

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Hello all
Topic Started: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:20 pm (255 Views)
feoffle	Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:20 pm Post #1
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	Hello all. Complete n00b when it comes to the 190E, however I am a veteran of many other car forums. Essentially, I have inherited a 1990 190E Auto that was owned by a family member who now has no use for it. It's going to be my new daily driver, whilst my Integra Type-R sits in the garage to be used on sunny days and at the track. It hasn't arrived with me yet, needs to be trailered from London to Cambridge so it can be MOTd and put on the road. Couple of questions though, how can I tell the difference between the 4-cylinder models? I've tried searching and having a look but couldn't really find anything. Obviously it'd be dead easy to spot the difference between a 4- and 6-cylinder, but I don't know if it's a 1.8 or 2.0, and the last time I saw it I don't remember seeing it badged. Can't rely on the ex-owner either as he doesn't really care. Also, the previous owner thinks the head gasket might be gone. This is totally unconfirmed, is it a known issue on potentially un-cared-for models, or is it generally unheard of? Many thanks.



stwat	Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:24 pm Post #2
Moderator Posts: 12,376 Group: Moderator Member #28 Joined: November 11, 2005	Hello and welcome You can use the VIN checker which is pinned in the tech pages to get all the info you need about the car. Il post a link to it for you in a short while. It tells you exactly what the car left the factory with, engine size spec, extras etc etc. It should also be on the V5. Here you go LINK Edited by stwat, Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:27 pm.



rhysmangatmotorsport	Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:47 pm Post #3
Mangatmotorsport Posts: 1,768 Group: Members Member #2,941 Joined: July 9, 2008	hello & welcome..



jeremy	Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:48 am Post #4
Member Posts: 6,562 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	Hi & welcome , post piccies as soon as you can . Jeremy



alan	Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:54 am Post #5
this looks like fun Posts: 3,989 Group: Members Member #2,052 Joined: December 21, 2007	welcome to the site an interesting way to become a 190 owner having no idea of any info on the car but thats what we are here for just ask and if we cant sort you out just give up lol



feoffle	Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:40 am Post #6
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	stwat Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:24 pm Hello and welcome You can use the VIN checker which is pinned in the tech pages to get all the info you need about the car. Il post a link to it for you in a short while. It tells you exactly what the car left the factory with, engine size spec, extras etc etc. It should also be on the V5. Here you go LINK Aaah, much obliged. Thank you for the link. I'll have to fire the VIN in there when it arrives. Thank you all also for the welcome. It is an odd way of getting into 190 ownership, but it should be a nice, relaxed daily to ride around in. I've no idea what condition it's in anymore, so might end up having to do a bit of work to get it shiney again and maybe a hint of it's former glory. I'll get pictures up as soon as I can. Incidentally, is there a resource anywhere, that has the original brochures for the 190E, circa ~1990 in PDF format perhaps?



jeremy	Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:45 am Post #7
Member Posts: 6,562 Group: Members Member #2,018 Joined: December 9, 2007	It's not so strange to inherit Mercedes cars , there are a few members on here that came by their cars that way . It has been said that some would kill to get their hands on one ............................... Jeremy



twopointsix	Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:57 am Post #8
Member Posts: 517 Group: Members Member #1,732 Joined: September 26, 2007	Welcome to the forum. The easiest way to get hold of an original sales brochure is to regularly check ebay, where they do come up fairly frequently. I've picked up two for about a fiver each including postage. Much nicer to have the real thing and I don't think they're available in PDF format. Cylinder head gasket failure is a fairly common fault on cars with over 100k miles but isn't considered a major problem and is not a difficult problem to fix. These cars soldier on for hundreds of thousands of miles with simple and routine maintenance. A bit of time and patience and you will have a car that will last for many years to come. Good luck!



feoffle	Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:58 am Post #9
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	I'll have to wait until I get home then before scouring The Bay, work decided that it would be a good idea to stop it's employees wasting their time and to concentrate on their work. At first I was a little apprehensive when told about it, as the previous owner doesn't really care much about cars, considering them as a simple tool. Actually looking forward to it now though, will do my best to get it straightened out. Always like the 190, just never had reason enough to ever actually buy one. Maybe one day I'll trade up to a Cosworth, would be an excellent daily. Just have to wait now until it arrives and then the fun can begin! Might start a thread when that happens documenting getting it back to health and vitality.



Rich27	Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:51 am Post #10
If it has tits or an engine it will be trouble Posts: 13,252 Group: Members Member #348 Joined: June 15, 2006	feoffle Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:58 am I'll have to wait until I get home then before scouring The Bay, work decided that it would be a good idea to stop it's employees wasting their time and to concentrate on their work. And now you have found this place Welcome, enjoy the site



Bart707	Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:56 am Post #11
Member Posts: 4,378 Group: Members Member #2,244 Joined: February 7, 2008	Hello and welcome to the club!



feoffle	Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:49 am Post #12
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	Looks like it's getting delivered on Wednesday, so I'll be able to report back with pictures and spec then



povey	Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:18 pm Post #13
Member Posts: 195 Group: Members Member #4,047 Joined: April 11, 2009	welcome to the forum mate,



surreyboy	Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:38 pm Post #14
Member Posts: 333 Group: Members Member #4,228 Joined: June 3, 2009	Hi and welcome to this great forum, you will find all your questions answered here i know i have



feoffle	Wed Jul 1, 2009 3:33 pm Post #15
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	Well, it's been delivered today. 190E 1.8 in Bornite. It's had a hard life..... This is what greeted me when I first of all walked up to the car sat on the drive: A rubber elephants head glued where the star should be. When the water reservoir is filled up, this happens: A little fountain appears from this plug on the right side of the block under the inlet manifold? Is it easy to fix/repair? What is it? The guy who used it before he died was an utter skank: SOME of the insert swear word here found in the car: Excellent driver: And on that note, my dad and I are worried that he's fucked the rear suspension up somehow. Essentially the rear tyre is wearing REALLY unevenly. It's down to the braid on the OUTSIDE, but the inside still has 3mm left on it. Is it likely he's whacked a kerb or something? It doesn't look bad as far as I'm concerned, but my dad won't shutup about it. Quality paintwork: Looks like I've got a lot of work cut out for me. Gonna go and take the rear wheel off now and see if anything is obviously bent. Any help and advice would be appreciated.



feoffle	Wed Jul 1, 2009 3:57 pm Post #16
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	Model 190 E 1.8 AUSTRALIA Chassis 2010182F765934 Engine 102910 22 002402 Transmission 722420 02 958294 Order 0 0 537 91674 Lights BOSCH Wiper BOSCH Cab 01202 Delivery date 08.08.90 Dealer Great Britain (537) Interior cloth cream beige (065) Paint 481 bornite (blackberry) metallic (� 01.01.1990 �� 31.12.1996) Options 286 luggage nets on front seat backrests (� 01.01.1962) 341 additional lamp (� 01.09.1982) 362 400 folding armrest in the rear (� 01.09.1981) 412 electric sliding roof with tilting device (� 01.07.1983) 420 automatic transmission, floor shift (� 01.01.1963) 430 headrests in the rear (� 01.01.1977) 451 revolution counter (� 01.12.1972 �� 31.10.1993) tachometer 467 central locking system and instruments with english lettering (� 01.04.1970 �� 31.10.1993) 508 outside rear view mirror, left, heated and outside rear view mirror, right, electrically adjustable and heated (l.h.d.) outside rear view mirror, left and right, heated (� 01.01.1990 �� 31.10.1993) 524 paintcoat preservation (� 01.01.1964) 570 folding armrest front w202/210 stowage box front with armrest (� 01.04.1970) front folding armrest w202 - housing at front with armrest 593 heat-insulating glass, all-around, heated rear window pane (single-sheet safety glass), band filter green heat-insulating glass all round, heated rear window, single pane safety glass - tinted strip (� 01.01.1972) 613 lamp unit, asymmetrical, l.h. traffic (� 01.02.1963) 876 rear door contaCTS and lamp above rear window (� 01.07.1964 �� 31.10.1993)



stwat	Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:09 pm Post #17
Moderator Posts: 12,376 Group: Moderator Member #28 Joined: November 11, 2005	Blimey I hope you didn't pay much money for it!!! That water leak/fountain is coming from the block drain plug. It may be just loose, or more worryingly it may have rusted away due to having no anti freeze in the engine for many years. It doesn't bode well for the state of the inside of the block and head!!



aemt	Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:11 pm Post #18
Member Posts: 2,899 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	Colour of your expansion tank does not look good either



feoffle	Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:20 pm Post #19
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	stwat Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:09 pm Blimey I hope you didn't pay much money for it!!! That water leak/fountain is coming from the block drain plug. It may be just loose, or more worryingly it may have rusted away due to having no anti freeze in the engine for many years. It doesn't bode well for the state of the inside of the block and head!! The car was free. Gonna start ripping things apart under the bonnet and get to that plug, at the weekend. We'll go from there. I took the rear wheel off and everything looked to be straight and in reasonable condition. Think it may have been on the front and just fucked up from taking roundabouts too hard. If it has all rusted up inside, is it ruined?



NEIL	Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:28 pm Post #20
Fewer Posts than Kenny Posts: 16,149 Group: Members Member #63 Joined: November 18, 2005	Congrats on getting a free w201 feoffle, but... Holy crap, that's the worst-condition 'low miler' I've ever seen A good service, and perhaps an engine flush, are in order! Good luck, I hope you enjoy rescuing it



merc190uk	Wed Jul 1, 2009 5:13 pm Post #21
Steve Posts: 7,501 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 1, 2005	welcome its free so the condition is not too much an issue check for rust underneath before spending too much time on it all four jacking points under the car (not the ones in the sill) inner wings under the water bottle etc and right at the top off the suspension mounts under the rubber that the wires run through bottom of the rear screen in the corners and under the seal if all good there and the engine turns out to be a lemon not the end of the world as they are two a penny



Richy190E	Wed Jul 1, 2009 5:25 pm Post #22
Sales Rep Posts: 1,822 Group: Members Member #1,387 Joined: June 9, 2007	Yep welcome aboard. HG is a relatively easy DIY-in-a -weekend job anyway with the right tools and if the car was a freebie then there is your justification that looks like a dial gauge amongst that pile of junk, keep that as you need one to set the front wheel bearings up in the future. As for the rear suspension if they get reversed into kerbs the rods can bend and give tracking issues. All the rest is easy peasy and as mentioned above, buy a known good cheap donkey off the forum, rebuild the top end and swap the whole lot over in a day.



algord83	Wed Jul 1, 2009 5:34 pm Post #23
Taller than shorter people Posts: 2,045 Group: Members Member #1,981 Joined: November 30, 2007	Welcome mate. What a challenge you have there! We have seen a lot worse rise from the dead believe me. . And fixing 190's is good for the soul Alan



feoffle	Thu Jul 2, 2009 4:22 pm Post #24
Member Posts: 184 Group: Members Member #4,315 Joined: June 23, 2009	I'm gonna need to send out an appeal for some interior parts. I've had a go at cleaning the drivers seat, drivers footwell and the controls. Spent about 15mins of non-stop scrubbing with some vanish on the drivers seat, and it still needs more to bring it up anywhere near clean. Footwell, that is much better, but it's still tough fighting dirt and stains in a car that hasn't been cleaned inside for about 15 years Some of the parts required me using a plastic scourer to get the grime off, and consequently many of them have fine scratches now. Better than covered in grime, but annoying. Will probably replace much of the interior in the front. Drivers seat has a HUGE hole about where your right elbow sits. Will probably want to change out: Drivers seat centre console indicator stalk steering wheel



Weyrmaster	Fri Jul 3, 2009 3:43 pm Post #25
Errrrrrrr! Posts: 302 Group: Members Member #3,825 Joined: February 11, 2009	Welcome to the forum m8. Looks like you've got your work cut out there. Bringing these cars back to life is really satisfying and rewarding. Good luck. Paul



Snake	Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:24 pm Post #26
Old free and tattooed Posts: 6,537 Group: Members Member #5 Joined: November 2, 2005	By the time you have finished you won't want to part with it i'm betting



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