Well I had acquired a pair of 84 190e's this week and this Sunday I got them both running and driving once again.The people I had purchased them from were quite clear in there claims that they could not fix the problems with them and felt they were junk that would never see the road again. Wrong! The first one, a 1984 190e (Teal) with the 2.3 and a 5 speed had issues such as a dead battery, many parts removed and a blown head gasket. I was able to get this beast running and allow for its movement under its own power. Despite the head gasket leak I took it out for a short run thru all the gears and what a blast. I may or may not pop the head off to see it maybe just the gasket has puked or if it’s worse but it starts and runs no problems and is no longer dead. Very sick, but no longer dead. The second one, another 1984 190e (Silver) with an automatic had a bad battery, ignition lock switch was broken, had a serious fuel leak from the rear hose and to add to the problems I broke the oil pressure line and speedo by trying to remove the instruments without disconnecting them on the engine. This proved to make quite a nice oil leak as well. All was not lost. I capped the oil supply port, cut the end off the hose and re-attached it further down the line, pulled the ignition switch and got it working. After that was all done I got her to fire. Purred like a kitten! Not a nock, tap or peep. I let it sit running for about 15 minutes and kept an eye on the fuel hose repair and oil plug. Everything looked to be holding. Tested the brake lights and all was good so I took her out for a run in. The brakes sounded crazy bad at first from all the rust but soon went away after a couple of 60MPH brake test. The transmission shifted very nice with the kick down being more than I would have expected from a 2.3All in all the silver one was and still is the nicest. Idles good, drives good and I think I have just found me a beater/runner for them questionable journeys and salty snow days. Amazing that out of all of the Mercedes that I have owned only two of them have ever not ran, and one of them two I fixed and drive every day. What a fun day, not too hot and not too cold. Time for dinner.
-- Edited by SELLC at 19:07, 2007-03-11
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
