Mercedes 190E, A few questions...

[Lewi Davison]

Hello everyone, I have a few questions about my 1988 Mercedes 190e 2.0 Auto.

1) How easy are the shock absorbers to remove/refit? It has lowering springs on, if it makes it any easier.

2) The 'knob' for the heater, to control the blower seems to have slipped off the mechanism, it's stuck at the 'top end' of the speed scale, but isn't blowing any air out.

3) My ignition barrel has decided to knack up, and I can't get a turn on the key, how easy are the barrels to replace? From what I understand, the dash needs to come out, but can anyone shed some more light on this please?

4) My viscous fan isn't working, how easy are these to change? I was planning on putting an electric fan on, but I want to keep it as it is.

Thanks in advance.

[Battles]

Dec 12, 2015 19:35:19 GMT Lewi Davison said:

Hello everyone, I have a few questions about my 1988 Mercedes 190e 2.0 Auto.

1) How easy are the shock absorbers to remove/refit? It has lowering springs on, if it makes it any easier.

If you want to take the springs out first you'll probably need the internal disc type spring compressors, I've had difficult, scary moments with W124 springs using the outside type spring compressors. I'm told there's a way to the shocks without removing the spring but I can't see how.

Dec 12, 2015 19:35:19 GMT Lewi Davison said:

3) My ignition barrel has decided to knack up, and I can't get a turn on the key, how easy are the barrels to replace? From what I understand, the dash needs to come out, but can anyone shed some more light on this please?

You can remove the ignition barrel completely quite easily IF and only if you can get the key to turn so try every trick in the book to get the key turned. It's quite difficult if you can't get the key turned, lots of drilling and hacking away.

This is a decent write up of the procedure:
www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mercedes-190E/48-BODY-Replacing_Your_Ignition_Switch_and_Lock/48-BODY-Replacing_Your_Ignition_Switch_and_Lock.htm

[carat 3.6]

Dec 12, 2015 19:35:19 GMT Lewi Davison said:

Hello everyone, I have a few questions about my 1988 Mercedes 190e 2.0 Auto.

1) How easy are the shock absorbers to remove/refit? It has lowering springs on, if it makes it any easier.

2) The 'knob' for the heater, to control the blower seems to have slipped off the mechanism, it's stuck at the 'top end' of the speed scale, but isn't blowing any air out.

3) My ignition barrel has decided to knack up, and I can't get a turn on the key, how easy are the barrels to replace? From what I understand, the dash needs to come out, but can anyone shed some more light on this please?

4) My viscous fan isn't working, how easy are these to change? I was planning on putting an electric fan on, but I want to keep it as it is.

Thanks in advance.

Shock's can be changed without removing the springs. Front's: Put an axle stand under the wishbone just inside of the ball joint, and lower the car on to it just enough to compress the spring a few inch's or so. Then change the shocks. The spring is held in place by the weight of the car, as long as you don't allow the spring to expand it is safe.

Rear: support the car on axle stands, and put a trolley jack under the lower arm at the inner end (remove the dust shield first). Undo and remove the bolt at the inner end, then just lower the jack gently and you can change the spring.

The heater control fault will be self explanatory when removed.

To remove the ignition barrel turn it to position 1 (it will turn eventfully), and push some thick wire into the 2 holes on the face as far as you can. Then pull it out by the key.

The viscous coupling has 3 10mm, or 3 hex headed bolts holding the fan to it. Then a large hex bolt to remove the viscous itself. 15 mins max.

[Lewi Davison]

Thanks alot for the help, however I can't get the key to turn in the barrel at all, it's completely stuck. I've tried 3 different keys, with no luck

[carat 3.6]

rocking the steering and wobbling the key around together normally does it, it takes a while but it will turn eventually.

[Lewi Davison]

spent a good few hours doing that mate, still stuck unfortunately I'm aware it only needs to turn one click, it just won't

[carat 3.6]

In that case the only thing to do is drill the barrel, and remove it's guts.