On the 'news' section i notice the headline about 5th Jan being breakdown day.
As my ageing car has been stood since Christmas Eve, i got my trusty battery charger out and gave the battery a good charge up yesterday.
I'll be starting up at about 4.30am Monday, so i don't want to hear the ominous sounds of slowly turning engine followed by the heart stopping sounds of clicking starter.
(i've also popped in to work and run up the truck engine for half an hour, not a hope that it would start otherwise)
As an aside i had to change the battery a few weeks ago, now i always buy good quality things if possible and the battery was no exception, but the new one i bought 14 or so months previously just died without warning.
That was a top German battery and i've had that make for years without the slightest problem, so was very surprised when it suddenly packed up.
GSF exchanged it for me without quibble and i only have good things to say about them, the chap there was quite surprised too.
All is good now, just a reminder to those like me who have been lazing around, get that battery charged up.
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My old banger hadn't been started for over a week a couple of weeks back, and it got very cold. Took about two seconds from turning the key to listen the sound of an engine firing on all four cylinders. As longs as the battery is good modern cars should start in instant.
My dads old Escort had not been started for a good year, charged the battery and the engine started on the dot.
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"That was a top German battery and i've had that make for years"
And there was I thinking you were a Patriot GB... and with Lucas being just up the road from you in Birmingham...tsk........;-)
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The Hyundai was a wee bit reluctant this morning, think a weekend trickle charge is in order.
Not half as reluctant as I was though, 2 days in bed with flu and then out in minus 6 today. :-(
Edited by Harleyman on 02/01/2009 at 20:44
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Tell me about it - trapped in the house since boxing day....
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Tell me about it - trapped in the house since boxing day....
Found the perfect cure today; six farms, ten tons of feed in 25 kg bags, and not a forklift between them.
Sweated it out a treat!
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Found the perfect cure today; six farms ten tons of feed in 25 kg bags and not a forklift between them.
Grief, you've just taken me back 30 odd years, 20 tons of salt handball off, and 20 ton loads of fertilizer onto elevators.
And i wonder why i'm stooped and generally fit for the scrap heap.
I feel for you HM, but it could have been worse, it could have been me..;)
And as for fitting non British batteries OR, i stand convicted before you and throw myself on the mercy of the court..;)
Have you tried to find a good British made battery around this way?
(i just hope no one knows of somewhere, but if they do and its 4 year warranty i really would like the info)
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the mercy of the court
Was the Battery charged - and if so what with Assault ??
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Was the Battery charged - and if so what with Assault ??
>>
groan, the old ones are still the best.;)
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My 480 has been standing on the driveway about 2 weeks since I pranged it against a brick wall :-(
I started her up yesterday just to check if my new phone charger works properly (which it did!) & started first time on the key.
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Respect to you Harleyman, I used to do that with sugar beet pulp nuts in your part of the country and the roads to farms are interesting:)
I never felt cold though when I was throwing those off!
Pat
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"I'll be starting up at about 4.30am Monday, so i don't want to hear the ominous sounds of slowly turning engine followed by the heart stopping sounds of clicking starter."
I know, why not try it today! That way you'll have notice of any problems. At least 2 weeks isn't long enough for the clutch to rust weld itself to the flywheel...
"Have you tried to find a good British made battery around this way?"
British made? Je ne comprend pas...
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I used to ride a lot with my father in his lorry driving days and I remember the joy with which the first farm elevators were greeted. Forklift trucks - no chance.
It was 18 (totally illegal) tons on and off a Leyland Octopus every day then and fertiliser was in one hundredweight (112lb, approx 50kg) sacks; slag was in 70lb sacks and some cattle feed was in half-hundredweight sacks if you were lucky. When loading grain straight from the hoppers at Avonmouth docks the hessian sacks - farmers had to hire them, repair them and hand them back in those days - were 2 hundredweights.
The old man isn't around any more...
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I know why not try it today! That way you'll have notice of any problems.
I did try it, and though she started no problem it didn't spin over quite as quickly as is usual, and being a belt and braces sort of chap, should it drop to -5 or something Sunday night, that could mean the difference between starting (got the rest of the week with similar starts as well) and not.
I try not to leave it till the last minute, similarly have you watched people with washers frozen solid putting screen wash additive into their prevously water only washer bottles and cursing because it won't work?, i have seen this done at the service area before in freezing conditions, it's quite amusing really.
Old scout and all that ''be prepared''
Luckily my faithful chariot is automatic, so no worries about clutch rusting, but no chance of bump starting either.
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I'd be extremely disappointed if any of our cars (newest 2008, oldest 1988!!) failed to start after being left for less than 2 weeks. In fact the oldest car (an '88 BMW 325 Touring) is often left for more than three weeks, and always starts first time. When it is used though its always for journeys >30 miles, which must help
Peter
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The Ka has been sitting out in the cold for a fortnight.It has been shunned by Mrs B this Christmas since the "Betsy" debacle.. Cajoled her into to starting and using it today. Fired up straightaway as indeed it should. However, given that it and its battery are nearly five years old I was secretly quite pleased.
Having said that, years ago I would often be away working abroad for three or four months at a time and never came back to a dead car. They always just started up and drove as if nothing had changed. I suspect more modern kit has too many little electric things quietly draining the battery, but then again modern batteries are supposed to be better so I don't know really.
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Mike Hannons reminiscences hark back to the days when truck driving really was hard work for all but a few chaps, as it was then, except for the very occasional woman, i believe my own sister was one of the first in the county to take the then new HGV test, and she's still doing it (trucking not taking the test). I'm very proud of her really, but couldn't let her know that, she inherited our Dad's stubborn streak.....not me of course.;)
I came in on the end of the hard working era, '76, general haulage, no power steering or other luxuries, roping and sheeting of loads, still have the permanently cracked hands and hard ridges on my fingers to tell the tale, and the permanent back pain.
I bet Mike's dad was similarly marked for ever.
Humph's got a point about modern electrics, i remember fitting batteries to old motors when you would be completely unaware of the state of charge until you tried to start the thing.
Now when you connect a battery the sparks wouldn't look out of place whilst arc welding, not surprised that many folk come back from 2 weeks hols to a flat batt at the airport.
Did Lady Backbridge enjoy the Ka or are its days numbered?
I'm glad to have given my car battery a good full charge up, my 7 or 8 mile commute runs can't really be doing it a great service.
I told my indy of the recent battery failure, he wasn't surprised, he seems to be of the impression that quality standards have dropped on some items like this.
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Did Lady Backbridge enjoy the Ka or are its days numbered?
Well, funny you should ask GB. Her first comment was that it was like "driving a toy" after a couple of weeks with the estate.
More worryingly though, in particular as she holds down a fairly senior job in the banking industry, was her comment that "at least it only costs £25 to fill it" as opposed to the £45 or so she sluiced into the Mondy the other day.
I stopped short of the "yeah but...."
;-)
I think it will not be long for this address.
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I believe I have basically the same early 90s german luxury car as you, GB.
Mine had stood 3 weeks and started, as ever, at the first turn of the key. I like driving it periodically as a "soft" alternative to my BMW company car. It has good quality winter tyres fitted and that feeling of Mercedes invincibility whilst gliding over the snow covered roads in Munich is quite something - the traction control light didn't blink once.
The battery, by the way, is an OEM Mercedes unit. It's stretching credibility to think it's the original and I've no idea how old it is but I'm glad the previous owner made the investment.
Only problem now is that the auxiliary petrol fueled stand heater has stopped working:-(
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I believe I have basically the same early 90s german luxury car as you GB.
Yes i believe thats so, and i have a great fondness for the old girl considering she's had the favourite loom problem.
Maybe its because as said they were old when they were made, well apart from the modern idea of biodegradable wiring i kind of like the throwback to the past, i enjoy the effortless cruising and the unplanned instant power if you need it, i don't enjoy the far too frequent fuel visits but i couldn't have a eurobox at any price.
I think you may have the posh version though, as mine doesn't have traction or aircon or cruise or leccy seats (mind you i deliberately sought one out without those, however i'm not sure that SWMBO, whom the car was originally bought for agreed it was such a good idea without..;)
I did for a little while toy with the idea of fitting a Wahl bodykit, but its going to work out between 1.5 and 2K fitted (f and r bumpers and side skirts and tailpipe alteration) so that has gone on the back burner, they do suit the 124ce very well though.
By the way which winter tyres do you have fitted?
My indy let me know today that he now stocks OE MB batteries with a 4 year warranty as the price has fallen...now he tells me..;)
The heater you mention, is that one of the webasto heaters that you can use as an auxiliary heater to pre heat your car an hour or so before you need it?
If it is a Webasto (though they are usually diesel and fitted to later cars) then somewhere that repairs truck night heaters (usually eberspacher) will be able to fix it for you.
On the subject of pre heaters, does the panel remember the fairly uncommon Kenlowe engine heaters you could plug in and pre heat your engine block overnight?
Are they still made? I wouldn't mind having one of those on the pick up.
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Yes i believe thats so and i have a great fondness for the old girl
Yes, I can't envisage ever replacing mine. That might have something to do with the length of time it took me to find one with the right combination of condition, options and mileage. I was prepared to compromise on certain things but it had to have a 5 speed automatic, cruise, sunroof and leather. I haven't had the dreaded loom problem, probably due to the incredibly low mileage (68,000km).
I think you may have the posh version though as mine doesn't have traction or aircon or cruise or leccy seats
Yes, I mentioned in another thread that I've found 7 ECUs up to now.
By the way which winter tyres do you have fitted?
I have good quality Pirellis (I can't check which model as I'm away on holiday at the moment) on 16 inch alloys. There is a story here. The E320 cannot (according to Mercedes) be fitted with steel wheels. So my original idea of fitting some cheapo wheels from eBay for winter was blown out of the water. To make it worse, of all the thousands of alloy wheels available for W124s, only 2 offsets are suitable for the E320 Coupe, and eBay sellers know this.
The heater you mention is that one of the webasto heaters that you can use as an auxiliary heater to pre heat your car an hour or so before you need it?
Yep, that's the one. Fantastic when it works, but really heavy on the battery. I've already had the heater unit replaced with a recon one. I think there is a wiring problem as Mercedes, in their wisdom, buried it behind the grill in the wheelarch. I think the wiring has disintegrated as I checked the ECU and it seems to be doing the right thing, but one of the sensor signals from the heater unit makes no sense and I think it's being shorted to earth somewhere.
Mercedes, of course, wanted to replace it with a new system which would have meant rewiring, fitting a new display in the dashboard, and a 2000 Euro hole in my bank account. I then tried a specialist who told me "Webasto, no way". The general opinion is that these things operate more by witchcraft than science.
heaters you could plug in and pre heat your engine block overnight? Are they still made? I wouldn't mind having one of those on the pick up.
These types of heaters are fitted to cars in Finland. A mate of mine has one on his Polo.
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Bagpuss,
may i with the greatest respect urge you to check very carefully your loom, mine went at about 65ishK miles maybe slightly less but it would seem to be age related more than mileage.
So cheap now at £40ish for the repair kit.
I would have liked the 5 speed box too, is there a vehicle anywhere that can touch your car in the traffic light sprint should you floor it and bring 1st gear into play?, the estate had that box and the take off if floored was breathtaking.
If its of any interest i have 'ankaa' 16" alloys off a 211 (can't remember the offset, but i'll check should you need it) as my winter wheels, unusual on a 124 coupe, but i had to get special wheelbolts from Murray Systems as the 211 uses 14mm bolts against the 124 and 210's 12mm, therefore the standard bolt cups are wrong.
I do run 17" for the summer, the ride isn't great but it does stop the roll that accompanied the magic carpet ride on 15" standard size..cake and eat it...just can't.
At 2K euros i think i'd do without the night heater too..;)
If those block heaters are common in Finland, i may have a poke nose around on a Landcruiser/Prado forum, might be able to find one for the Hilux (same 3 litre engine as the LandcruiserLC5/colorado).
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may i with the greatest respect urge you to check very carefully your loom mine went at about 65ishK miles maybe slightly less but it would seem to be age related more than mileage.
Ouch, yes I'll check that, thanks for the tip.
I would have liked the 5 speed box too is there a vehicle anywhere that can touch your car in the traffic light sprint
Yes, it's amazing isn't it. The old girl can really pick up her skirts and fly away from the line, accompanied by a deep growl from the engine. It's addictive and expensive LOL.
If its of any interest i have 'ankaa' 16" alloys off a 211
I just realised I have 15" not 16" as I wanted to keep the magic carpet ride. If I want a hard ride I have the BMW.
Info from the Mercedes website regarding suitable wheels for the E320 Coupe is:
6 1/2Jx15 offset 44mm, 48mm or 49mm.
7Jx15, offset 41 or 42mm.
7Jx16, offset 46mm.
Don't think 17" wheels were invented when the W124 was developed.
Do you have a different offset? Do the wheels rub on the arches?
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Don't think 17" wheels were invented when the W124 was developed. Do you have a different offset? Do the wheels rub on the arches?
TBH i would have liked 16" myself, but SWMBO didn't like Genuine MB wheels as they're a bit fuddy, i can sort of understand what she means.
The winter wheels are shod with 215/55 x 16's.
I bought some aftermarket, and its actually quite difficult to get any sort of choice in 16" so i was talked into 17".
My summer wheels therefore are Parotech Phenex (more likely Phoenix, must be a French speeling thing) French wheels, they do look a little different to most. 8 x 17.
You have to be very careful on tyre choice as you probably well know, Goodyears are out of the question with their broad shoulders and they do catch at the front arches under hard cornering/braking.....so i'm told...
I'm running a new set of Toyo T1R's on them, 225/45 x 17 (would have been Vredesteins but the Toyo's were on offer), they do not catch the front arches at all, even under the enthusiastic piloting of SWMBO, apart from the heavy road noise the grip is astonishing in the wet, not having the benefit of ASR, he said with green hulk type tint, i need that wet grip.
215/45's are easier for clearance, but they're a bit of a stretch for an 8" wheel.
I had a new full exhaust (eberspacher system) and the exhaust note is lovely, quiet but give's that lovely growl especially
on the overrun, trouble is i get perished driving around with the windows open to enjoy that as you so rightly say addictive sound.
When i eventually grow up i'll get out of all this car lark...don't hold your breath though..;)
As the lads here often say, you're a long time dead.
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re block heaters: Have a look on US and Canadian sites also. It is many, many years since I lived there but I do remember you could get electric heating elements to fit into the sump. Also electric pads that stuck onto the bottom of the sump. People kept their cars outside in -30 and they started up ok.
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I have a friend who lives in Anchorage Alaska. (dont ask why). I was talking to her last night, it was -24c. Her car has an electric block heater and she plugs the car in every night, its a standard feature for cars shipped to dealers in Alaska.
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>>I used to do that with sugar beet pulp nuts <<
I remember these when they were in the 110lb bags! and they used to set solid like concrete slabs!
Some "good ole Days" - not!
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I became very adept at dropping them off the side of the trailer on to the farmers ear, instead of his shoulder, if he was rude about female lorry drivers!
Pat
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the farmers ear instead of his shoulder if he was rude about female lorry drivers!
So that'll be a bandaged ear as well as foot where you reversed over him..;)
Cars warmed up and i'm gone.....sorry Pat someone had to...
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I knew it would be you! But we went and started both lorries yesterday to prepare for this morning and both started OK.
Now to get them warm again!
Pat
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Thanks for that link ONB, i didn't know if Kenlowe were still in business, seems like my leccy may have a nice little job in a few weeks, if i can get hold of him, flippin scarlett pimpernel.
That will help the engine oil to last its full interim term of 4.5K..;)
Glad your trucks started Pat, does it annoy you as much as me when we've had the sense to go in and make sure everythings ok, and the couldn't get away from the pub crew then expect us to drive all round the yard jump starting their dead trucks...humbug...;)
Edited by gordonbennet on 05/01/2009 at 20:36
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No:)
I always manage to get out of the yard before they even manage to get in!
Trying not to Hijack this thread but I don't think this warrants a seperate post.
Just a quick question to the lorry drivers on here.
Both yesterday morning and again this morning I've had my oil pressure guage needle on low for the first 20 miles until it gets up to normal.
I assume it's the extreme cold causing the oil to thicken but I've never noticed it before.
It's a Scania R series by the way and just over a year old.
Have you noticed it or will you remember to look tomorrow for me please:)
I do worry about the Penthouse Suite Mark 2!
Pat
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>>It's a Scania R series
I don't know the oil circuit on this engine, but, this is what I *think* is happening.
The cold thick oil is producing a very high pressure local to the oil pump and is opening the relief valve, and most of the oil is being pumped straight back into the sump rather than making it into the oil gallery. *If* the oil pressure sensor is at the far end of the oil gallery, the pressure loss caused by pumping the thick oil means that the sensor will read a low pressure, significantly lower than the relief valve opening pressure until the oil warms up.
On most cars, you never see this effect, becuasue the oil pressure sensor tends to be mounted directly on the pump, and doesn't pick up the pressure loss across the gallery.
*All* engine oil is much too thick when cold, and what you're seeing on the gauge bears that out. What is the viscosity of oil which is being used? How does this compare with the range of viscosities allowed by Scania?
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I've had my oil pressure guage needle onlow for the first 20 miles until it gets up to normal.
Like your style getting out early..
I'll try to remember, but i'm away early too, so it may be daylight before the penny drops.
I'm in awe anyway, cos if your Scanny's like mine, you are using the digi menu to bring up the oil pressure gauge, this definately means you are a proper driver, and in a minority of one around here then....
;)
NC, Pat may know what viscosity oil is being used, i am only aware that the oil at our service centre is alleged to be fully synthetic DEO.
As the trucks are leased, and on contract maintenance i assume that such things are regulated properly as damage caused would be down to the garage i would have thought.
Never had any of these problems with a Cummins....i can feel a rosy coloured nostalgia moment coming...they just ran for ever..sigh..beautifully...huge torque...just hear the turbo whistling...no computers...more sighs..
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>>on contract maintenance
I dare say - I didn't know if Pat was or wasn't an owner driver.
These conditions point up the error in many people's thinking about oil. They think that the thicker oil always gives more protection - not if it is too thick to be pumped round the engine it doesn't!
On a related note, you'll be pleased to hear that the oil pressure gauge on your MB is reasonably meaningful, taking its reading in the oil filter housing at the back of the engine, rather than at the oil pump and relief valve at the front. It could be better, and take its reading further downstream, but, it's better than most.
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........ it's better than most.
Assuming that the individual gauge reading is accurate, of course.
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[[your MB is reasonably meaningful]]
Very reassuring, thankyou, now if they'd thought to put a good old ammeter in the dash as well, i would be like a puppy with two tails.
But grateful for small mercy's.
EDIT, since charging my car battery properly over the break, it turns over so much easier, i think my commute isn't quite enough to keep it fully charged this time of the year.
Pat,
Something amazing happened this morning, i remembered to bring up my oil pressure gauge immediately after starting up, this may not impress anyone else, but with the state of my memory its a minor miracle..;)
By the way, my Scan is 06 and has covered 300K.
Immediately up to 5.8 to 6.0 bar on fast tickover, and kept that pressure for the first 10 minutes or so, but as the truck approached its normal temp of 80 the pressure gradually dropped to its normal 4.8 or so.
Hot tickover is 2 bar, hot 1000rpm is 4.2 bar, motorway cruise 1450rpm is 4.7 to 4.9 bar.
I was having a think over your pressure today, oil that is the pressure you get at RDC's even NC can't diagnose..;)
Is your truck on long life oil?
If it is, are the fitters changing the filters anyway, cos NC's post above makes sense as usual, if the filter(s) is/are partially full of the crud they are designed to trap, it makes sense for the by pass valve to open to allow flow.
Would be interesting to hear the results.
Keep safe out there, lots of loons out today.
Edited by gordonbennet on 07/01/2009 at 21:38
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i didn't know if Kenlowe were still in business ....
yeah... still going, but i dont know if Ken still owns it, or is even alive... Nice guy, I met him a few times over the years.
Edited by the swiss tony on 07/01/2009 at 23:45
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Thanks for making the effort GB, I only function on 2 cylinders until after the second coffee, so I would have forgotten!
Yes I am bringing the pressure up on the digtal dash menu and that is fine. The reading is much like yours. The problem is just with the guage and the needle moving slowly.
The Scania is on contract maintenance and goes into Scania every 6 weeks and as an employed driver Scania don't feel that we are qualified to 'ask pertinent questions'
Our usefulness ends with the ability for them to blame everything on 'driver error'!
The situation has partially been resolved because after I posted on Tuesday evening from Doncaster Services, I logged off and prepared for bed. Just as I have done every night for the last 28 yrs, I started the engine up for it to run for 20 minutes to recharge the batteries and ensure it will start in the morning.
I should say I tried to start it up!
The batteries were completely flat and the cab lights, night heater and phone all went dead.
.*******
But after testing both of mine one was found to be fine but the other was completely dead..........and that is just 15 months old.
It then became a warranty claim and another was located at Hull.
Finally just after midnight I was started again, the night heater came on and I had lights in the cab!
Whilst I had the Scania Fitters undivided attention I asked him about the oil
pressure needle and he said that as long as there was no flashing warning of low oil
pressure, and the bar reading was fine on the digtal readout I could safely assume that it was the old Scania problem of 'a lazy needle'.
I was so proud because he had to ask if I had a pair of pliers he could borrow. I had, and he did:)
GB and Harleyman will understand that one!
Pat
Edited by pda on 08/01/2009 at 19:07
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Thanks for the link PU.
ST, if i mention your name at Kenlowe's when i order a pre heater will i get a discount..;)
PAT, absoflippinlutely amazing, your truck stands the best part of 10 days and starts then the battery dies 4 days later.
Glad you were at services so you didn't get too frozen whilst waiting.
We've been around long enough to remember the joys of waking up with ice on the inside of the windows, these young 'uns don't know....cue the Yorkshiremen.
The lazy needle..hmm maybe a reflection..nah i'm not going there..;)
Edited by gordonbennet on 08/01/2009 at 19:54
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Total freebie - just mention that you know Dynamic Dave !
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just mention that you know Dynamic Dave !
Well thats ST and DD i'll have to drop into the order conversation, another couple and they'll be paying me.;)
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