Monkey Wrench Mike jumps under the hood of his latest buy, a 1990 Mercedes 560SEC. How do things look? Is this a hopeless pile of junk or a diamond in the rough??
Hey Mike, just a pro tip for ya....go to the gas tanks and look for a drain plug on each, you should be able to drain the tanks from the bottom and the fuel pump/filter should be externally mounted. Also shoot some compressed air into the filler neck to speed up the drain process. I think you got a great deal on this one!🎉🎉 Also, don't try to use solvents to clean the engine, just change the oil on time and that's it. Solvents like MMO or oil flush additives will cause accelerated wear of the critical engine components like valve guides or bearings.
Thanks for the tribute to your Dad. He sounds like a great guy. I too had a very good father and remember him often. As long as we keep them alive in our minds, they are never really gone. Keep those old Benz rolling down the boulevard!😁
The oil has detergent in it and if you change it every 3 months the motor will get clean as new. Do not put anything but recommended oil viscosity in or you will spin a bearing.
What a fun video! Thanks for the nice longer video. I enjoyed hearing about your dad. I like seafoam. you can use it in your gas and oil. I worked in parts for over 15 years and we sold tons of it.
Congrats on the buy. If it's stalling, replace the overload protection relay (OVP) - should be back passenger side in the engine bay. Next, remove valve covers and check condition of timing chain and guides - this is a major concern on these engines. Keep the color - smoke silver is one of the great MBZ colors.
Just so you know Mike, Mercedes are made in Europe (wink, wink) so fluids are in litres. Almost all Mercedes hold 8 litres of oil which is actually eight and a half quarts. I have an 01 e320. I think I'd rather have that thing.
Dont add anything just clean new oil putting all the other stuff in will spin a bearing trust me it will ask me how I know. Just change it often and it will clean out because new oil has detergent in it so it will clean out by it self. run the first oil change a couple of weeks then change it and it will really make it a lot cleaner on the inside then just change it normal time after that. It look real clean though the hole on the valve cover Mike.
You made me nervous by leaving all those things open. Murphy’s law for me, something would fall inside or down in the engine bay somewhere. Love the old cars.
Mike, you may already know; but these V8s had an oil feed problem on the right head. Yours looked pretty good, seen Much worse. ---Marvel Mystery Oil; used to have an '83 300TD, and I used to use a quart every thousand miles. I put MMO in, and I went down to one quart every 3k, and I Still had a front main seal leak.
I like to use a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil along with the MFG recommended oil viscosity. Brand of oil really does not matter since this is a flush anyway. 1990 engine tolerances VS 2019 engine tolerances are not even comparable, let alone computer monitored but even still, I would not want to be too heavy with the oil especially on startup. 10w40 should be just fine.
I have used green diesel to flush an engine before and it worked out well. I wouldn’t do it if there wasn’t an engine problem (in my case, chunks of sludge were entering the lifters, plugging them, and causing them to temporarily collapse until the sludge passed through). I put in about a quart of diesel to a full crankcase of oil, with the oil warm and only at slightly above idle RPMs for about 15 minutes. I will not drive the car with the flush in it. It might be fine but I don’t want to chance it. My flush was followed by an oil change using a slightly thinner than spec. synth blend oil. Everything worked out fine with no more lifter collapse in over a year. If everything is fine on an engine with a good history of regular oil changes then I wouldn’t flush as a preventative ... just leave well enough alone.
Mike a great video Just like working on my 300SE finding the good the bad and the ugly, then fixing and sorting I just dropped the oil and changed the oil filter and running it for 1,000 kms Then change out all again The brakes were my big headache so far ( the old lack of use trick!!) Can’t wait for the next instalment Cheers Michael from Australia
There is a mini dipstick atop the SLS (hydraulic suspension) cap and it read OEL. Simply pop that off, to check your fluid level. (You may have to have the car running for this, and I am not sure.) Also, your engine should be running when you check your power-steering fluid level, (which in your case is fairly low.)
Please, please, please return the fluid cover(s) on one reservoir at a time before moving onto the next to avoid debris from entering the system(s). Aka, put the damn cover back one the power steering pump before you get side tracked by something else. Kent is the master!
The fuses have to be checked individually by removing them. Sometimes they can develop hairline cracks which are not readily observable. I typically remove one and clean the ends, then I re-seat the fuse back into its place. (I also look for missing fuses! If there is an empty slot, then there should be a corresponding "vacant" entry in the fuse map for that slot.
Mike, always let the oil drain as far as it can, it's often the oil right at the bottom of the sump/oil pan that contains the real nasties, especially on a vehicle that hasn't seen much recent use as the heaviest particles will settle out on the bottom due to gravity and that's the stuff you really don't want going back into circulation around the engine...
You should try and fix the reverse first, before spending any money on this car, you should top up your transmission and sort the reverse before anything else
I like the long vids!👍 you deserve more subscribers than that toyota loving jerk Scotty Kilmer!😄 forgot to say I love that SEC, I have the modern day equivalent to that, Lol a 2009 CL550:)...
Kent Bergsma is a friend of mine. He lives in my old town of Bellingham, Wa! Loves seeing you sweat it out with Randy! Awesome 👍 channel 👌 and great content!
I’m a huge fan of Kent (and Randy!) but I wish he’d do more videos. Seems like he is slowing down. I actually emailed him years ago and he responded. I was very excited! Lol
@@MonkeyWrenchMike Absolutely! It is rare to find a new Mercedes Source Video these days! Maybe someday we can go visit him and see his collection and go through his barns of Benz parts! Can't wait for another awesome video from you! You make me laugh! Congratulations on your new old school Benz!
I used STP oil what time I Land Rover it takes it to 20 40 I adapt have to turn around it change it with better oil boy that was a waste of buddy I'll never use STP oil again
…………...I love all the sound effects during your video, especially the 'gasps' when you open something that you don't know what the outcome will be. Very amusing. I love these Mercedes mainly because it's a 2-door and being over 6 feet personally I just tend to fit in this size of car better. The gas mileage on these is something else though. Just too thirsty but a beautiful car all the same. I'd love to buy a 280SL which I've always admired but it's just not realistic to think of it as being a daily driver. If I could only get someone else to pay for all the maintenance and I could just drive it. :)
Hey Mike, what's your advise on an early-mid 90s Mercedes SL convertible, any engine to look for in particular or avoid, any features to look carefully at? I'd be my first Mercedes!
I had a 320SL and it was under lowered. Stick with the V-8. Also... the tops can be finicky so test everything out (including roll bar). But they’re great cars!! Enjoy!!
Mr. Mike near the end of the video the heat was getting to you. Please be careful out in the sun, keep hydrated. Any car with wipers on the headlights is special in my book.
I use ATF to flush out engine sludge. Mix it 50/50 with regular or high mileage oil. I don't think your 560 needs it done, though. I did not see any sludge build up. Put 500 miles on regular oil and change it. Then proceed with manufacturer specified oil changes. Drain the old gas from the tank underneath and be prepared to change the tank filter and hose. The fuel pump is mounted under the car, so draining should be fairly easy.
Hi Mike this a gem a true classic, 30 years old nearly and still looking good it might have a few gremlins but when sorted it will go for another 30 years I would like to see a modern Merc do 30 years, ask the guy on RU-vid he has a driveway full of them and an MG oh that's you 😊. Last time I saw brake fluid that colour is when I took a sample to the doctor's and she didn't like the look of that either, as for the power steering fluid I thought that was brill nice and full so no leaks 👍 but yes change it also the oil in the air box try checking the crankcase breather and clean if needed. As always keep rocking. Gary....... England 🇬🇧
Concerning the timing chain, if you hear ANY rattling sound on startup after overnight even if it's a second or two, the chain, guides and tensioner needs to be changed... been there on my 560SEC & 560SL!
If there are no records indicating it's been done, then do it. And only use the Genuine Mercedes parts. The aftermarket tensioners are known to shatter and that will shred your engine. This job is the most critical piece of maintenance the car could ever have. It needs to be done every 100,000 miles or simply due to age if it's not yet been performed on this car.
I am sure you've figured this out by now, but the engine needs to be running to check the trans fluid level. Looks like it's very low! Oh and don't put Dex-Cool in it lol pleeeease for the luvva gawd!
@@MonkeyWrenchMike I plan on cleaning it more and doing a video, its been in the garage a few years so its dusty. If you go into my video I did a update video yesterday 7/8 where I panned the camera over to it. Its a silver hard top with a nice black drop top also. Its been in Oregon for about 15 years and before that it was from California it has 210k or so miles but it is very clean inside and out and runs good but I need to replace the exhaust system, blower motor for heater, and power steering.. I should also replace that bushing you mentioned for the tranny going into reverse as mine is a little untimely going into reverse.
The fuel pump relay on my 560 SEC died about a month after I bought it. Got a used one for $45 and I was good to go. Anyone reading this should stay away from anything other than the real official Mercedes brand. Even if it's used it would be better than aftermarket. URO is the worst! Avoid at all costs.
Forgive me for asking, however, why service it? I would be fixing the trans first, or are you just keen to run it down the road before you do the major work?
"I do want to take a look at the power steering fluid... HNNNNGGGG..." And cut, as they say in the movie business... Overall it doesn't look too bad, the car's clearly sat for some time but it clearly did have fairly regular routine maintenance before that. W126s do like to breathe a bit of oil fumes so unless it proves that that build up has happened since the last change of air filters, i.e. the engine is breathing badly, which I doubt as that build up looks to have taken place over a long period judging by how sticky it is, I don't think it's a major problem. Just keep an eye on it as you run the car and clean the breather system out at each service and you should be fine for a few more hundred thousand miles...
When you could not get the power steering cap off, I was hoping you would use a Monkey Wrench to loosen it! I wonder how many know what product you were referring to when you said "a little dab will do ya!" I, for one know!
It's a good idea to put an engine flush product every few years before an oil and filter change to get rid of dirt in the system. After removing the oil, I put the sump plug and add a liter of solvent. I leave it there for around two hours so it can dissolve the dirty oil that's still in the sump. Then I remove the plug and the solvent comes out black.
You can search any technical issues on benzworld.org in the 126 sedan forum. Those guys are very helpful and have all the schematics from every system in the 126.
Going to enjoy the SEC videos.. I have a 85 one and look forward to seeing you do stuff with yours. Mine needs a few things as well as I get the money. . Greetings from oz
