Yes - I couldn't believe the prices. I guess that once the market turns, volume drys up and cars are only worth what people are prepared to pay for them...if there are no buyers and you have to sell you will get a really low price. Mike

It slightly depends on the location and angle of the drain hole. I use a variety of things including: Metal coat hanger bass guitar string Long wooden shashlik stick Just try not to use anything too sharp that risks poking a hole through the rubber channels. Mike

Thanks for your comment - glad the video was helpful. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars I am back. I am creating a master document on paper that I can take with me when I physically begin looking at possible purchases. At 5:15 in the video, you are showing how the previous repair closed up the original drain hole area. This view is just behind the passenger side front wheel well correct? The other question is this; how would one convince a seller, private or dealership to all pouring the water into strategic locations to check if they are open? I say, if the seller says no, I should walk away. My current 300TD wagon is FULL of rust because I didn't do enough due diligence. The car was full of Bondo and the rust came back with a vengeance! Water somehow comes in and ends up behind the drivers seat in the floor for one. I am still deciding if I want to begin some DIY rust repair. At 310,000 mile, what do I have to lose? Two body shops quoted $14,000 and $25,000 for the work. 😵‍💫 PS how is your car doing now that you recovered it? Thanks so much

Yes - that sounds a bit strange. I wonder if it is a bit like converting a classic to an electric? In the years to come, we may look at some of those electric conversions and wonder what on earth people were thinking. Mike

That sounds like good advice. I'll try it next time. Mike

If you unplug a sensor OR you run low on oil, this light will come on. On the Audi A4, this sensor plugs in under the car as shown in the video. Mike

Yep...I couldn't agree more. I'm not sure I would have taken on this project if I had know that every single part would need refurbing or replacing. As y ou probably know, it is a million times more difficult trying to fix or reassemble something that someone else has worked on. Mike

Yes - you are right, parts and labour and not getting cheaper! One of the things I am trying to do with this channel is show owners that in many cases they can diagnose and fix problems themselves. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars which is fantastic - long May it continue

Agree with costs being very high. These cars cost even when parked. If one works out the cost even if one can carry out the work yourself it is very rare to be able to make a profit. All older cars are an expensive hobby but can be very satisfying. It’s great to see them used rather than just stuck in a garage or museum.

Very interesting video Mike. I think the market generally looks pretty poor at the moment for classic cars, the recent Manor Park Classics auction was another where they seemed to struggle to get to estimates and a huge number seemed not to sell at the auction itself. Even Fords looked low. But Mercedes in particular have become expensive in parts and with many becoming unavailable it does seem to be getting harder and more expensive than it was a few years ago - or it maybe I have just had a bad run recently!

@@jonnybigpotato4263 Yes, I found that auction interesting because it showed what people/dealers are actually willing to spend as opposed to what cars are listed for. I still think that fixing an old merc is a bit cheaper than fixing the equivalent car of the same era (Porsche, Ferrari Jaguar etc)...but maybe I'm lucky that nothing major has gone wrong recently....Mike

Hi, sorry to hear you’re having a problem. What tool are you using to remove the nut? Do you have the correct sized socket and an impact wrench? Mike

I think that IS the best comment I have read. Thanks. Mike

Yes, I think sand blasting and oven is not ideal for thinner sheet metal or aluminium...the good news is that it fitted perfectly and looks great. Mike

Thanks for your comment. I think the tank featured in this video probably is the one that URO supply...the problem is that neither the fuel sender or the fuel strainer from an older SL will fit. I'm not sure what you mean by 'tapping NPT' threads. I dont think it would be possible to tap threads on the actual tank. Mike

Thanks for your comment. Do you remember what it cost to have your originals repaired/resprayed? Interesting that yours had panel gaps too....maybe they have been replaced in the past and are not original.... What would we do without the wife's blow dryer in these situations... Mike

Thanks for your kind words...cant believe that a year has gone by since I first had that valance powder coated. Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars im in the process of doing my 1980 450SL and was wondering if you know part #s or sizes for trunk screws that hold the carpeted panels in and the cover for the spare tire. Thanks again

@@TheArtOfReSelling1 Hi - I'm pretty sure the bolts that hold down the spare wheel cover are M6 x 16mm...and the same for the metal panel. But....I will head down to the garage and double check. Mike

@@TheArtOfReSelling1 Hi - The bolts holding in the back panel and spare wheel well cover are M6 x 16mm. Mike

Thanks for your comment which has got me thinking....I reckon it would be an interesting video to do a comparison between a modern R172 350SLK vs and a 2004 SL55 AMG. The SLK is a lovely car but from a power/performance/speed point of view, I think the SL55 is ahead: Acceleration: 0 - 100km/h 4.7 vs 5.3sec Power: 476Hp vs 306Hp Torque: 700nM vs 370nM Fifth gear did a comparison on the SLK AMG and the SL55 AMG a while back with is worth watching: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIS9iqpphpWVfZY Mike

Thanks - it came out much better than expected. Mike

Yes I agree. Ages ago when I sold a red 450sl for scrap to Classic Mercedes Parts, I couldn't understand why they were prepared to pay £1800 for such a rusted out car. Its not until I started doing the current 280sl D Jetronic project that I had any idea of the value of all those parts....temp sensors,,,ignition control units...ECU...etc etc. Mike

Thanks for your comment - which one did you get and how much was it? Mike

@MikesMercsandothercars I bought a cheap harbor freight cabinet and stripped the garbage out of it, then did the bottom feed mod and used scat gun with cyclone dust extraction. It can clean anything upto 30 inches long and 20 inches high., maybe 15inches deep. It helps if you have an 80 gallon compressor for air flow.

@@RAYROTHSTEIN66 That sounds great. I have since discovered a local sand blasting/powder coating company but having the facility to strip rust in my garage would be great. Mike

That is a good question, and I am not sure from the top of my head whether you can do this job with the rod in place. If you manage it, let me know. Mike

Yes...I bought the wrong tool the first time I went to repair the brake lines on my Merc. The tool I use in the video below works great: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4axkpmJoK99nZo Mike

Yes - the ecoflow is amazing. I hadn't realised it at the time but is has a built in charge controller which means you can plug solar panels straight in...perfect for our vintage camper. Anyway...I have standard 240v light fittings in my garage so I just replaced the bulbs with LED ones and that works a treat. I guess you could also use 240V led strip lights. When you plug things into the 240v sockets, the cooling fans will always kick in which can be a bit noisy and inefficient. If on the other hand you use the 12v cigarette light socket, you probably get the same amount of light with much less power usage. In our van we run lights, fridge and sink through the 12v port: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZvIg2uLfbR8h9U Mike

Hi Tony - I knew there would be at least 1 person who appreciated the copper ring terminal. How you feeling these days?...Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars I always enjoy your videos and how you make things. My favorite video is the one where you bent copper pipe for the fill tube and how you flared it. That video is great! I am feeling much better. After two procedures the doctor finally did his job. Did you hear I started the 560SL? it only ran for a few seconds though. But mechanically it sounded wonderful. No weird noises is a welcome. I believe it is starving for fuel. It’s been 118 degrees here this whole week so I have not been in the garage to sort out the issue.

I have a 450slc, and the voltage is 13.7, with ac and accessories, it falls down to 13.2, been like that for a year now, what's your opinion? And what could be the causes? The voltage was the same even after replacing the voltage regulator.

@@5aldl at 13.7 your battery is being charged and it works so I don’t think this is a problem. The output voltage to the battery when the engine is running and the alternator is working properly, should typically be between 13.5 and 14.5 volts. If the voltage is significantly outside this range, it could indicate an issue with the alternator, voltage regulator, or wiring. I would say your range is good.

@@5aldl Thanks for your comment. What year is your 450SLC and where do you live....and are these figures at idle? Sometimes the alternator itself is at fault. Maybe the best way to test this is to put on a known good alternator from a similar car. That would tell you instantly if the problem lies with the alternator or the wiring. The other thing that can be at fault is the battery itself - sometimes older batteries don't take a higher charge. Mike

Hi....best practice would always be to disconnect the consumer battery to avoid accidentally shorting anything out. I don't think it is 100% critical in this particular case...but that is only my view. I originally bought an iCarsoft 2 when I first got the car and that allowed me to diagnose the ABC plunger fault. I dont this this anymore and am happy to sell it to you if that helps. I then went on to spend £400 on a 2nd hand Autel which does multiple cars. Recently a company called Launch sent me their Elite 2 scanner to test. It seems to work pretty well and has the advantage of a touch screen. Hope that helps. Mike

Hi - the number on the motor was 512516 there was something before the number which could have been VW but is was difficult to make out. I'm not sure that this number was a part number because I never found any reference to it on the internet. When I replaced the motor on my Sl55 (kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5WQkHSrbLl4gKM) , I sourced a motor from Bross Auto Parts in Turkey. I notice that ebay number 186027749353 is a motor for the T5, T6 and T7 also from Turkey. Mike

Thanks for your comment - that car in CoPart is one of many I have seen. Some of the the BCM casings have been in pristine condition with no signs of water ingress. Whilst water ingress is definitely a problem in these cars, it mainly affects the PSI pump on the other side of the trunk and the SAM units. Mike

Wow - thanks for the compliment! Mike

Thanks for your comment - good to know that these videos are useful. Getting the right crimpers and strippers makes the job a million times easier. Mike

Thanks for your comment - are you feeing any better? Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars thanks Mike. I am feeling good. I have a stent removal scheduled for today and then I’m free! I believe I am trying a first start this Saturday.

@@TonyLiveTV Good luck with both the start and the getting well bit. Mike

You haver reminded me to get a spare CPS for the SL55AMG because that is indeed something that can leave you stranded. Why would leaving the car 30-45mins have avoided a tow? Do they reset when the car is cold? Mike

I found out from MB forum, usually after the engine is cools down, the car will start and that exactly what happened to my car after towing to my house car indeed did start. I initially also thought something was reset. Do not know, I think just cold engine will allow the car to start. The biggest difficulty in replacing the CPS was the access to it. I replaced mine by feel without seeing the CPS.

Just looked back at that video and added chapters to make it easier to skip to parts that might be relevant. Did you have a problem with your ballast resistors? Mike

Agreed - I think one of the biggest problems is that these cars are now cheap enough to be affordable to people who cant really afford to service them. For example changing the ABC fluid regularly will do wonders for the longevity of the system. Mike

yes - I just drove my SL55 to London and back and what an exhilarating drive it was! One of the functions of the ABC was to make it easier getting in and out of the car.... another was to be able to raise the car manually to enable snow chains to be used. If I ever sell mine, I'm sure I will miss it too!. Mike

Hi - i'm sure Tony (Mr 560SL) will have a video on the subject, and if not, drop him a line and he will be able to help: www.youtube.com/@TonyLiveTV/videos Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars unfortunately his videos are only with the engine out so still not clear if it comes out from the top or bottom. I did ask him but seems like he’s not sure either.

Hi - looking at his video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6vWXq2grq6ed6c) shows the dimensions of the pump and reading the comments below that video, it would appear to come out form the top after removing the fan shroud and alternator. Sorry I cant be of more help. Mike

Glad the vid was useful. Mike

Phew....glad the video helped. Mike

Yep - more likes would be nice.

Hi - sorry to read you are having a problem. Is the light on permanently…or does it come on when oil is hot…..or intermittently….or when you turn a particular direction? No harm in changing to 15W40 oil but if problem persists, you probs lot need to take off oil pan to see if oil pick up is clogged. Mike

At time code 15.17 in the video I show you where I got the crimpers + the correct jaws for this job. The crimpers are Paladin and the jaws are no. 2033. Mike

Hi - maybe this video will help you? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYPQnGqXZ6xmpqM Mike

Hello Simon - sorry to read you have a problem with your wipers. I have not (as yet) done a video on the subject but seem to remember that once the dash is out, the wiper mechanism is dead easy to get to. What is the EXACT problem? Mike

Thanks for the prompt reply Mike. It’s quite a long story. The wipers seized up over a year ago and I took it to local garage. They removed the glove compartment and then didn’t want to do the job of taking the full dash out to replace the wiper mechanism I’ve bought a replacement mechanism from SL shop which cost £1000 The garage then left the car outside for about a year. I didn’t realise as I focused on other things and in that time the brakes and seized up and the fuel pump failed so I’ve just had those things sorted out so we’re back on the road now so I’m just turning my attention to the wipers. Another local garage have said they can have a go at the dash but they can’t quote because they don’t know how long it’s going to take them so I was just doing some research and your video is really helpful. I’m just wondering how long you would estimate a garage that hadn’t done this kind of work before might take to do it the other thing is that I can actually hear the motor running And I think it must be disconnected from the wiper mechanism and I’m wondering whether that’s possible to do without removing the dash through the glove compartment so any thoughts on the above would be really appreciated thank you.

I’d love to think I could do it myself, but with work and family et cetera just can’t see how I’d find the time and I’d get so far and then the car would be off the road until someone else put it back together again. I would imagine.

....just goes to show that the old ones are the best. Glad the video helped. Mike

I can totally relate we just fixed ours now😅

Hi - sorry to hear you have a red oil pressure light on. It could be a faulty oil pressure sensor or.....it could be that you actually have low oil pressure. If it was me, I would: 1. Check the oil pressure sensor wiring and change the oil pressure sensor to see if that cures the problem. 2. If the problem persists, I would take off the oil pan and check that the oil pick up filter is not clogged up leading to reduced oil flow. 3. If the oil pick up is clear, next step would be to ascertain whether the oil pump is working. Good luck - let me know how you get on. Mike

Hi - congrats on picking up a cheap set of Euro lights...if there is just light damage, you can potentially get away with using a good quality chrome paint like the Bosny to touch up. If the damage is heavy, I would consider getting them re-chromed as shown in the video below: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHial4yNrJtpZ9k Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars so I decided to rechrome them.. not cheap to say the least. I also ordered new glass. They should look brand new once complete at least - and at about 30% of the cost of buying new.

@@TheAcarr6 Yes...not cheap getting an R107 up to scratch but usually worth the cost in the end. Mike

Hi - the easiest way is to swap the unit for a known good unit and see if the issue goes away....but the correct unit for a 1973 may be difficult to find. Where are you based? Mike

@@MikesMercsandothercars in France

​@@NicolasdeBreteuil Quel dommage, if your were closer, I would suggest swapping the unit from the car I am currently working on. Another alternative could be to bypass the ignition control module using the Petronix electronic ignition: www.benzworld.org/threads/pertronix-install-with-and-without-switchgear.1714668/ Mike