Break in Period After Major Restoration

[George Des]

I did a major resoration on my 230SL over the past 12 years. Went through the whole car--rebuilt engine, clutch, front end, rear axle, fuel pump, full SS exhaust, underdash including the heater matrix and blower motor, radiator. Any body rot I encountered was cut out and new metal welded in--this included the two front floors and the lower front quarter panels on the front fenders where the splash shields had allowed water in. The car was resprayed from bare metal up in PPG Acrylic Polyurethane DB050. The only two major components not touched as part of all this work is the ZF S5-20 and the FI Pump. The ZF was rebuilt in Mannheim, Germany about 20 years ago when I was stationed there. I'm now in the post restoration phase taking the car out for short hops to detect any strange noises and glitches from the rebuild.
So far the only thing I've notice is how loud the car really is, particularly the SS exhaust. My wife and I went to dinner last night and I was driving my 2001 MB S430 and I commented to her on how far the MB technology had progressed in the 37 years or so since my 230 was built particularly regarding the noise levels. You can hardly hear any engine noise or wind noise in these new cars and certainly no moans or groans in the suspension or drive train. But in the end it's the engineering purity of the Pagodas that makes these cars a joy to own and drive.

To those that have gone the major restoration route, what has been your experience during the post restoration phase i.e. did you encounter any "moans and groans" that concerned you and required tweaking. Any suggestions on how to quiet down these TimeValve Exhausts?

George Des

[Cees Klumper]

Hi George. Congratulations on getting the car back on the road, after all these years. Make sure all the rubber hoses, belts, tires etc are still in good shape, even though they may have been renewed.

On the exhaust, things to be checked:
- is the exhaust touching the car body anywhere? If so, the noise will transmit into the compartment in a big way
- are the downpipes really tight in the manifolds? Check the bolts for looseness
- obviously: any leaks anywhere else? Not just the exhaust system itself, but also any crevices/(pin)holes in the car floor / the firewall?

Some have commented on the Timevalve being noticeably louder than other (e.g. MB stock) systems. I replaced my standard steel system with all-stainless this spring, and although it is just a bit more noticeable, it's not particularly loud.

It would be good to be able to compare the sound to another W113 with a Timevalve system.

On the wind and road noise, there are many tweaks that can be done to eliminate as much of it as possible. Proper fitting of the windows in the seals, insulation floor mats etc.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Benz Dr.]

I do a 555 test. This is VERY important.

5 miles just to see if anyhing is not working. Thermostat,brakes,alternator,engine timing,trans/clutch,lights etc.

50 miles to see how the car runs at different speeds and if the brakes are getting hot. Put the car on the hoist and check everything looking for leaks. Test compression, head bolts, valve lash, fluid levels, tire pressure,etc.

500 mile test. Drive the car under different conditions, stop and go traffic, high speed, lower speed, panic stop, night driving (very important and usualy never done)driving in the rain ( maybe most important ) cold starts, hot starts, long idle periods. Look for leaks, check everything for tightness, add anifreeze ( only test drive with water) drain oil and change filter, adjust doors, hood, heaters and anything that might be needed.

In most cases you will find 90% of running problems in the first few miles. Most cars are driven around the block and called ready to go because the techs just don't have a whole day to spend on test driving.
 
On smaller jobs the test drive can be shorter. It has given me the oppertunity to drive some very nice cars over the years.
 300SL, 220 Cab. A, 6.9, 6.3, 500SEC, 190SL's, 113's, 300b Conv., 220Seb Con., 6.3, 560SEC, 107's, 220S/220SE Cab., 170S Cab. A, 3.5 Coupe, 280SECab.,
123, 124, 126 and a number of other sedans and Coupes.

Daniel G Caron

[George Des]

Dan/Cees,

I essentially did what Dan calls the 555. I'm pretty much into the 500 part of it with about 250KMs on it. Have found no leaks from rear end, transmission, engine or brakes and Pwr Steering. Brakes seem to work fine. I do have have a little vibration when accelerating out of second gear. Haven't quite decided whether it is the exhaust pipes vibrating on the passenger floorboard or I have a driveshaft inbalance. This is a Timevalve SS system from the header on back and may require some further tweaking--it is clamped not welded. The flex joint is new as well as the d/s support bearing--both properly installed as near as I can determine. Put my hardtop back on today and it is now considerably quieter than w/ the softop. The windows now need to be adjusted to close properly. Will put her in for a front end alignment next week. So far so good!

[graphic66]

This site has some interesting views on engine break in and other, mostly 2 wheel theories http://mototuneusa.com/thanx.htm