Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Body, interior, paint, chrome, and cosmetic items => Topic started by: geert1000 on June 03, 2015, 23:16:12
-
I'm rebuilding my heater levers, replacing pieces as necessary. Upon disassembly I had to clean a dried/sticky/waxy substance off of the plastic cylinders and related lever pieces.
What is the proper lube, if any, to apply here?
Should they be left clean and dry to prevent catching dirt?
I read in a previous post about someone using non-petroleum lithium grease.
I have considered silicone lube as well.
What is "factory standard"?
Thanks so far, Geert
-
No silicone if you ever want to paint anything in your garage - once I stopped using silicone for anything that goes into my garage my painting skills have improved imensly. That stuff floats around and gets on everything. I used grease made for plastic gears in household appliances on lots of my automotive applications (not heater levers though) and it seems to stay flexible over time.
-
...
Should they be left clean and dry to prevent catching dirt?
...
Absolutely!
Any grease will only attract dust and dirt.
Of course, lubricating the Bowden cables is a good idea.
-
Okay, I just got the reply from the Mercedes Classic Center, Irvine Ca., about heater lever plastic parts lubrication.
They do use a lube. It's a very expensive "Mercedes lubricant", but recommended that I simply used a synthetic lube like silicone lube sparingly.
This is instead of leaving them dry. "All lubes will collect some dust".
I guess that's just one of life's frustrations, eh?!
Thanks, members, for the suggestions.
-
I agree with Alfred.
As per Gernold in maine, he states leave them dry.
Tom
-
So does that mean that the official factory Mercedes Classic Center is doing it wrong? uh oh.
-
So does that mean that the official factory Mercedes Classic Center is doing it wrong? uh oh.
Geert,
Supposedly yes. There are no old-time experts anymore. :o
All too young and not focused too much on our cars. :P
Only on the ones with (extremely) big money. :o 8)
At least in Germany ...
Achim
(parts & knowledge collector)
-
Achim, your comment prompts me to tell a supporting story. Every company should have a “Knowledge Base Library” within their engineering organization. Here’s an example that shows why.
When I was a young engineer with Ford Motor Company, I was the Dynamometer Development Engineer for the 351/400 CID engine design group. That was 45 years ago. As a part of engine design verification, I ran lots of standard dynamometer tests and proposed, based on my tests, to eliminate the tin plating on the pistons to save money for the company.
The department manager praised my initiative and suggested that I run one more dynamometer test, fondly called the Death Rattle test (or Engine Loss of Coolant Test), without the tin plate on new pistons. The requirements were that the engine had to not lose more than X rpm from a 3,000 rpm wide open throttle full load condition within a certain period of time after losing all its coolant instantaneously. There were other requirements but I don’t remember what they were. It was to simulate blowing a radiator hose while pulling a heavy trailer through the desert at highway speeds.
I had the engine built, ran the test according to procedure, and proceeded to destroy completely a perfectly good brand new prototype engine. The engine seized completely and the pistons had to be removed with a hammer and a block of wood during teardown inspection.
It was an expensive and embarrassing lesson but I learned it and lots of others over the years on my way to a comfortable retirement.
A “Knowledge Base Library” would have taught me the lesson with destroying an expensive engine, and without the embarrassment. Fortunately, that manager was still at the company and had not yet retired. Later, other retirements cost the corporation lots due to knowledge lost and mistakes repeated. I was never successful at getting company engineers interested in documenting their failures for posterity, no matter where I worked. I’ve got tons of stories like that.
I suspect that Daimler Benz is probably the best “old” automotive company at documenting their engineering history. I doubt, however, that it is organized as a searchable data base.
I now have to go into the garage and remove the lubricant from my recently cleaned, lubricated and reinstalled heater control levers module.
Tom Kizer
-
Yes no lubrication. You will find most machinists agree. Grease attracts dirt and grit causing wear.
-
Thanks all, for the input.
I've waited to do the install of the levers until the "jury among my peers" came back! ha!
I'll leave them dry and clean.
-
Would someone kindly direct me to a step by step procedure of removing old levers and installing new ones?
I'd be much obliged as all four levers on my heater have broken off.
-
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/ReplaceHeaterLeavers
Be prepared to take the dash to pieces. It is almost as bad as replacing the heater core.
-
As a matter of fact, if you are going through all that trouble, it is good to look at the condition of the heater core, the side mounts (a known weak point) and the pan along the edge of the core. Best to get all the work done.
As Garry states, this is a @#$# of a job.