WeaponsGradeCode

We acquired the Mercedes with the following bumper problem:

I wasn’t going to drive it until I got a new bumper but came up with this quick fix using zip ties:

 
This will last another year so we can get more urgent maintenance tasks done.

Most Mercedes from the early ’90s employed soy based biodegradable wire insulation. It seems to hold up well around the car with the exception of the engine bay, likely due to the heat. My ’94 SL600 is of the afflicted. Had it been any other car it’d be scrapped but this is 6.0L V-12 Mercedes Roadster so I’ll try to save it.

There are six harnesses that must be replaced:

• Top main engine harness controlling the fuel injectors, camshaft position sensors, and temperature sensor.
• Two mass air flow sensor cable sets (one each side)
• Two throttle body cable sets (one each side)
• Lower engine harness controlling starter and oil pressure.

Here’s the first video demonstrating the removal of the harness:

Here’s a video with the tools and techniques used to get the harness out:

Here’s a doumentary video of the stock harness configuration and damage:

This post is to expand a bit on MB SL600 7,2 Väth’s excellent DIY on this topic.

Remove the four nuts in green first. The right one is to give the hydraulic pipes play to get the accumulator out. With some aggression you can safely remove the accumulator and its base frame. Replace the accumulator by removing its screws in red on the bench with a vice.

Be sure to get new copper washers when mating the old hydraulic adapter and the accumulator.

Picked this rig up from my dad for a fair price considering its challenges. If it were any other car it’d be scrapped, but this is a Mercedes Benz V-12 convertible roadster with 400 HP and 400 lb/ft torque. I thought it deserved a second chance.

Known issues are:
Bad wiring harnesses.
A couple oil leaks.
ADS suspension’s failing.
Needs a new bumper.
Needs better looking wheels.
A lick of paint below the belt line.
Everything else works and it’s fairly low miles.

I’ll be documenting the progress here.