neanderthal - I've been getting myself familiar with the tech articles at mercedesshop.com.
but not just the tech articles. read a tech article then do a search for M104 or W124 or 300E, pick a thread, read and digest. learn as much as you can. theres a lot of people out there who like to just ask questions but not use the search function. just about anything you need to know about em has been asked and answered.
learn the most common faults of the above mentioned three search items. see what has been done on your car, and anticipate whats to come. remember prevention is better, and cheaper, than cure.
How cold should it run usually? It hovers between 80 and 100 degrees celsius, depending on whether or not I'm on the highway. I don't see any oil in the expansion tank yet, so that's a good sign. And, the AC blows nice and cold. That makes me happy in the 103 degree Kansas City weather.
for AC, i dont like to move it about a lot. i set it at 75 which is cool enough on hot days and warm enough on cold days. i leave it on EC as much as possible, (no compressor engagement, just fan) and then when i think its unbearable ill engage the actual AC by pushing the button to the left of the EC button. ill usually also recirculate the air (circular notation above AC controls. near hazard switch. recirculate stays on if compressor is engaged but will disengage after ~5 minutes if the compressor isnt.) same for fan speed, just leave it on auto.
anything below 120 is fine. but you dont want it sitting near 120 for extended periods. on
great thing about these cars is the the temperature gauge is a real gauge, not a dummy one that doesnt move if the temp falls within certain parameters. learn to watch it.
most people freak out about temps that are over 100. not a big deal. the cooling system is pressurised. that increases the boiling point of water. also, the antifreeze/ coolant in the system increases boiling point. your aux fans should come on when the AC is on or when the temps get to about 105. you can hear/ feel them come on. as long as they come on when they are supposed to you should be ok. they go off at just below 100, i think 95.
of course it neednt be said that as soon as you see your temperature spike you need to turn your heater on, full blast. that should help to cool it.
in my car (which still needs head work, eats oil (a quart/ 1000 miles is acceptable according to mercedes BTW, mine is less than that) and still needs infrequent water added) runs mostly water in summer (water has greater heat dissipation than coolant. i dont need to worry about below freezing temps in so cal.) and i add some anti freeze when it starts to get cold.
one thing to look out for vis a vis temps is that stop and go traffic will not allow adequate air to pass and help in cooling. so your transmission may get really hot but you wont know coz the gauge is for engine temps. so try to keep moving coz you dont want heat soak. not that that should be a problem. the 722.4 is a tough, reliable transmission. but remember than if youre stopped and your temps are high but "acceptable" that the transmission isnt necessarily getting the best deal there. i leave a braking space in traffic so im usually creeping anyway.
I'm very happy with it. I still marvel at the fact that the windshield spray comes out in the shape of the VW logo.
you can adjust the spray pattern by inserting a small sharp object like a pin in the nozzle and orienting it where you want it to spray.
one thing that i do, that everyone should do, is when i first turn my car on, instead of just starting the car, i turn the key to where the lights all come on. you can hear the fuel pumps come on by the hissing sound near the RR wheel. this pressurises the fuel system and fuel is ready to be immediately injected. they only go for a second or two, and shut down. then i crank it. makes for faster, easier starts than just cranking it. gets oil pressure built up quicker too when the car starts quicker. less wear on bearings.
What to name the wagon? Hmm.. I'll think about that. You guys kindly suggested this vehicle, can you help me name it?
Nice, clean looking car. đź‘Ť
