For classic car owners there are certain topics that consume the internet in both the form of questions and answers. Topics such as “What fuel to use? What octane? What brand of oil? What weight...
PART 1 Now that we are officially into summer, at least in the northern hemisphere, there is no better time to talk about air conditioning. This week we will cover the A/C system in the 1975 Mercedes 450SL. To start we will work backwards in our process of restoration and installation. The...
For 1975, U.S. buyers were privileged to an all new feature—emissions! Yes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, required that all cars be fitted with an emissions system to hep curb exhaust pollutants. With the on set of the new government requirements, auto makers scrambled to get...
REFRIGERENT r12 or r134 In our second part of the Mercedes 450SL air conditioning restoration, we will focus on prepping the system for freon. The 1975 450SL I am restoring, had the original compressor with r12 refrigerant. While it had long since leaked down over the near decade of sitting,...
I was recently asked if I would write an article on spark plugs and wires. Like tires, additives, cleaners, batteries, etc., we have so many choices and each with a claim to be the “best.” So just where do we begin to get the right product for our classic Mercedes? The best place to start is at...
As we progress on our journey through the 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450SL, it is important to look at the D-Jetronic or D-Jet fuel injection system. With these systems aging and parts needing to be replaced, it is a good time to look at the general function of this system and the various components....
The early Mercedes 450SL power steering system is very robust and quite simple. The other positive is, pumps, hoses, steering boxes etc., are all available should the need arise. Several things that all power steering systems need on a regular basis is to be checked for fluid. While the power...
Part of Mercedes maintenance is to make sure your Mercedes camshaft oilers are not clogged. The two camshaft oilers are not at all complicated to clean and change out and if you are uncertain of when the plastic oiler fittings were last changed, you should do so immediately. THE OILER TUBE...
When it comes to working on your classic or any model year car for that matter, it will generally save you a significant amount of money. As I have mentioned in prior articles, it also gives you full opportunity to learn the ins and outs of your car. Today we will jump into the removing the...
Eventually you will more than likely need to remove your fan and fan shroud from your Mercedes 450SL. It is not difficult but does require removing a number of items to accomplish the task. To get started, a little coolant will need to be drained from the radiator via the drain plug at the...