1989 300CE - a few questions...

[Ken2007]

Hi

Just been looking through some of the previous topics covered on this forum and was encouraged to send through a couple of my own questions to see if anyone can help!

I bought my second MB at the end of last year, having sold my first one (1996 SL320) a short time before that. I loved that car, and still do. Anyway.... circumstances dictated that I bought myself a more modest MB and spend the rest of the cash on a boring Lexus IS for the wife. I plumped for the 1989 300CE - a good looking car with all the modern comforts i needed but at a reasonable price. I really enjoy owning and driving it but it does have a couple of idiosyncracies that either add or detract to the pleasure, depending on my mood! What follows is a summary - any advice would be gratefully received:

1 - when i bought it i was promised the service history and manual. I have all MOT certificates and it's HPi'd, but despite chasing the seller he has 'not managed to find it yet'. Does anyone know how, and how easy, it would be to purchase another user manual for a 1989 300CE?? I have questions that I can't answer without a manual, things like identifiying the warning lights in the dash. I can guess, but would rather know for sure!

2 - Sometimes, and I can't work out a theme or link, when i unlock the car via the driver's door the petrol cap does not release or unlock and makes a hissing noise. Thanks to this forum i now know i can probably manually release it, but does anyone know an official cause/solution? It's not consistent, and i dont really know how i get it released, beyond lots of locking and unlocking of the drivers door and waggling of the (locked) petrol cap

3 - oil pressure is low once the engine is warm and the car is not moving. it sits on the '0' reading but then goes right back up to 3 under acceleration. occasionally there is a discernable shudder through the car when sat in traffic (in drive, not moving) but in park the pressure rises to around 1. any ideas?!

I should really leave it there for now..i have more questions but dont want to; (a) bore people to death (b) take the p*ss by asking too many questions or (c) appear completely thick. or all of the above. as you can tell, i'm not a techie

one other thing to point out is that it's just been mot'd and passed without anything of note. and a mechanic i know fairly well (and therefore almost trust) has given it the once over and said all is well. it's covered 70,000 miles.

thanks in advance for your help

cheers

ken

 

[BlackC55]

Hi

Just been looking through some of the previous topics covered on this forum and was encouraged to send through a couple of my own questions to see if anyone can help!

I bought my second MB at the end of last year, having sold my first one (1996 SL320) a short time before that. I loved that car, and still do. Anyway.... circumstances dictated that I bought myself a more modest MB and spend the rest of the cash on a boring Lexus IS for the wife. I plumped for the 1989 300CE - a good looking car with all the modern comforts i needed but at a reasonable price. I really enjoy owning and driving it but it does have a couple of idiosyncracies that either add or detract to the pleasure, depending on my mood! What follows is a summary - any advice would be gratefully received:

1 - when i bought it i was promised the service history and manual. I have all MOT certificates and it's HPi'd, but despite chasing the seller he has 'not managed to find it yet'. Does anyone know how, and how easy, it would be to purchase another user manual for a 1989 300CE?? I have questions that I can't answer without a manual, things like identifiying the warning lights in the dash. I can guess, but would rather know for sure!

2 - Sometimes, and I can't work out a theme or link, when i unlock the car via the driver's door the petrol cap does not release or unlock and makes a hissing noise. Thanks to this forum i now know i can probably manually release it, but does anyone know an official cause/solution? It's not consistent, and i dont really know how i get it released, beyond lots of locking and unlocking of the drivers door and waggling of the (locked) petrol cap

3 - oil pressure is low once the engine is warm and the car is not moving. it sits on the '0' reading but then goes right back up to 3 under acceleration. occasionally there is a discernable shudder through the car when sat in traffic (in drive, not moving) but in park the pressure rises to around 1. any ideas?!

I should really leave it there for now..i have more questions but dont want to; (a) bore people to death (b) take the p*ss by asking too many questions or (c) appear completely thick. or all of the above. as you can tell, i'm not a techie

one other thing to point out is that it's just been mot'd and passed without anything of note. and a mechanic i know fairly well (and therefore almost trust) has given it the once over and said all is well. it's covered 70,000 miles.

thanks in advance for your help

cheers

ken

Hello and welcome,

1. You can get a new manual for your car from a dealer but be prepared to wait a while for one.

2. Hissing sound from filler cap is probably a vacuum leak from the vac device that controls it. have a poke around and see what you can see.

3.The oil pressure sounds ok but its difficult to know without seeing it. But the shuddering sounds like a possible missfire or maybe gearbox problem. More info????

Hope this helps

 

[RGubbioli]

Shuddering could also be worn engine or gearbox mounts

 

[Ken2007]

another (basic) question

My warning light for low water is coming on - not constantly yet but i figure i need to do something about it sooner rather than later. Not having had a chance to order a manual i am still completely clueless with regard to the basics...hence...

where do i find the water tank/water tank opening for me to refill??? Hugely embarrasing to have to ask this question, but there you go. I want to make a big trip in it tomorrow am so need to get some water in the thing before setting off. I've spent about 30 minutes staring under the bonnet but am b*ggered if i can find it! i can see all the other bits and pieces and how to fill them up, but can't work this out.

Thanks

Ken

 

[television]

The web site with the pics is down tonight, I think it should be inside the front wing on the left when standing at the front. the header tank has a standard filler cap, the pipe coming out of the header tank goes back to the rad