Can anyone help a poor soul?

[nafianna]

Hi All,

First post here, and it's one of desperation. I'm looking for a starter motor for a 1972 280SE 3.5 W108. I have a car sitting in a driveway looking very very forlorn and am at my wits end. The cost of a part from Stuttgart is over €1000 all in and I was hoping to source an aftermarket / recon / used part but haven't a clue how to go about it. Can anyone help a financially embarrassed person please? I'd really appreciate advice or guidance. As insane as this may sound the car is my only transport and I'm stranded till I get sorted. I've seen very inexpensive parts on US sites but believe the starters for LHD are different to what I need for my RHD car.

Many thanks
B

 

[television]

Its possible that your stater just needs new brushes if it has stopped (makes a click but does not turn the engine) and that is an easy job that cost almost nil £

Malcolm

 

[nafianna]

Thanks for the advice Malcolm. When I turn the ignition to 3 to start the engine the only noise I hear is the fuel pump, I can't hear anything from the starter - not even a click. Would you know of any suppliers of recon or used parts of this kind?

Many thanks
B

 

[Chazchuzzlewitt]

I've heard other advice of giving it a bit of a whack if it's stuck...

if that doesn't work GSF car parts list a starter for the 107 model, same year as yours for £40, part no. M90150. I don't know if it's the same but I know these cars shared a lot of common parts accross the ranges... if you give them a ring they're usually pretty helpful.
You could aslo try Mercman in southampton, he might have one on the shelf.

 

[television]

Lots of helpful points in Chazs's post, to test the starter in situ you have two terminals on the rear,if you short them together or run a another cable from the battery to the small terminal, and just touch it on the end, that would prove the point.

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

Most towns have a number of small recon shops. I had the bearings and brushes changed on an alternator once. Pulled up outside, they pulled off the alternator, whipped it inside and refitted it an hour later, good as new. The cheapest option is probably to get yours reconned I would have thought- that is, once you've fully tested it.

 

[television]

Most towns have a number of small recon shops. I had the bearings and brushes changed on an alternator once. Pulled up outside, they pulled off the alternator, whipped it inside and refitted it an hour later, good as new. The cheapest option is probably to get yours reconned I would have thought- that is, once you've fully tested it.

Those were the days when you could pop into your lucas dealer, buy the bearings and brushes, you could buy different jets for your carb, yes I enjoyed those days, but in reallity our car needed a rebore at 22k the tyres could be re cut. I used to carry a brick in the back of my Standard Vangaurd, as it had a broken rear spring and the rear axle would slide along the spring making the car go along crab wise making it very hard to drive through a given gap. driving into the brick moved the axle back to the correct place.

No MOT ,No brakes No one cared very much, were they good old days ?

Malcolm

 

[nafianna]

Thanks for the help guys. I tried GSF who had a branch nearby but as seems to be my luck , they don't carry any parts for the 108. The 107 starter isn't compatible by all accounts. Waiting for Mercman to call back.

Failing that it looks like the summer holiday gets put on hold and the credit card goes radioactive. Again.

Cheers.

 

[television]

Thanks for the help guys. I tried GSF who had a branch nearby but as seems to be my luck , they don't carry any parts for the 108. The 107 starter isn't compatible by all accounts. Waiting for Mercman to call back.

Failing that it looks like the summer holiday gets put on hold and the credit card goes radioactive. Again.

Cheers.

If there is no click when key is turned, it normally show that the solinoid is at fault, this part is often compatable with others in the range, very simple to repair.

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

Those were the days when you could pop into your lucas dealer, buy the bearings and brushes,
No MOT ,No brakes No one cared very much, were they good old days ?

Malcolm

It wasn't THAT long ago!! - early 90's maybe! I admit it's been a while since I needed their services but these repair shops must still be around, surely! You know the kind, shop unit on a parade, pull up outside, some scruffy oik compes out with the wrong size spanners, lays in the gutter, removes your old unit and pops in a reconned one that they've fixed upstairs. They didn't have a replacement for mine in stock, so did my own unit.

No MOT ,No brakes No one cared very much, were they good old days ?
Malcolm

I often wonder! Some of the death traps I trundled around in over the years, stretching the road tax out an extra couple of months each time, ....

 

[nafianna]

Mercman has called back (thanks Chaz) and seems to have the part I'm looking for. I won't count my chickens as yet but if it's what I need you guys have saved me over £550. Next time one of you are in Ireland the Guinness is on me.

Many thanks
B

 

[74merc]

if mercman doesn't work out try www.classicmercedesbenz.co.uk
i bought some parts for my 250ce and found him very reasonable.