W124 door locks

[White230CE]

Thanks Malcolm, Dec and Number Cruncher. I will try as suggested and report back.

If I succeed in freeing the locks, what is the name of the special grease I should use please, and where can I get it?

 

[Number_Cruncher]

This is a close approximation to the correct grease; (It's the Fuchs grease as sold for Land Rovers with Huf locks)

http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=97809

I don't know if there's a MB equivalent, or, if you need to buy 1kg of the stuff for silly money!

 

[White230CE]

Thanks Number Cruncher. I will try and find out.

When I get some, do I just push into the keyhole and squirt it in?

 

[silver fox]

Hi there 3ps,
Before you go ordering a lock, take it into a MB dealer.

I had exactly the same problem with mine, one day it worked and then stopped working completley, but would open fine from the passenger side.

Took the car to MB for something else, and when we picked it up, the door was working fine, at no cost, so i have no idea what they did with it????

I had tried wd40 etc to no avail.

Good luck
SF

 

[television]

MB used white grease on door locks,,it must be lightweight so the the tumblers do not stick

 

[Dec]

Locks that are rarely used will seize up and this has been shown to be the case in many posts.

As to what to use, there are a lot of differing opinions:

WD40, originally a water repellant, developed for the space shuttle, hyped up so much now that everyone seems to use it for just about everything. (I’m putting it in my tea at the moment, as a laxative to see if it’ll will work)

3 in 1 oils, maybe it is better stuff, it’s been around for years. It’s also owned by WD40

Graphite powder, delivered by air pressure, a puffer, so might not get to all the places inside a lock that you might want it to go.

Silicon spray doesn’t seem to dry out as much as oil.
.
PTFE, not mention as a lubricant for locks at all.

Thick grease, I think is best of all but hard to deliver to the places inside a lock barrel and mechanism unless the lock is dismantled.

Spray grease, maybe a better alternative to thick grease.

Spray type Silicone Lubricant, Penetrating oil or WD40 seem to me to be the best candidates for the job because the are all liquid and can be forced sprayed into the lock.

In all cases, putting a lubricant onto a key in order to lubricate a lock is not affective at lubricating all of the locks moving parts.

Does it really matters what is used to lubricate a lock as long as it is going to make the moving parts of the lock slippery and doesn’t dry out too quickly.
The only way to ensure that a lock is in good working order is to lubricate and work the key in the lock regularly, perhaps 2 to 3 times a year.

WD.40… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40
3 in 1oils… http://www.3inone.com/products/
Graphite powder… http://www.graphitetrading.co.uk/53028.html

Dec

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>do I just push into the keyhole and squirt it in?

Yes, 2 grammes is the right dose for a lock.

White grease, as mentioned by Malcolm is OK to use if you can't get hold of the Fuchs grease, and is much better for the lock than WD40 or graphite.

 

[White230CE]

"I’m putting it in my tea at the moment, as a laxative to see if it’ll will work"

Try Optrex instead. One teaspoon makes the moving parts of the lock slippery, so to speak... However, there is no warning of imminent release...

 

[brianbrian]

I put grease into a hypodermic needle that I got for free when I took the dog for her yearly booster works a treat hope this helps.

 

[television]

>>do I just push into the keyhole and squirt it in?

Yes, 2 grammes is the right dose for a lock.

White grease, as mentioned by Malcolm is OK to use if you can't get hold of the Fuchs grease, and is much better for the lock than WD40 or graphite.

Surely graphite must cause excessive wear in the long run

 

[teddycatkin]

If you dont want to spend any money at all look in your medcine cupboard ?
-use vaseline-it can be warmed up and squirted in too-works a treat on all locks and also repells any moisture.

 

[television]

If you dont want to spend any money at all look in your medcine cupboard ?
-use vaseline-it can be warmed up and squirted in too-works a treat on all locks and also repells any moisture.

Not sure about that in the cold weather, could it not make the tumblers stick

 

[White230CE]

I put grease into a hypodermic needle that I got for free when I took the dog for her yearly booster works a treat hope this helps.

Is this in relation to laxatives or locks?

 

[White230CE]

Reporting back: The passenger lock has freed up and the key now works in it. Fantastic.

Just waiting for the driver's lock now.....

Thanks once again.

BTW, I used WD40.

 

[television]

Reporting back: The passenger lock has freed up and the key now works in it. Fantastic.

Just waiting for the driver's lock now.....

Thanks once again.

BTW, I used WD40.

Pleased its all working but you must follow it up with a lubricant,,PTFE is a very light weight one

 

[Dec]

That’s good, your halve way there. Another idea for you, I am assuming you are able to get a hairpin inside the drivers door lock.

If you have an electric toothbrush, remove the brush and push the toothbrush “driver” on to the hairpin, pressing downwards and then upwards, the vibrations of the toothbrush motor will travel through the hairpin and throughout the lock, these vibrations can contribute to dispersing the oil by giving the lock and its levers a good shaking and might help to accelerate the process.

Dec

 

[White230CE]

After a couple more days of WD40, used a paper clip manually - didn't have an electric toothbrush. A little wiggle, tried the key, and after two stages of resistance, eureka!

Key and driver's door lock have now resumed conjugal relations! :mrgreen:

Thanks Dec!

Have emailed my local Merc dealer about the Fuchs grease, but no reply yet. (He normally does reply).

 

[White230CE]

I found a reference online for Mercedes Lock Cylinder Grease 001 989 26 51 10 in relation to a seized ignition on an ML.

My local dealer says their greases are not model specific, so I guess this will be the one.

It's £8.75 plus VAT, whereas the Land Rover version is about half the price. I presume it's for similar quantities, but if not, I can't see that I would need more than what Land Rover offers.

Do you think it makes any difference whether I get the Merc version or the Land Rover version?

Thanks

 

[television]

For years white grease was used by MB, it is a very lightweight substance, also was used in japan for electronic/mechanical systems.

But time passes on and we have things like PTFE. I have used it on my cars and house locks, it stays moist and is very lightweight, and the tumblers will not stick, it makes all locks so silky smooth. Silicon is too heavy in its present forms

 

[Number_Cruncher]

Thanks for finding the MB part number.

>>I presume it's for similar quantities

Why not ask your dealer?