Clock Replacement

[Lukas]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is having a good break. I've finally got some time off, so am trying to sort some issues in the green 450, which brings me to.....the clock.

It is the full clock version (no mini-clock inside the tacho), and it is broken. The motor is spinning away dilligently, but one of the gears has a snapped shaft so the drive doesn't make it to the hands. It's a sealed unit (held together by stamped metal), so pulling it apart will be a pain, and fixing the snapped shaft will also be a pain. So:

1. Does anyone have a cheap-ish working clock they wanna sell me (there's a used one on eBay for $45 that might do as a last resort, a bit steep given it may break tomorrow), or
2. I have 2 spare dashes, both with the tacho-clock combination - how hard is it to fit a tacho to a non-tacho car?

I'm not fussed about having a tacho or not, but if I put one in it should work! What's needed in terms of wiring, a pickup somewhere, etc?

Ta

Lukas

 

[motec 6.9]

Hi Lucas not sure but is should only need a pickup from the distributor. If in doubt is the Bosch instrument business still oposite the Dickson tradies in Canberra the fix cab meters. Geoff

 

[Styria]

Lukas, your question regarding the tachometer would probably be best answered by an Auto Electrician. Unfortunately, my guy is on holidays at the moment. Michel also has access to a good guy, and he may be able to consult him on your behalf. I do have his phone number, but Michel knows him better.

Unfortunately, I only have the later model clocks on hand, with the inclusion of the rev. counter. In my opinion, the later model arrangement is perhaps a little more attractive. BTW, the price of $45.00 is reasonable for the early full face assembly. I'd imagine that they would become difficult to get hold of now. Regards Styria

 

[Lukas]

Hi all,

Update: finally got some work done on the green car! Ended up doing:

• Replaced the clock with a tacho/clock combination from one of my parts car dashes - the tacho just needs +12v (stolen from the cig lighter, as it only has +12V when the ignition is on), and a signal from the LHS of the ignition coil.
• Fixed the odometer - apparently a common problem where a cog spins on the shaft that the odo numbers are on.
• Repainted all the dash gauge needles - some were burnt, faded or had paint falling off
• Installed an immobiliser! Miraculously, this worked first go. I am stoked. All the pins on the plugs in the car fit the bullet connectors you get at Autobarn etc, so I just made an intermediate wiring harness that plugged into the existing car harness - no wire cutting, and I can remove it later if I need to. Even put the immobiliser LED into a spare slot in the row of lights below the dash!
• Installed electric central locking - two of the vacuum ones weren't working, and I wasn't interested in chasing vacuum leaks. Electric of course also works with the immobiliser.

All quite productive really, but a very sweaty experience with it being so hot here lately.

Lukas

 

[mrkozzy]

Interested in any info about your electric central locking installation.

Brand?
Price?
Suitability?
Performance?

food for thought...........cheers

 

[Lukas]

Brand: can't remember sorry, but it was a $40 kit from Autobarn. It links in to the immobiliser, so that the doors lock/unlock via the immobiliser's remote

Price: $40

Suitability: Generally working well, but see below. I had to drill a small screw hole in each back door to mount the solenoid, otherwise used all existing holes. Longest part of the install was running the wires through to the doors from the pillars (small rubber tube you have to get them through).

Note that this car has manual windows, so lots of room in the doors. Power window models may be harder to get access, but from memory the power windows should not interfere with the solenoid placement (no guarantees). Solenoids were always mounted at the trailing edge of the door.

Performance: Good so far. I've the same kit I think in my Commodore, it's been going for probably 10 years now with only one solenoid replaced (under warranty!).

There is an issue at the moment where the front passenger door does not unlock all the way. As both front doors are sensor ones (they will lock/unlock all doors if locked/unlocked themselves), the seonsor notices this and then relocks all the doors. The root cause is the Mercedes mechanism is a little stiff, which I need to fix. In the interim, plan is to disconnect the sensor wires, so that at least the other 3 doors stay open.

Hope that helps.

Lukas