₦airaland Forum

labamba:
Hi Trac,

Really educative reading the whole write up from you.
Wish i came across this way back before now ,
Already bought a V6 ML 350 2006 .
What should i start preparing for ?
I've got ESP/ABS alarm already ?
how do i clear?
Helpppppppppppppppppppppp

I'm sorry for being late on response (I also did not get an e-mail notification).

A lot of things can initial a warning for ESP failure. The simplest of the culprit could be a burnt tail bulb. The ESP is a complex service to diagnose and I would not recommend you warning but a thorough diagnosis. It isn't uncommon for brake failures to occur without warning when you have an ESP malfunction warning on. The E's, SL and other variants with SBC are known to fail without warning or error codes and you have nothing but the engines safely downshifting to one.


Lambamba, take the vehicle for repairs. A complete inspection and replacement of all wear component would have to be done. It will not profit you to delete the error warning. Inspect all bulbs as well.

Sorry for reviving a dead thread --:

All Japanese cars are imitations; the R35 without exception (as being one of the worst). -- lots of x-factors omitted or just not in existence. Not solid for anything but electronics. They are basically tin-cars to get you from point A-to-B and B-to-A. In black and white terms, they are marginally engineered. They are not race-ready too (including the R35). // http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMSuXncquZY


No matter how you polish a Honda or Toyota, 20 years from today, they'll almost be extinct. The C300 will still surf at triple digits effortlessly and still purr as new. This may be hard for the non-MB fans or enthusiasts to come to terms with but drive an old one that is maintained. As of 2005, Daimler spent 1 million British Pounds a day in research. It's more today. No manufacturer in the world spends money as Daimler does.


To the person who stated "there are Benz and the rest", there is some truth to that. In the powertrain (engine, combustion, power delivery and economy) and chassis it stands undefeated. Nobody nor plant makes engines and chassis as Mercedes does. Today, Mercedes Benzes sold are cheap Mercedes. The designs are great but builds aren't due to cost cuts. There are still other cars; don't get short-sighted by MB's.

Frando29:
I just sold my BMW E34.very nice car. Good performance,well balanced and outwits many modern jap cars,but these german machines are not economical.Too many rounds to the gas station unlike my current accord.

It's not one of BMW's many strengths to be gas savers. From what I understand of the E34's, they were not gas savers. So, that doesn't count as a general rule. Did you get a '94 Accord? The Camry and the Accord of the V6 variants of that era were thirsty. Oil was cheap in that decade.

oyewole123:
@TRAC
Good Job u doing here
Saw your response regarding the ML320 2000Model
Pls, does this also apply to the 2006/7 ML series ?? because am about buying one and i hear they are not that reliable, durable for naija road moroever they are expensive to maintain and frequently over-heat
Pls, what is your sincere opinion on this ??
Hope to hear from you soon
Thanks

My response did not apply to the 06/07 models for that's another "kettle of fish." I'm not too familiar with that model because it has never been of interest to me. Owner experiences haven't been too positive either but I can't use that as a standard. These vehicles are designed well but the builds are questionable (in my opinion). Overall, the ML's are nice vehicles when they work and unfunny when they don't. The model years you are referring to are not as old to predict how their maintenance outcome would turn out as they build up on miles. However, I am going to answer your questions as you expect of me.

The 2006/2007 should be fitted with the m_272/273. For this purpose alone, stay away from it. The engine (one of the same) is flawed. The same motor is in the E's, C's and other models too. The repair is very expensive and MB engines from the mid-nineties are not rebuildable due to bias-designs, bias purposes and processes in the building of the block from the factory. This has to do with the shaft that addresses the second order vibrations in the v style engine. There is a quick-fix but it's as using a band-aid on a broken chair. There is a class-action lawsuit currently and many are still doing this repair. There are other repairs too that are expensive but the money isn't the problem, it is the time wasted and the disturbed peace of mind because the maintenance isn't routine. The vehicles are not known to over-heat. In some cases, the supercharged models have the tendencies in extreme heat and traffic.


If you decide to get one:
Avoid the V6's. In actuality, it is not a v6 but a chopped V8. What I know about engine designs, it is worse than the v6 design itself (keep in mind that a v6 is a flawed engine and expensive to correct in research and time). It's been bad news from the m_112's as the shafts barely counters the vibrations of the pistons and it's known to rip out through the engine. Obviously, it's an advance mechanical repair. Stick with a v8 (and that goes for any MB you buy). The difference in miles-per-gallon is 1mpg. Get yourself some control arms as well and a set of replacement suspension. It is designed to go 40,000 and you will have to replace them. It is pricey though ($1800 each and you need 4). I'll recommend an aftermarket brand, cheaper and longer in lasting (about $400 - 500 each). The best route is to repair them yourself (if you know how or someone you know). Set some money aside to fix misc. unexpected issues. It isn't uncommon that they may run into several thousands of dollars. I can't really speak too much since the lifecycle hasn't ended. One thing I will not recommend you to do is to use it as a daily driver (dd).

Stay away from the V6's (no matter the displacement). A 90 degree v6 is just clumsy. The only advantage is the savings in the production costs.


This is a bit offtopic & offthread. If you have such money to spend on a ML, consider the Cayennes. It takes one drive. It is not plastic-like as the Mercedes and you don't have the issues and maintenance bills as the ML's. It's durable and can take serious abuses. In a decade, it'll be lot's of "episodes" cheaper.

In all, if you decide to opt for the M Class, avoid the V6's. In addition to that, it is best practice to avoid the first and second year models.

@Kuntash,


What is the outcome to your wiring loom (harness). Many MB's of the era came with biodegradable harnesses. Before any of the listed services are to be done, be sure to unhook the battery terminals, starting with the positive terminal and reconnecting starting with the negative.

jek1471:
I've always been in love with Benz right from childhood but when I was about acquiring one I was discouraged - people said it consums fuel and parts are expensive. I need more clarification on this.

Benzes don't burn fuel. A Ford and Chevy does. They use a lot of gas and offer you no performance. The have tall gearing, so the faster you coast, the more you save. The tin cars you see on the road are estimated highway miles at 55mph. They are not any better because the chassis is light and the engine is skimmed. Depending on some models, some parts can be expensive. This is particularly true of the normal series. This isn't so in regards to the tuned or wild series.

kuntash:
one again, thanks Trac.

(1) Idle Control Valve
(2) OVP Relay
(3) Fuel Pump Relay
(4) EHA (Electro Hydaulic Actuator)
(5) IAC Valve (Idle Air Control Circuit)

I however do not know where exactly these are, with the exception of the OVP. or maybe I might have seen them but dont know the names.

as rgds MAF, I am sure my car does not have this, I think we have also mentioned it on this thread that some C class do not have MAF . most of the W202 I ve seen always have their MAF positioned on the air inlet path after the air filter chamber., mine there is nothing like that in my model.

the plugs I have in there is less than two months old, I think its even one of the best for Benz in the market , they call it STAR plugs,

as for the OVP, its located @ d passenger side of the hood, a rectangular shinning silver-like relay with a fuse on top, 
My battery is in the booth, maybe I would have to take some pics and show here, 

meanwhile, on the inlet manifold after the throttle head leading to the engine @ the rear, there is a little hose connecting the ECU - when this hose is removed the engine goes off.

also, in the booth there is a black box for fuse, there are about four fuses there currently, one is certainly for the antennae, I dont know what the others are meant for,

as I said, I would take some shots and share here,

Finally, a question, does the Oxygen sensor go bad easily? how many does it have?

thanks

You are welcome Kuntash,



I do remember you stating that it is omitted in your vehicle but logically thinking, it is not possible.  You have an HFM system and it cannot exist without one.  The black runner over the engine block is the HFM runner and how it is missing is a bit difficult to understand.  You don't have the CIS or KE Injection and you separate ignition coils for each plugs thus eliminating the high voltage distributor.  I'll be more than happy to understand what's up.  Something just isn't right.  In my understanding, HFM cannot exist without a MAF due to its nature of operations.  It's probably somewhere else. 

I did not know the 200's had their batteries in the back.  I am not sure which you are referring to.  The OVP fuse and the OVP relay are two different items that must work in tandem.  The one with a 10A fuse mounted on top is not the actual OVP itself but another gatekeeper to the actual OVP.  This one is not necessarily hidden.  The main OVP would be hidden behind a false wall.  That is between the firewall and the dash.  It will have something to the effect of 30A with different 87 variants written on it.  It is airsealed also and when you fiddle with the relay, it should be 9 pins.  This is at the firewall aspect of the passenger's side.  It should be hidden (to avoid heat and moisture.  Push the wall, there is a quasi-plastic barrier. 

The air injection relay is by the firewall at the drivers side (not too far in distance to the speaker dash). 


Care needs to be taken here.  You will need a lot.  Whoever would do this service better not be a novice on Mercedes.  You'll be looking at thousands of dollars to the throttle actuator if anything goes wrong.  It is expensive, so care be taken.


The Idle Air Control Circuit is in the Speed Control Assembly or Electronic Assembly Actuator.  That is, follow the black cross-pipe from the left (facing the engine) all the way to the right.  Where it ends is where the entire family is.  You will have to take the cross-pipe out, then you get to the Idle Speed Control Actuator.  It is mated with to the throttle valve actuator (you'd know because it's a butterfly trap valve) to make a one unified unit.  The Idle Air Control Circuit would be connected to the very bottom of the throttle valve actuator -- not the top. Inspect the hoses for any kind of leaks.


//If you have gunk or oil in this butterfly valve, carefully rid it.  It is not normal.


The Fuel Relay Pump is in the boot at the passengers side to perpendicular to the tail light assembly.  It is by the site of the fuse-box, not to far from it.  It is usually independent of the fuse assembly.  You can't miss it.


As for the EHA, I really can't tell where it is.  It will be labeled on the blueprint tattoo on your engine bay frame. 


Some people claim that O₂ sensors go bad easily and should be replaced every "so" thousand miles.  I never had to do so on any of my cars.  I do the tune-ups and other ignition related systems on my cars and for friends and I never had a need to do so.  I am a very picky person and strict on that note.  I know when a car is running rich or lean, wasting fuel, running poorly or I'm applying a little more throttle pressure than I use to.  My emmisions have all been drastically low compared to the State's expectations.  I don't know what the life-expectancy is.  Well, someone's going to have to put in an input to this.  They're inexpensive.


Did you gap your plugs?  It should be .32mm (if you didn't).

kuntash:
also, in the booth there is a black box for fuse, there are about four fuses there currently, one is certainly for the antennae, I dont know what the others are meant for,

The fuse box in the back is responsible for most of the vehicle's control-systems (including the nannies), headlights, heating/cooling systems and many others.  Electricals are not really my strengths and I tend not to bother with that area, generally.  What I do take concern in is the stability control-systems, ignition control-systems, fuel duties and the batteries to keep them running.  With the few listed, it's more than a hand-full.  Anything else, gets too complicated.  The electronic stability program is complicated on its own, how much more the others.  Besides any of the aforementioned, I'll simply take my car to have it worked on.  It usually spends the night.


I will look into the m111 with respect to the MAF.  The R170 was fitted with m111.  I will let you know what my findings are.  -- might take a while, though.

inene:
can someone out there advice me on the durability of a Mercedes C class Car which has been offered  to me to buy. please  i need some experienced people to talk to me. should i or should i not buy.i am driving a Vbooth Padded 200 which is not giving me any problem but i have been told the C class is a better machine. i am waiting for your kind advice

What is padded?

Who educated you that any C Class is better than the 124 Series models?  The 124's were over-designed and over-engineered.  The C Classes was designed to a price. 

The C Classes (no matter the variant or model) are not durable.  They are reliable but not durable (purpose of conception).  The 124 and all Mercedes before this production (including the 140) were durable.  The 124 is the last durable Merc ever built (alongside with the 140).  Anything close to that is not in the normal series variant.  The last Benz built to a standard is the 123 models.  The E Classes/Series E (124) are effortless in drive and have a big maintenance buffer.  This buffer is not in the C's.  Series 202 is what Mercedes use to usher in their new lean-type of production to be competitive with Lexus (Toyota with a leather sofa). 

The C Class is a good vehicle but no where as what you have. The chassis alone would end this question.  You also need to be careful how you buy Mercedes (and some German cars).  You are setting yourself up if you don't have a repair history.  If you decide to go without a history, deduct.  I don't need to tell you why.  One note to also keep in mind, a cheap Mercedes is an expensive one.  When you need to do the repairs to put it in shape, you'd be feeling the burdens then. 

There's a whole lot to be known in vehicle comparison and the angle of view should be the "not-so-obvious engineering."  That is the engineering that you cannot see but feel.  Use the money to fix your car and make it as new again.  The vehicle was designed as so.

This is like comparing the G Class to an M Class/GL CLass. People aren't getting more for their money these days with the new cars they purchase. The 2006/2007 Civic is worse than the model that it replaced. People actually paid money for a water-down, less engineered model. The torsion-beam suspension was fitted in its rear. Huge profits indeed!

kuntash:
Hi all, I was just looking for where I once complained of a bad idling and load compensation etc, I am sure in some of my earlier posts on this thread,

Alas, I was able to narrow down troubleshooting to the ECU (engine brainbox)

just yesterday, after trying all manner of troubleshooting, and detecting the current doesnt get to the Actuator, the electrical guy says its gonna cost me like 50k, to resolve the problem

Although he didnt tell me it could be the ECU, , I was just discouraged and thinking of 50k after paying the children's skool fees. , if u ask me, eyes don red I would say,

on a second thought my mechanic suggested we try another ECU to see, before u could ask the sellers brought in 2 ECU, the first one failed and worked just as my own, when we tried the second, behold, it worked! loaded the engine (i.e turned on the AC, engaged the gear and turned the steering to the end, ) my RPM was between 600 & 700. and ofcourse was about same when all the load was removed, I did jumped for joy!

this morning, on starting the car, the RPM went up to about 1200 until the temp climbed to about 80 degrees, again, this is very normal, I have celebrated this with Siena, and he understood the technical stuff that happened, and perhaps he or TRAC could say more,

I was glad cos that was what I have been trying to achieve for about a yr now, I knew thats how its supposed to work, and not dragging down when loaded or stalls and sometimes goes off.

I am not exactly sure of the cause of the problem since I had it naija used, but for sure I wont isolate our "re-wire" ,

so Guys learn from this, try as much as possible to follow how Oyinbo people fix there motor and dont listen to comments such as " e doesnt matter" , " it would work like that" , "this one does same work" , etc from mechanics or re-wire. cos they are the genesis of such problem.


Thanks to wonderful guys like Siena & Trac , they did assist with much of the troubleshooting, una well done.

oh! I didnt forget the cost of the ECU, he handed it over when he saw 15k cash, Learnt it was more than this bofore, I cant guarantee he would sell exactly that price in the future,

You have good principles and I like that. You are one of the few Nigerians that I know with this mentality. The right thing will always be the right thing; black or white - night or day. Deleting and omitting without understanding only leads to issues and it gets worse when there are multiple scenarios of that sort. People will think you are stupid or too tight against being liberal but it will indeed save you a lot of headache and money. If anyone would do modifications, the person better be able to explain why from every tangential point of the circle. You just don't omit what the manufacturer put in there. If such a person knew better than the engineers that put the car to production, he/she should have been working there.


Now! You have a bit of a handful on you and I'm not too sure where to begin with. You don't need another ECU. An ECU is a PLC (programmable logic controller) and it is designed to do only what it is intended to do 100% of the time while sustaining abuse, vibrations and other rough conditions. It is not an OS and doesn't use a hard drive, so it would not crash or hesitate. No automotive company would compromise on the development and production of this unit. I don't know of other cars but in a Mercedes, before you fry your ECU, there are two kingpins to defeat before damaging your ECU. One will put you in limp-mode and the other will or may not put you in limp-home mode but cause a bit of poor driveability. The bosses are the OVP and OVP fuse. OVP is overload voltage protector. If the fuse ever burns, you are to do some investigation before replacing the fuse. Look at your engine tattoo to find out where it is. The main OVP itself will limp you home and then disable the engine. Now, you have something serious and the OVP laid itself down at the expense of the ECU. This is designed as mentioned because something critical is going on. The OVP also is known to go bad as well. The OVP is located behind the battery compartment. There is a false wall behind the battery site. Taking it out of place will reveal the ECU and some other components. A white cylindrical component that has a transparent air sealed cover is the OVP. That's all about the ECU.


To address your issue(s) - I do believe that you have a mass-air-meter (MAF). Ask your mechanic to verify this. They are located in one or two places; over the square-block or behind the radiator along side with the fan shroud.


First of all, check your wiring loom (nervous wiring or wiring harness). Some were fitted with biodegradable looms/harnesses and couldn't withstand the heat of the engine bay. Regardless of use or not, they harden with age and become brittle. If that is your case, that needs to be done. Your problems are gone.


If it's all good, inspect all these:

(1) Idle Control Valve
(2) OVP Relay
(3) Fuel Pump Relay
(4) EHA (Electro Hydaulic Actuator)
(5) IAC Valve (Idle Air Control Circuit) - main culprit for rough idling. They crack due to age. The tubes are what I am referring to in this case.



I am more than positive that these are the areas concerned. There is no doubt that I may have skipped one or two - a few maybe or not enlightened about certain aspects of MB's HFM SEFI's operations.

This may sound silly but it may be worth the try. Inspect your plugs. They may be due for replacement. If a gap gets too wide, the ECU will shut that cylinder down to prevent at the expense of the catalytic converter. You are to run hot grade plugs lest you have bad gas mileage and vehicle may not run as designed to.


Let's know what's up.

Cheers.

baby.me:
The end of the world is certainly here. May God help those in the faith to hold on.

The end of the world is not here.  Things will only get worse and at this era of time, we might be witnessing the tip of the berg.  The Bible said we should occupy till He comes.  If the article disturbed you, then you are pretty much "uninformed."  This is not even a shocker, it's a norm.  The question is how low far-down the spiral would man as society deem as depraved? 

We shouldn't refer to non-Africans for I believe Africans are worse.  They just don't receive the media hype as others do. 

http://www.modernghana.com/lifestyle/2059/16/ghanaian-woman-marries-her-dog.html

@Aloy/Emeka

Were you serious about post number 13? Is that a fair generalisation? It's an innocent question.

@Forum,

Are the stats a fair stereotype of the classifications of tribes stated (at least to a certain degree or ratio)? I have reasons to believe so.

KOMBE:
My Benz 190E was as reliable as air, that is simply a machine. The ride can go up to 180km/hr and still has its stability. I bought it at 150,000 miles and sold it at 240,000 miles without changing the engine. I just couldn't see my self watch the new owner drive the ride out of my house as my wife was the one that handed over the car.
I met the new owner 2 years after and the guy was still happy he bought the car.

lastpage:
My most reliable and most cherished car was a Mercedes Benz V-BOOT 230E, American Specs.
It served me faithfully from using it for my wedding till l relocated some 16years later!

Its the sweetest car you can ever drive!
For the first 7years or so, l hardly open the bonnet except when the wiper bottle runs out of water (aside the regular Garrage servicing) and needs a refill.
Its just "Kick-and-Go" and being automatic transmission, its just a glider on the highway!

And l still sold it off, for half a million naira!

Moruofe:
my legezbenz 1985. that car strong die. i still den use am. make i no mention my footwagen 1985. o gbele o

These cars are not reliable. They were never designed to be. Different philosophies, principles and concepts. This is why you till have them and decades after, blown the Bavarian imitations away in the space of time. Those with series 124 had two philosophies integrated and for some model, Mercedes lost a lot of money. The approach to the design is very deep and interesting. The question is "-- most reliable car ever owned?" Those that mentioned the Peugeot are partly correct (or fully wrong).

kuntash:
^^^^^ thanks for this lecture Trac,

I would sure save this for future reference,

where I missed our was to run the engine while the flush was on-going. ALSO IT WAS A MACHINE FLUSH.

would do better next time.

thanks alot.

You are welcome. The reason why it is so is partly because the engines are designed differently from other engines. When you blow your head gasket, you don't loose compression in the cylinders. It is also not uncommon to have some minimal traces of exhaust gases in your coolant. It'll float at the top of the coolant as black powder (at most, a pinch amount size). This is not always the case, but after a lot of hot driving. All these is why from the drain to the coolant refill is done differently.

kuntash:
the RED ABRO radiator coolant product says it has low silicon just as Zerex G-05 recommended by Benz,

please do advice since I can find Zerex product here,,,

thanks

This is good also but you cannot use it for the duration of an MB fluid or Zerex. I'd recommend every year or at best, every 15 months. I do mine every year and I am using Zerex (which MB approves). In addition to that, it's been very hot where in the city where I live and the heat has been triple digits for a few months now and no rain.

kuntash:
update on radiator flush , for those who havent done it before, pls make sure u allow bubbles to escape thru the thermostat hole, ( bleeding) else it would over heat, continue to add water until the water leaves @ the other end with no bubble/air or gas,

this was wat I experienced today, I thought I had done complete bleeding, but later discorvered there were lots of air inside the cooling chamber

This has saved me from explaining certain procedures. I do commend you but I don't know how you did your service. As stated in the other thread, I will detail the procedures.

Let's recap:

Thermostat is partially opened at 85degC and would maintain a modal temp of 85 – 89degC. Thermostat fully opens at 102degC. The electrical fan at stage 1 cuts in at 100degC. Since have a four cylinder square block under Daimler Benz, the mechanical viscous fan kicks in at 102degC. This is for the sake of appreciable power and torque across the rpm band and also fuel economy on overall miles per gallon. In the sixers and eights, the viscous fan cuts in at 95degC. Parasitic loss is not noticeable in the sixers and higher. The electrical fan at stage 2 cuts in at 115degC. At 126degC, your air conditioning cuts off and at 130degC, engine begins to flounder keeping the laws of Heat Transfer. At 135degC and up, your engine overheats.

You will experience all these sequences when you do your flush yourself.

In this service, it is in three stages. Ridding the block off the coolant, removing the oil from the heat and cooling system and flushing the heat and cooling system. It takes me about two hours and half a tank of gas. This is because I am not using any equipment and it has to be thorough and also, the heating cycles have orders and they don’t happen in a minute.

I do mine with my thermostat mounted. Maybe the time would be shorter (from what I am thinking due to certain principles) but I never tried it. Maybe someone will tell me.

You have drained the coolant of the crankcase block, so I need not address that. This is one of the aspects where the pain is. You have to rid it from the whole block and it isn’t too easy doing it the primitive way but with continuous application of water over a period of time in the expansion tank, you should be able to get a steady 3 minutes of just plain water flowing from the bottom drain plug canal. It is at this point you will experience the operations of the cooling system. This also will need you to be cranking the engine and turning off repeatedly.

Te second phase is removing the oil from the heater core and cooling system. You will need a solution that cleans does this. I can’t remember what it is called but it’s inexpensive and I buy it all with the coolants and other accessories. You won’t need much but it’s potent. You mix it with water or seal your drain orifice and pour into your expansion tank and fill with water. Go into your vehicle, set the climate control to neutral (the tab should be white, not blue or red) or warm. If you have a split climate control, set both to white. Crank the engine and closely top the expansion tank as the air comes out. You only have about a minute to two to do this and seal the expansion before it gets hot. Let the engine run for 10 minutes. Since there wasn’t coolant, it is very hot, so you wait a few minutes with the engine off but the system on. In other words, the key is set to ON. This makes the fan run till it cuts off. Then it is quite safe to drain the radiator and block because it is warm. The flushing with water of the radiator and block repeats itself and you have to rid it of the mixture that was in there. The flushing should be done while the engine is running and you stop when all that comes out is water. When done, you should rinse the fin of the radiator (as best as you can). Be very careful as you try to flush the fins so that you don’t wet something that shouldn’t be wet. An extreme example is when your sunroof opens up and your rear windows roll down a bit. This is a safety design by Mercedes and the vehicle thinks you are in water and providing a means for you to escape.

The third phase will be to heat and cooling system flush. This requires a bit more involvement. With the expansion tank open and your source of water ready, crank the ignition and set your climate control to maximum dial (red) and push the defroster button. With the expansion tank being fed with water, you will feed the gas throttle for 15 minutes at 2500rpm. When done, drain the radiator and block and have your coolant mixture ready. You are familiar with this aspect.

kuntash:
update on radiator flush , for those who havent done it before, pls make sure u allow bubbles to escape thru the thermostat hole, ( bleeding) else it would over heat, continue to add water until the water leaves @ the other end with no bubble/air or gas,

this was wat I experienced today, I thought I had done complete bleeding, but later discorvered there were lots of air inside the cooling chamber,

That's very good.

kuntash:
Hello Trac, been a while, happy to inform you that I finally changed the oil - 10-40w as recommended , I did notice the diff in performance, the oil was so light, I was initially scared it would smoke, but no way, it revs and steams good.

on the AC challenge, I did lots of work lately, even though I was discouraged not to bother with d AC wahala as its known to give serious headaches,

I traced consistent leakages to compressor and the evaporator, and have virtually changed everything as @ ystdy, Evaporator, Condenser, drier, and compressor, the only thing I didnt change were the hoses cos they were still very ok, all these is in a bid to break the jinx of MB ac wahala,

so far so good, I think its gonna be ok, would give update in 2weeks,

out to do a radiator flush,

It really is good news to hear that 40 weight oil is what you opted for. The oil aids in the cooling of an engine as well. In the case of a Mercedes, it is a serious precaution because engine runs very hot and the oil after a period of hot runs or frequency of hot runs (110degC and up) would break down prematurely. I've had Mobil1 0w-40 break down on me prematurely. I doubt if the oil was 4 months and I hadn't driven 650 miles on it. I use the 15 months change interval.

Is your A/C evaporator copper tubing type? That is where the Achilles heels to those systems were. The copper manifold never went well with the aluminum cores.

kuntash:
Hi Trac, long time, but is it possible to delete another person's post aside d admin  ?

Anyway Did u get my post on d Mercedes Benz thread ?

Kuntash,

How are things?  One of the moderators deleted it and I reported it.  This is the second post that was deleted since we last discussed.  I acted the fool and kept quiet when it first happened months back.  Now it occurred again.  I took it up to Seun and he restored it.  It is post #8.  I won't fuss with any moderator.  If they feel they have to lift posts out of threads, there are lots of bloated threads available (if they need to get busy doing something).  It's just unethical, filtering threads. 

I just found the thread and I will answer as soon as I have the opportunity. I believe you do the process a little different (maybe it's the same with all cars). You are to clean your cooling system as you do that. I will explain in detail as soon as I am opportuned to. Time at this moment is not on my side but I will explain as soon as possible.

Cheers.

Why would my post be deleted? Nobody has that right to do so.

kandiikane:
Interesting. . Chopped my whole hair last year october it has grown quite alot but can't seem to get products that can maintain my curls. . Any products I get just dry my hair out and it can become a very dry and frizzy. I have tried all sorts for my hair and the only thing that ever works was proline hair softener for men but they have stopped making it.

I use to use pink hair oil when I had perm but it is no use to my natural hair so now I just go on Youtube to get natural hair care info.

Trac do you know any natural hair products that maintain softness and curls?

I tried shea butter no use. .

To be honest with you, I don't know any natural product for hair. Besides the shampoo, if it isn't anything I can ingest, I'm not putting it on my self. That's just my rule of thumb. If the inside is sick, the outside will reflect the inner conditions. My initial response is to the original poster is the only solution I can give to you and it is relatively inexpensive and would not take a minute out of your daily routine, neither will it call for attention. In your situation, it will only be external because you are patching what the real problem is, instead of root-dealing the problem. The body heals itself but can be overwhelmed by lots of external factors that don't get along with the operation of our bodies. Rid your system of the heavy chemicals and restore. For the heavy chemicals/metals, one of the simplest and cheapest way is to introduce cilantro to your diet. I understand Nigerians wouldn't eat raw leafs, so you can steam it mildly or juice it. Watch after 20 days of continuous use! Your body now has the ability to heal itself quick and you will be a lot agile. Getting rid of candida will restore a smoother skin texture and clearer contrast, stop splitting nails and restore hair resilience. Purging yourself of metals and yeasts overgrowth is the only method that will give your body the ability to restore itself to what it is suppose to be.

If you can't eat it, just forget it.

Everybody is responsible for their own vehicle. It is not the mechanic or the service technician. If you are having a fault and you cannot come to conclusions what the problem is, how it came about and the necessary solution, then you are in no position to make statements about incompetencies and refresher courses of a person that has some technical know-how and is willing to work. The best you can do is to encourage them where you can with the least being your word.

Some of you need to start bonding with your own vehicles. It's not the mechanics prerogative. There are people that will purchase vehicles that will fall apart on their own weight (static or in motion) and by default, it is the Nigerian mechanic. You don't have to wait for things to fall apart before correction is done. Nigerians have a habit of using a car till it falls apart, then they are opting another. The maintenance culture is what the problem is and not the mechanics. Some cars are too complicated to own and specific aspects can only be dealer serviced and it is in Nigeria rolling on roads it wasn't designed for and using fuel it wasn't ascribed to. I will not address the issue of flooded cars because I need not elaborate on it. Anyone at 2011 that doesn't understand flooded vehicles are irreversibly damaged is not worth your opinion - how much more time. At this point, New Orleans is flooded some of those cars will be making its way to Nigeria. Then the mechanics are incompetent when symptoms arise and root cause cannot be unearth, so chain-reactions after reactions.

You'd be surprise; ask ten people what the tyre pressure of their vehicles are suppose to be (both at dry weight and optimum weight) and if you are lucky to get an answer, it'll be wrong.

It doesn't matter if you are a professional on cars or the dealer, there are some problems that are just difficult to diagnose. I am referring to the control-systems and/or electrical related problems. That is never the mechanics fault. As the owner, if you don't understand the EMS of your vehicle, how can you blame a person that has a clue? Everybody is busy. You weren't busy when you purchased your vehicle.

Another category of people are those that purchase the high-output high performance or super performance cars and have no clue what the service intervals are. They complain about excessive wear replacements and without timing adjustments, run the vehicle on standard grade gasoline and expect the designed reliability. It becomes another story when it knocks and pings.

In some cases, the "re-engineering." I will not make any references here but there is a post where 40 weight crankcase oil was poured into a Toyota Camry. The engine to begin with is anaemic and has been optimised to yield the performance it states for the sake of fuel economy and reliability. Why wouldn't problems not surface? A vehicle built on a very unorthodox design philosophy (lean manufacturing) that just happens to work. Who knows if the oil met Toyota's minimum requirement? I do know that the weight renders a failed conclusion. But nobody seems to care. As far as oil is concerned, anything goes.

y3mz1:
About the 'trade-off', I'm just trying to grow healthy hair with some length, it's common amongst naturals! So many black woman wear weaves, why shouldn't we attempt to grown our own hair big and/or long

Also, you have assumed that I think your a female just because I have asked about retaining length,
A guy I had a crush not long ago had long well kept hair,

Seriously, I never knew anything about a trade-off. I do know that if you deny your hair sunlight, it frails out and then begins splitting and in some wild cases, hair loss. The vitamins obtained from the sun cannot be substituted or negated. This is also why you use olives to as the constituents in the presence of natural conditions and sunlight integrate seamlessly with hair and scalp. All those nonsense you encounter at the departmental store does nothing but defer your candidacy for dispensing your money later on in life. There are some claims that some have mercury in them. Don't let anyone preach to you that mercury is good for the brain. The evidence will not be far from the person uttering such. I always believed everyone has a hair length that is determined by DNA and you cannot the predetermined. The main thing is to have it as GOD has designed it. The hair for the south-of-Saharan is of two purposes. The first is to cool the hair when it's hot and to trap air in it when it's cold to keep the brain at an acceptable levels of temperature. The s curl, twists or circular pattern is not accidental. It is to control the flow-rate of air thus maintaining an almost steady temperature. I can explain this better through the science of mechanics called Heat Transfer. Weave is just horse tail or hair from cadavers or impoverish people. If you can't help an impoverish person, I don't see where the logic us to purchase their hair in exchange for loose change.

Men shouldn't have long hair. That is just effeminate. It's does nothing but mess with a man's demeanour. The hip-hop culture is not a reflection of the race it portrays, same as rock. It's a fad of decadence and it doesn't appeal to all groups of people.

jovi:
hmmmm.I get the feeling something is seriously wrong with our friend Trac,

Something is wrong with me?!  Let's analyse. 
¹ A simple question is tackled by outline of personal experiences
² Maybe it's because I'm conversing with a female about how to maintain the natural hair after an entire race has been brainwashed that the South-of-Saharan hair is detestably unacceptable and does nothing but mirror primal instinct.  A counsel that Nigerians (after 60 years are not yet to get over anytime soon).
³ I did not prescribe the so-called lab formulae that is the product of minds of mischief that perpetually makes the sub-Saharan female and overstepping men money-machines for the vast majority of their lives.
⁴ Or I was dead-specific on what is right and what not to waste money on to avoid undesired outcomes.


If this thread troubled you, I wonder what your conclusions would be when I begin discussing about health and the human body of we met in person; what to eat and what not to eat and so on.  The best part of it is that they are never opinions but plain scientific facts.  One of the easiest discipline to understand is the your own body.   One thing I know, I can't stand "feminine products" around me.  If I am to give you the lists of what irritates me as per aforementioned, you'd be left with nothing to say.  What I have spoken about is harmless and benefits both genders.

y3mz1:
Enough about macs! Im curious, what's your hair like? [b]Are you interested in length or just keeping a healthy head of hair? [/b]What styles do you favour and what's your texture?

H-mph, I never knew women did a trade-off between length and hair-health. I've learnt something new today.

This is a repost:

I figured you would stereotype me as a female. I am not. It's just one of the things I know how to do and

understand. I've cutting hair since I was 7 years old, fixing and dismantling things to understand how things work.

>> I don't hair-dress (would not) and I rarely spend my time about hair matters. This is why I gave you in black and

white, olive oil and ACV. I counsel some of my female friends on the matter too of au-naturale. I understand the

toxic contents due to the fact that I have some certifications in that field with respect to engineering.


>>I understand your backup method but do not forget, time machine uses an incremental form of backup. The iPhoto '11

was launched with a serious bug that many mac users have complained off. It will basically wipe your picture shelf

clean. If it's been fixed, I don't know.


This has been reposted due to the spam tool's method of inefficiently doing its work badly.

I dropped a post and I got the spambot feedback. I won't repost what I initially posted since there is a possibility that it will resurface.

No, I never considered any hair blog. It is so far from my interest. I am very much into health and well-being. However, there is a possibility that I may make a website about vehicular handling or suspension for autocross or tracking purposes. Maybe, maybe not.

Read the user comments in this link (http://www.bobbyshealthyshop.co.uk/Apple-Cider-Vinegar.php). The very first one.

mike hughes
2010-01-20 09:53:15
I have been searching for apple cider vinegar with the mother for a while, especially in a glass bottle, most peoplem are unaware of the mounting evidence of serious toxins in plastic bottles etc. Thank you for the excellent packaging and prompt delivery. Keep up the good work guys. Warm regards Mike Hughes, London.


This is the FAQ and Intro

What is Natural Apple Cider Vinegar? (ACV)
Natural apple cider vinegar is a traditional product made from freshly crushed, hand picked apples that have been allowed to mature naturally without heat. Unlike all commercial types of ACV, natural apple cider vinegar is not processed or refined and has had nothing added or taken away. Natural ACV is cloudy and contains sediment. It also contains a substance called the ‘mother’ which is naturally produced during the fermentation process.
[back to top]

What is the ‘Mother’?
The ‘Mother’ is essentially enzymes, a natural substance created during the fermentation process of apple cider vinegar. It appears as a cob-web like formation floating in the vinegar. The ‘mother’ is alive and is made up from bacteria, enzymes and living nutrients. Many brands of ACV remove this formation, as to many it would appear that something is wrong with the vinegar, when in fact the mother is the most nutritious part of the ACV and contains the majority of its beneficial properties.
[back to top]

Why is traditional ACV not pasteurised?
Pasteurisation is a process that uses heat to in order to kill undesirable micro organisms and bacteria that can spoil many consumable liquids. This process also destroys many nutrients and enzymes present in the product. Natural apple cider vinegar contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties meaning that it is not necessary to pasteurise and doing so would destroy the ‘mother’. The ‘mother’ is largely responsible for the main beneficial effects of natural ACV. Therefore pasteurised and processed apple cider vinegar (which you will find in most health-food shops and supermarkets) will lose many of its desirable health promoting attributes.

I took some time to go to the store instead of as stated. I have taken some pictures to elaborate on what i am talking about.

Olive oil should be in tinted bottles

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/0bffadfa.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/58b77504.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/26644231.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/24d7fa65.jpg


The following a just a waste of your efforts in most sphere that will concern you. It has been seriously altered from the real thing due to heavy processing. It is also not good for your health as well because most of what makes the oil different from others has been stripped away.

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/14783121.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/ce13477f.jpg


If it doesn't say "cold pressed" in the fore-portion, look at the rear (as the picture denotes)

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/82999e47.jpg

For longer storage, the can would be advisable. This is after the fact that you can 'frigerate it while you use a sizeable portion for the meantime, since it goes rancid easily. If you also choose this method (which is very cost effective), your selected portion to use should be in a tinted glass bottle.

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/2f18a281.jpg


Apple Cider Vinegar

The Bragg product is the best I have ever used. I have tried spectrum but it is not as good but does its work. When selecting your choice of purchase, it should state 'Raw, Unfiltered" and it should have no chemicals to it.

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/d15a7fcf.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/8cfee6dc.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/db9ebbd5.jpg


In terms of shampoo, this is a typical example.

https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/8808d5f3.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/ac43e836.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/f485f578.jpg
https://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h347/dsgnn/901ec6ca.jpg

If you notice, it says no SLS. SLS in your "exploration" will come in two flavours - sodium laurette sulfate & sodium lauryl sulfate. It's basically the same thing but different strokes. In layman's terms (that is making the picture black and white to you), it is what is termed engine degreaser or mechanical degreaser. I guess it makes sense when you use petroleum products on your hair and to rid it off, tyre or engine degreaser would be needed.


You can opt to buy online as well. I did post 365 Products. I will not recommend them to you. I don't like it, I don't like their products due to the fact that I don't really get my money's worth, the olive oil is not the best you can buy for the money and I recommended it to one of my friends and she broke out. There were either presevatives in it or it had gone rancid. I didn't care which of the two.

y3mz1:
Sainsburys is a popular supermarket in the UK.
I checked there today, I guess I'll have to go to a health food store.
Sainsburys had Aspall Organic Cyder Vinegar at £1.19 for a 350ml bottle, but it's not apple, would you say apple is a must?
As for organic olive oil there was plenty in tinted bottles but they didn't say cold pressed on the labels,

Organic Apple Cider not Aspall. ACV does a lot of things. I don't know what Aspall is. I have never heard of such. The distilled ACV or the filtered ACV wouldn't do the job and a waste of your time. The unfiltered ACV has live strains in it. I don't know if £1.19 for a 350ml bottle is expensive but unfiltered ACV is relatively inexpensive here.

As for the olive oil, the process to which it was liquidized is cold pressed, that is heat induced is no higher than 30degC, thus preserving the flavour, antioxidants present and other properties within and nothing is destroyed. For this olive oil, it is also light sensitive, that is why it is in a tinted bottle. This is the closest thing to real olives as you can get.

O, another thing is to look in the cooking section. The process will have to be stated. I will go to the store tomorrow on my way back from church and take some pictures for you. I might go this evening since it might be crowded tomorrow. Anything short of what I have stated is a waste of your money.

y3mz1,


The system for no reason would ban my post and when unbanned, would not release the post made. That explains the repetitions. It is stupid to type something long only to have you banned and your message locked.

Let me know what your outcome is. Your last resort should be jojoba. It's lightweight and would keep moist and lubricated for a lot longer than olive' but in excess will leave you greasy. It is also expensive but not as rich.

The aim of these oils is to lubricate, feed/nourish and replenish. It is not for aesthetic reasons. They all have no side effects. You can use those oils as skin oils (lotion). Your skin would suck it all up within a minute or two.

y3mz1:
Shopping List so far:
Cold-pressed Organic Olive Oil (tinted bottle)
Natural shampoo
Organic raw apple cider vinegar

The info you've given me on the tinted bottle olive oil is very useful, I was using a golden brown colour rice bran

oil (but stopped as I much notice any results apart from greased hair), I'll keep that just for cooking.
As for the apple cider vinegar how is this used? After a shampoo and before oil like a conditioner?

Thanks for your help Trac, these are products I can get in Sainsburys so I'll be getting them sooner than Jan!

The olive oil has to be the extra virgin type olive oil. So, cold-pressed extra virgin organic olive oil that is

tinted. Extra virgin is the unrefined type. Your scalp wouldn't have to produce much of its own oil. The scalp

will also absorb it all and the follicles will not be starved. It will not grease your hair. Above all, make sure

it is not rancid.

The processed or the non-green non-tinted is no good for you. It offers no benefit to your body and to your

cooking. You are better off giving the money away or ripping it in two than purchasing that. Olive oil cannot

stand heat, so if you need a substitute for olive oil in your cooking, try avocado oil. Anything processed is not

good for your body. It will disturb the calcium level in your blood and the statistics will not be good over a

period of time.

Per shampoo/apple cider: Organic raw apple cider that is unrefined. The solution should be brown (in some cases,

the dirty brown type). When you are done shampooing, rinse the hair. Then add apple cider (ACV) to water 50/50

(not too much, just enough to apply to all your scalp and hair with your hand and let it sit for a two minutes or so

then rinse it off thoroughly. When done, apply the olive oil to both scalp and hair. The reason for the ACV is to

remove the dead skin cells that strangles the hair follicles and also remove any phase of dandruff. I said 50/50

for ACV/water. If you are strong enough to handle 100/0, go for it. It's the best. So, the answer to your

question is before oil (like a conditioner).

Olive oil and ACV will restore toughness and thickness to the strand. I don't know if you will like that (my mom

did not) but that is the way GOD made it.

If you take a shower and you are ashy, afterwards, then you need water filter. I don't know where you stay but in

the United States, the water is fluoridated (Fluoride added).

I don't know what Sainsbury is. You can find them at any supermarket/stores or the health food stores.

____Another alternative is jojoba oil. Expensive oil, last a longer longer than olive oil, far stable but isn't

rich in the constituents olive oil possesses. In excess, it will also grease you.


This is the most appropriate for the au-naturale South-of-Saharan woman, this is the natural way to go.

Repeated

Post number 5.

The spam tool used is a total joke. It shouldn't be used at all if it isn't fully understood.

@Y3MZ1

Organic Olive Oil that has been cold-pressed. It should be in a tinted bottle and check to see the date to ensure it hasn't gone rancid. They are pretty unstable after a while, so I recommend you refrigerate the latter volume to preserve it while it is unused and use on a volume by volume basis. This way, the whole bottle doesn't go bad if conditions demand.

Shampoo - should be sulfate-free,free from parabeans, alcohol, petroleum poducts and other artificial ingredients. In addition to that, organic raw apple cider vinegar (unfiltered). When done, apply the olive oil after rinse.

Shea butter is a joke compared to oil. You wouldn't sweat in hot or humid environment as a result of the oil. Olive oil is light sensitive, so it must always be in light resistance medium. Do not go for the bleached processed oil (golden colour). It should be olive green in colour. You are better of with nothing that to make such compromise.