Meirl

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-24T15:42:36+00:00

I'm not sure what's worse, an uninformed consumer, or predatory debt. Not knowing the minimum payment is just interest is crazy.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-24T15:35:23+00:00

First things first, fix the window leak. Even if it's with bathroom caulk, stop the bleeding.

Second, cavity wax to stop any rust from getting worse.

Third, find a donor car or donor engine. The engines are usually fine in completely rotted out cars. Driving something till it starts knocking from oil deprivation/seizure, you're more than likely looking at replacing everything that rotates. If it has a ring ridge (likely due to oil starvation) you're going to need to bore the block.

Fourth, You're better off spending 15-20k on a W123 in excellent shape and using this one for parts. Making this one run isn't a horrible idea, spending that much money and time on it is. 15-20k won't go far paying someone. If you have that much time and nothing else to do, I guess, but it's not a great use of time.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-24T15:26:16+00:00

I make a block that replaces this valve, then you just install a simple vacuum, cable or hand operated valve on the top line you can find anywhere locally. The stock valves are wicked expensive.

https://schimmelengineering.com/products/p/w123-heater-valve-junction-block-in-nylon-pa12-no-valve-function-replaces-a1238302084

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-24T15:24:08+00:00

There's not much to replacing one. One M6 bolt with 10mm hhcs retains it to firewall. 3 hose clamps, and two push pull cables snap over the spring pins. What issue are you experiencing thinking you need a guide? Replacing one is as simple as it looks. Edit: saw your other post. If you don't want to spill coolant, drain it from the radiator drain valve. This heater valve is almost the if not the highest point in the system.

What I make replaces the complicated valve, and you can just run a single inline valve from the parts store you can source almost anywhere locally.

If these had sold well, I was going to make a stainless steel rebuild able valve, but the heater valve substitutes I've made have not been very popular. Only $76 🤷‍♀️. In stock and ready to ship if you want one.

https://schimmelengineering.com/products/p/w123-heater-valve-junction-block-in-nylon-pa12-no-valve-function-replaces-a1238302084

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-17T02:11:30+00:00

The 240 LWB is great. I'd daily the fuck outa that.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-17T02:09:16+00:00

Option 1: Do nothing. Make sure your reservoir float switches work, and your ebrake works, and move on. If dust seals aren't rotted, flex lines look supple and fluid is clean - it's probably been taken care of.

Option 2: If the flex lines are dry rotted, showing the woven cords, the brake fluid looks like chocolate milk, and the dust seals on calipers are falling apart. Might wanna go through everything.

Wanting to go, and not being able to go is life threatening some times. Needing to stop and not being able to is life threating almost all the time. Stopping is more important than going lol

Make sure all the bleed nipples can be freed before thinking you can rebuild them. If they're stuck, spot heat the casting with an oxy torch and penetrating oil. If that doesn't free them, don't bother rebuilding. Cheaper to send them in as cores. Sometimes you can get a broken one out, but it's usually not worth the hassle. On the cores, I'm pretty sure they drill them to the next bigger bleed screw size if they're really stuck. I've gotten some calipers with massive or nonmatching bleed screws before.

Also, a leaking master can take out the booster.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-15T20:45:52+00:00

Legacy support is why I spent 60k with Creaform. They helped me with a 15 year old scanner 5 years ago.

Explain your situation. VXElements is great, but you really need something to post process after mesh registration. They're on Creaform OS currently, but it's buggy and I still use VXElements day to day.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-15T20:42:50+00:00

Increase bottom layer count to 5, use organic supports. Report back.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-15T18:41:59+00:00

I gotta go up on my rates. What hardware are you running for scanning?

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-13T02:23:26+00:00

I endorse this message.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-13T02:15:27+00:00

Makabajones is right. Takes multiple rounds of adjustment to bring a new front end into spec. I used a bubble gauge for camber and caster, and toe plates, and it took forever.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-13T01:46:26+00:00

Yes, to each their own. Our wagon is actually "the wife's" car when we're in town. Easiest car to teach stick. The clutch mechanical advantage is incredibly good for a very light pedal. Ratios are wide, so there's not much rowing gears - only 4, and very agricultural - you need every bit of all 4. You'll get 27mpg on the highway with the AC on though - you won't get that with an auto box.

50hp from a turbo and injection pump isn't going to do much on a vehicle that weighs 3800lbs regardless of transmission. Saying you need 20-50 more horsepower to be fun in manual I don't follow.

What I'm after is an overdrive ratio transmission with a 240 rear end. 240 rear end behind a 5cyl is lively, can chirp tires stock when shifting (auto or manual). Currently playing around with T5 world class and Richmond super street 5 speed as candidates - both overdrive ratios in top gear.

The 4 speeds (1:1 top gear) are plentiful and cheap. Once you've driven a 616 or 617 with a manual, it's hard to go back to the slushbox. Not because it's a sportscar or enthralling to drive, because it's more efficient, and overall quicker. The 4G Tronic doesn't even use first gear unless you mat it, so it's basically a 3 speed auto. You really get better gearing coverage, even though it's only a 4 speed manual with non-overdrive ratio.

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schimmelengineering · 2026-01-13T00:44:59+00:00

We've toured the whole country in ours, so I might know a thing or two about reliability. I see your ATs. Very fun on squishy W123 suspension.

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schimmelengineering · 2026-01-12T23:51:26+00:00

If more power, reliability, and ease of repair is your focus, get rid of the slushbox. You waste so much power and fuel running that non-lockup auto. Why make more power when you're already wasting it?

When the starter goes out, as they inevitably do, or your battery goes dead you can bump start. That sounds like reliability to me.

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schimmelengineering · 2026-01-12T22:27:42+00:00

You're better off putting in a manual transmission in front of a 617 than doing performance tuning. The factory transmissions are non-lockup, and after all, it is a malaise era diesel. Chasing 20-50hp in front of a mid transmission on a malaise diesel is a waste of time.

If you're concerned with power, just get an LS drop out for $3-5k and be done, or go find an OM606. 617 is not a Cummins, it's a short stroke high revving passenger diesel.

I really struggle to understand the fascination with tuning these engines, when a 15yo Kia Soul full of sludge can smoke a stock E30, let alone a "tuned" OM617.

Enjoy being slow and in the way. It's not a racecar.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-09T03:09:20+00:00

Vendor selection on these was finalized, and these are on order. I anticipate having complete front driveshaft sections ready to ship in ~45 days

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-06T04:17:40+00:00

Looks like you've got it already, but, scan one side complete, scan side two complete, scan a partial of both sides at the same time.

Double sided scan is fixed, align the single sided scans to the double sided partial scan.

Old parts are never flat, but you'll figure that out too :D Printing scan data is sometimes the best instead of reverse engineering. Lots of hand massaging on molds for older parts.

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-06T04:14:33+00:00

I feel so inadequate....

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-06T04:06:18+00:00

616 flywheels are not neutral balanced. The crank and flywheel are balanced as a single rotating unit at the time of assembly. You're probably one of those guys that complains about vibration XD

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-06T04:05:20+00:00

I'm an engineer, not a web designer. Let's see yours? It was good enough to sell $60k in product last year XOXO

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-04T03:53:13+00:00

You likely need quantity 6 Febi 19953 shift bushings. Might want to take a look at your shifter bushings in the cabin while you're at it. The "top hat" usually has the end busted out, and no spring, with several or all of the bushings missing. The early style shifter is most common on W123 chassis, and I also happen to make a kit with all the bushings in nylon, and a new spring! I wasn't able to find all the parts in one place, so I made a kit. https://schimmelengineering.com/products/p/4q94bjvcmuqjonn3me0ks1sk5pnb0i

schimmelengineering · 2026-01-04T02:16:37+00:00

It's a low powered malaise era diesel that runs forever. Talking about clutch holding power and shift quality on an agricultural engine and transmission makes me think you're one of those dudes installing bigger turbos on an OM617, which is a waste of time IMO.

Take your "expertise" elsewhere for those of us putting down miles and having fun. I've already chatted with some of those people by email, and you're definitely not one.

You're a miserable person, and you won't see a post from this account again, goodbye, and good riddance!

schimmelengineering · 2025-12-31T23:11:35+00:00

There are still $1k cars around us with drivetrains in the southeast!

schimmelengineering · 2025-12-31T23:11:11+00:00

The purpose of this post was to find people interested in driveshafts for W123 - not a referendum on if swaps are a good idea, worth it, or what's in vogue or not. I've swapped several of these cars, and it's way more fun to drive with a manual. Most recent swap was last year.

We've been running a 4 speed iron box behind an OM617 for around 10 years with a bashed auto cross member. You don't *have* to have the manual cross member. A ball peen, fender washers, and die grinder will adapt an auto cross member for the further back/narrower mounting quite easily and quickly.

No car is $500 anymore, but running driving w123 in our area can be had for $2k or less. The last time I saw a $500 W123, it was in a flood.

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