How to Install a Mercedes Benz Engine Heater


1. Remove the radiator cap. On turbo diesel models, the cap is fitted to the expansion tank located on the passenger side fender well. Locate the plastic drain plug on the bottom of the radiator.
2. Place a suitable container below the radiator and remove the drain plug by turning it counterclockwise with a large flat screwdriver. Allow the radiator to drain completely.
3. Inspect the rubber seal on the plastic radiator drain plug before screwing it back into place. If the washer is worn or cracked, replace the plug and washer with a new one.
4. Undo both radiator hose clamps with a Phillips screwdriver. The upper hose connects to the thermostat housing inlet bolted to the top of the engine block; the other end of the hose connects to the bottom of the radiator. Remove the hose and lay it on one side.
5. Scrape the hardened layer of grime off the male hose connections on both the radiator and thermostat housing with the tip of a flat screwdriver. Finish cleaning the connections with a wire brush until the surfaces are smooth.
6. Place hose clamps over both hoses protruding from the aftermarket block heater. Push the end of the lower hose over the radiator inlet pipe and fit the upper hose onto the thermostat housing outlet.
7. Inspect the position of the heating element between the two hoses to ensure that it clears the side of the radiator. If not, loosen the central hose clamps and adjust the heating element for adequate clearance. Tighten all four hose clamps securely with a screwdriver.
8. Route the power cord leading from the heating element to a convenient location under the hood.
9. Refill the radiator with coolant and inspect all hose connections for leaks. Inspect the rubber seal on the radiator cap. If it is cracked or perished, replace the radiator cap with a new one.
10. Plug the block heater power cord into a three-prong wall outlet. Leave the unit switched on for a few minutes before touching the upper hose to ensure that the heating element is working properly.
11. Remove the power cord from the electrical outlet. Fold the cord and wrap elastic band around the loops to hold them together. Secure the cord at a convenient location under the hood with a short length of nylon string.
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How to Clean the Headlights of a E320 Mercedes


1. Apply masking tape on the immediate surrounding areas of the headlights. Clean the headlights with soap and water to remove all abrasive dirt. Dry and repeat for good measure. It's important that you do not leave any abrasive dirt or grime on the headlights because left-over dirt can leave scratches when you sand the headlights.
2. Sand the surface of the headlight using 1000-grit wet/dry sand paper. Popular Mechanics suggests, 'Keep the surface completely wet while you do this. Use the palm of your hand to conform to the curved surface of the lens. Sand in one direction.'
3. Polish the surface of the headlights using the compound and cloth, this will remove the remaining cloudiness and haze from your headlights making them clearer and ready for night driving.
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How to Find an SLK230


1. Contact both general sales and Mercedes-Benz car dealerships and ask if they have any SLK230s in stock. Online resources like Internet Auto Guide (see Resources) can help you locate dealerships.
2. Search online automobile sales websites for SLK230s. With websites like AutoTrader.com, eBay Motors and Automobile.com, you can search for an SLK230 out of state and for the exact specifications you want.
3. Check newspaper automobile sales sections for an SLK230 because both private individuals and dealerships advertise cars for sale in newspapers. Many newspapers have an online format, which allows you to read the automobile sales section of a newspaper online rather than having to buy the hard copy newspaper.
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How to Locate the ESP Switch in an E220


1. Start the car's engine, and the press the left or right arrow on the steering wheel to choose the 'DriveAssist' menu.
2. Press the up or down arrow to choose 'ESP.'
3. Press 'OK' twice to deactivate ESP. The 'ESP Off' warning lamp will come on. The warning lamp is represented by the image of a skidding car and the text 'Off.' Press 'OK' again to reactivate ESP. The warning light will extinguish.
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How to Change the Cabin Filter on a 2004 C230


1. Turn off the Mercedes C240's engine. Open the hood, and approach the passenger side of the engine compartment.
2. Locate the cabin filter case in the corner beneath the windshield. The case is a large, black box with metal clips. Pull up on the three clips to unhook them.
3. Lift the top of the cabin filter case, and turn it over. You should now see the cabin filter.
4. Slide the cabin filter out of its mount. Insert the new cabin filter into its place.
5. Attach the cabin filter case back into its mount. Push down the three clips to secure it.
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How to Take the Exhaust off of a BMW 535i


1. Park the BMW 535i on a flat, level surface and set the parking brake. Position wheel chocks in the front and back of both front wheels.
2. Place a jack under the rear of the vehicle and lift it up. Put jack stands under both rear axles.
3. Remove the bolts holding the exhaust pipe to the catalytic converter with a socket wrench. If the bolts are frozen, spray them with a liberal amount of penetrating oil and let it set for 30 minutes. If the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter are welded together, cut them apart with a hacksaw. Make the cut directly on the side of the weld away from the catalytic converter.
4. Remove the bolts that hold the three pipe hangers in place. Remove the hanger furthest to the rear of the vehicle first, then the two on either side of the muffler. While the third is being removed, have a helper support the muffler to keep it from falling if the rubber stabilizers have become worn or broken.
5. Grip the muffler with one hand and the exhaust pipe leading to the rear of the vehicle with the other. Pull straight down and remove it from the rubber stabilizers.
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How to Fit and Wire a Mercedes Sprinter Tow


1. Park the Sprinter on an even surface.
2. Take off the towing eye away from the right chassis rail of your Sprinter by unscrewing the surrounding bolts with a wrench, turning counterclockwise.
3. Assemble the cross bar found in the tow bar kit to the Sprinter's chassis holes and then loosely screw in its bolts and flat washers using your fingers.
4. Tighten the bolts at either end of the crossbar using a wrench.
5. Place plastic caps, found in the tow kit, onto the bolts at the outer ends of the Sprinter's crossbar.
6. Place diodes close to the Sprinter's taillights and connect them with a 14 gauge wire to the vehicle or trailer that is being towed in order to wire the tow bar. Apply dielectric grease over the wiring, and place an electrical conduit over the wiring, and then assemble the harness with a clamp.
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How to Replace the Wheel Bearing on an Audi 90


1. Place the emergency brake on and partially loosen the lug nuts on your Audi 90.
2. Jack up your Audi 90 and slide jack stands into place firmly under the frame.
3. Remove the lug nuts the rest of the way and pull off the wheel you will be replacing the wheel bearings on.
4. Loosen the brake caliper mounting bolts. On your Audi 90, they will be located on the inside of the caliper. Pull the brake caliper up and off the rotor and wheel.
5. Secure the caliper with the bungee chord to the frame so that the brake line does not get bent or broken.
6. Pull the brake rotor off the wheel spindle.
7. Firmly attach the channel locks to the end of the bearing cap and work it slightly back and forth until it comes off.
8. Remove the cotter pin holding the spindle nut in place. Do this by pulling the pin out with pliers. Remove the spindle nut by turning it counterclockwise.
9. Wedge out the wheel bearing with a flat-head screwdriver. If need be, you can gently tap it out with a rubber mallet. Once the old wheel bearing is out, clean out the empty hub with an old rag. Apply a small amount of packing grease to the hub.
10. Put the new wheel bearing into place. Tap it gently, if need be, with the rubber mallet to make sure it fits into place. It should rest flush against the wheel hub.
11. Replace the spindle nut by turning it clockwise. Once the spindle nut is in place, replace the cotter pin that holds the spindle nut in place.
12. Replace the bearing cap, tapping it back into place with the rubber mallet if need be.
13. Slide the brake rotor back into place.
14. Remove the bungee chord for the brake caliper and slid it back into place over the wheel and rotor. Replace the brake caliper bolts with the socket set.
15. Replace the wheel and lug nuts. Remove the jack stands and lower the Audi 90, using the jack.
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How to Change the Fuel Filter in a Mercedes


1. Open the hood and locate the black plastic engine cover. Grasp the edges of the cover and pull it straight up to release the holding clips, then toward the front of the vehicle to release it completely. Locate the air-intake tubes at the front of the engine that connect to the air-filter housing. Pull each tube toward the front of the vehicle to release them from the housing. Grasp the air-filter housing and pull it straight up to release the holding clips.
2. Locate the fuel-pressure release valve located at the top of the engine on the passenger side. Unscrew the plastic cap from the valve and set it aside. Place rags under and around the valve to soak up fuel. Push in on the center of the valve with a flat-blade screwdriver to release the fuel pressure. Continue pressing and releasing the valve four or five times until the fuel pressure has been released. Replace the plastic cap on the valve. Replace the air-filter housing and engine cover by reversing the order of the procedures in Step 1. Close the hood.
3. Chock the front wheels. Raise the rear of the car with a floor jack and place a jack stand under each rear frame rail. Lower the jack. Remove the retaining nuts on the plastic underbody cover on the driver's rear side of the car with a socket and ratchet. Lower the cover and place it aside.
4. Locate the fuel filter after removing the cover. Remove the fuel-filter retaining strap with a torx screwdriver. Remove the fuel lines from the filter by loosening the hose clamps with a Phillips or flat-blade screwdriver, depending on model, and then pulling the hoses from the ends of the filter. Catch any fuel coming out of the lines with rags or a small plastic container.
5. Lower the filter from the mounting bracket and discard it. Push a new filter into its place, making sure the flow arrow on the filter is pointing toward the rear of the car. Push the fuel lines back into place and tighten the hose clamps. Tighten the retaining strap on the filter with a torx screwdriver.
6. Replace the underbody cover and tighten the retaining nuts with a socket and ratchet. Raise the rear of the car with a floor jack and remove the jack stands from under the frame rails. Lower the floor jack and remove the wheel chocks.
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How to Replace a Tie Rod in an Oldsmobile Alero


1. Purchase tie rods for your Oldsmobile Alero. Make sure they're specific to your vehicle, as they can vary from model year to model year.
2. Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires with a lug nut wrench, then jack up your car. Once you have it safely supported on jack stands, take off the tires.
3. Remove the bolt that secures the tie rod to the steering rack with a wrench or pliers, then mark the other end with paint or a marker so you can record the position of the tie rod in the rod adjuster. Remove the bolt with a wrench or pliers.
4. Unscrew the tie rod with a wrench or pliers, and make sure you write down the number of turns it takes using a pen and paper. Transfer the marks from the old tie rod to the new one with a marker or paint.
5. Screw on the tie rods, and tighten the bolt to 65 foot pounds using a torque wrench. Put the other end of the tie rod into the steering rack, and tighten that bolt to 65 foot pounds with a torque wrench.
6. Repeat the steps for the other tie rod, then put back on the wheels. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot pounds with a torque wrench. Take your Alero to a shop to have it aligned.
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