Mercedes-Benz S-class W140 - Repair manual and operation

Mercedes-Benz S-class W140

Mercedes-Benz W140 — model of a flagman S-class of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Was issued from 1991 to 1998. the 140th Mercedes succeeded the 126th which, despite the success, became morally outdated by the beginning of the 90th. The new car brought many innovations of a series, besides more aerodynamic case, the car had a unique double glazing, automatically closed doors and a luggage carrier, the climate control system which continued to work after shutdown of the engine, and also the tail antennas rising at inclusion of a backing. As well as his predecessor, the 140th Mercedes was issued with short (W140) and long (V140) base, and also in the version of a 2-door compartment (C140), after separated in 1996 in own CL class.

The car was for the first time shown to public at the Geneva motor show in March, 1991. The initial ruler was offered two bases and four engines, total eight models. The 300SE and 300SEL cars, versions with the wheel base extended on 100 mm were the first were designated by a letter of "L" and were 10 kg heavier. In all other parameters cars were identical. Sedans were equipped with the mechanical five-speed transmission and the six-cylinder M104E32 (104.990) motor. The engine developed in the 1989th year of 3,2 l was for the first time used on W140. Models, traditional for a S-class, with V8 engines were the following in a line: "400SE" and "400SEL", and "500SE" and "500SEL". The 5 liter M119E50 (119.970) motor, was started in two years prior to W140 body, and its reduced M119E42 (119.971) version with a working volume of 4,2 l debuted on it. The chetyrekhstupechaty automatic transmission was the standard equipment of 8-cylinder versions, cast disks, tires 235/60ZR16 (instead of 225/60R16 for "three-hundredth") and the big list of other equipment were included in the package.

But the greatest interest of public was attracted by a leader of new generation which for the first time in post-war history of brand had a 12-cylinder M120E60 (120.980) engine. The 600SE and 600SEL models nicknamed the car informal "six-hundredth" in Russia (see below). For the company Mercedes-Benz figure "600" was also sending to a legendary limousine of W100 "600" (was issued in 1964-1981), the competitor of cars not of a representative, but so-called highest class like Rolls-Royce Phantom V. At the Geneva motor show in March, 1992 presented the compartment on a S-class platform which received the C140 index. As well as the predecessor, a compartment of C126, the car had no average racks of a body. 6-cylinder motors on a compartment were not put, offered only 500SEC and 600SEC versions with engines and transmission similar to the sedan.

In general the sedan and compartments of the 140th series were positively accepted by public that was expressed in figures of sales. However their huge dimensions and cost more than one quarter above the predecessor (from 90 thousand DMs for "300SE" to 220 thousand DMs for "600SEC") caused also the share of criticism.

In October, 1992 at the Parisian motor show two "budgetary" models appear. The first was "300SE 2.8", having the similar "300SE" motor but the volume reduced to 2,8 l (M104E28, 104.944) and similar MKPP. The second model, "300SD of Turbo" had turbodiesel 3,5-liter six-cylinder OM603D35A (603.971). By the tradition which developed from 1978th year, diesel models of a S-class were intended only for export to North America that explained some features of their complete set, (for example the automatic transmission as the standard equipment, as on more expensive versions). The first batches of the machine which are released in October of the 1991st really went through Atlantic. But in September of the 92nd year Daimler makes model available in other markets. Generally it was bought for the office purposes by the companies and taxi pools. Input of more tough standards for exhaust gases forced Mercedes-Benz to reduce the power of all other engines by restriction of injection on big turns. It almost did not affect dynamic characteristics, but led to improvement of indicators on fuel consumption. Emergence of the "budgetary" S-classes allowed to improve regular complete sets of more expensive versions and to refuse mechanical transmissions on "300SE" and "300SEL" since January of the 1993rd year; tires 225/60R16, replaced on 235/60R16.

In June of the 1993rd year Mercedes-Benz accepts new system of a name of models which takes letters as a basis (one, two or three, some combinations at the same time are abbreviations), so-called "class", and the figures which are still designating engine displacement. All modifications of W140 were renamed according to new system: "300SD Turbo" became "S350 Turbodiesel", "300SE 2.8" → to "S280", "300SE" and "300SEL" → "S320", "400SE" and "400SEL" → "S420", "500SE", "500SEL" and "500SEC" → "S500", "600SE", "600SEL" and "600SEC" → "S600". In addition Mercedes-Benz reduced clearance of the car by 6-9 mm depending on model. It allowed to increase clamping force and to cut fuel consumption. However transformation "300SE" and "300SEL" in "S320", concerned not only a new name. So, the power supply system (LH-Jetronic), replaced the filar sensor of a mass consumption of air, on new so-called "film" which appeared on model 104.944 of the M104E28 engine. The new M104E32 motor received a factory index 104.994. The modifed engine had higher torque at lower turns now.

1994 brought a number of changes. For the first three years of production, despite an appreciation of buyers, the high price of the car did not allow to reach sales level of the predecessor of W126 therefore Mercedes takes a number of measures for its decrease. In February the model range of a compartment of C140 is supplemented by the "facilitated" S 420 model (during this period of a compartment of C140 did not manage to allocate in a CL class yet). In March the sedan is exposed to restyling. Externally the car changes orange glasses of indexes of turn on transparent, and behind receives new lamps. In addition, the clearance of the car decreases, and opaque plastic bumpers begin to paint in color of a body. Inside the car receives the updated electronics and new salon. And the flagman S600 sedan from now on can be distinguished on slightly modified front grille. Updating also affects V8 and V12 engines. The M119 motor was received by a new bent shaft, the optimized control of valves, easier pistons, individual coils of ignition for each cylinder and the optimized control unit of the engine. The last two changes affected also M120. Together with new more compact and easy automatic transmission with an electronic control unit and introduction by a heel, an overgear with the blocking mechanism in the hydrotransformer. Fuel consumption was cut for 7%, and emission of harmful gases for 40% without deterioration in dynamic qualities.

The last changes take place in June, 1996. The compartment is exposed to similar updating of the sedan of the 1994th year. In the same time of Mercedes makes the decision on further development of the system of classification and separates C140 in a new CL class (CL — Comfort Leicht or Easy Comfortable). Many updates of a compartment were also transferred to the sedan, for example, refusal of sliding "antennas" in the back wings helping to be guided at the parking. They were replaced with radar system of the parking — Parktronic. Also there was a GPS receiver — system of satellite navigation. At the same time the S350 Turbodiesel model was replaced with S300 Turbodiesel with a new three-liter turbodiesel of OM606. Working volume decreased, but the engine had twice more valves and a turbo-supercharging with intermediate cooling that besides decrease in fuel consumption improved dynamic characteristics of the car.

Updates and the increased outputs and sales by the end of the 90th did not help W140-mu to repeat success of W126-go. Nevertheless, it is difficult to overestimate value of the S-class W140 for Mercedes. The car symbol and a standard of a representative class (F) set a peculiar standard and asserted leadership of Mercedes in a segment for the years ahead. In July, 1998 production begins to be phased down, and the conveyor stops on August 25. The small-scale release of the 140th continued up to the beginning of 2000, it were special series: armored Sonderschutz and the extended Pullman limousines. At the end of 1998 the S-class W140 was succeeded by the new Mercedes-Benz W220 car, and the compartment allocated in the 1996th year in a CL class was replaced by Mercedes-Benz C215.