Mike, if you're losing brake fluid out of the master cylinder with no signs of leaks at the wheels or from the hard lines underneath then you have two remaining options, one cheap and pretty easy to fix and one definitely not. The cheap and easy option is that the seals in the master cylinder are failing and you're losing the brake fluid into the brake servo/booster. An easy way to check is to remove the vacuum line and then use something like a cable tie or semi-stiff wire to reach down into the bottom of the can to see if you have any fluid in there. It should be dry in there, so the presence of any liquid gives you your answer which is that the master cylinder is failing. The brake fluid can attack the diaphragm in the servo/booster so cleaning out the unit thoroughly is a good idea. In some cases when the master cylinder has been leaking for some time into the servo then you can get so much brake fluid in the unit that it gets drawn into the engine through the vacuum line and burnt which creates white smoke from the exhaust that can be mistaken for far more serious engine issues. The burning brake fluid does have a distinctive smell too. The expensive option is that the ABS pump is breaking down internally from age and people not following the correct procedure when pushing back the caliper pistons when installing new brake pads. What you should do on any vehicle with ABS is to open the bleed nipples on the calipers to let the excess brake fluid out when pushing the caliper pistons back in as the valves in the ABS pump are one-way valves, so putting pressure on them the wrong way can cause the valves to break, which pretty much writes the pump off, particularly on more recent vehicles as the pumps are sealed units that are not serviceable, and are often hideously expensive if you have to replace them.
Mike, if you can get that carpet out and powerwash it from the back side, then let it dry upside down in the sun (I know, I know, autumn) ... It's work, but it gets you a clean carpet. Bonus, you can get to the floorboards to inspect the top side for any damage / rust in the floors.
You don't want to dry the carpet in the sun. You want it up on sawhorses in the garage or barn or somewhere else out of the Sun. The jute backing and the carpet itself will shrink if you leave it in the sun.
I’m seriously in love with this Mercedes. I just love the engineering in these old girls! This one sounds like the best running one you’ve ever scored! Never stop buying these plz, you can’t really buy at auction here in BC without a dealer licence, so I rely on you to fill your driveway up with them 😂😂
Hi Mike, Seeing as you have multiple cars it would be worth getting some small notebooks and assign one for each car and log all the work you do as well as the parts you change, mileage,ect.on that specific car. I preferer to keep it in the car incase I'm traveling and something comes up that I need to maintenance the car while I'm on the road. Just an idea to keep track of what all you've put into the car this can help when it comes time to sell the car. Keep the videos coming. ✌
If you can't find a brake fluid leak, I would check the brake servo ( what you call the booster?) An uncle of mine who lived in Sweden used to garage his car in an under grand Carpark storage during the winter and for years when ever he got the car out of storage in the Spring, the brake reservoir would be bone dry. He'd fill it up and use it spring Summer & Autumn ( fall) and it never lost any fluid or need to be topped up. Back it would go into storage for winter & bone dry next time it came out. The mechanic finally figured the fluid leaked into the booster and the first time the car was started after it's winter lay up a plume of smoke came out the exhaust for about a minute or two and then it was fine. That smoke was the brake fluid being burned off ) They could never quite work out where the master cylinder was leaking ( presumably it was a slightly worn seal), but they changed it and it fixed the fluid loss.
I can tell you really love that 420. I'm happy for you. I have a 86 camaro z28 that im constantly working on and I absolutely love her. We love our cars.
Excellent work, Mike. It's always a pleasure to see the progress on her. Wouldn't it cool to also have the equivalent model year BMW 735i E32 and Jaguar XJ40 3.6 Sovereign alongside her like on the old Motorweek reviews.
Hey you can get these attachment brushes for your drill to clean the carpet with. Get you a little pump sprayer and spray down your carpet after you vacuum it. Use that drill brush and then your steam cleaner. You will definitely see a difference buddy. Love you channel !! That 🦆 !! 😁🤣🤣👍❤️
This is such a beautiful body style. As i see you have a number of vehicles with leather seats, I would recommend mink oil paste, which is a product I use on both leather and vinyl seats, doors and even dashboard covers. I find it at my local farm and feed store and it comes in a small tub (Snow Proof brand, 3 oz. tub). I rub it on with a small cloth, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then buff it off with a clean soft cloth. It smells good, goes a long way and really softens and conditions vinyl and leather.
Wonderful seeing the progress on this beautiful w126 Mike. The car looks so much better without those tinted windows. In the movie Beverly Hills Cop there is one w126 like yours. Maybe you could play some of the theme music for your intro when you working on this car.
I love this car! I believe actress Theresa Russell drove this same year/model in the 1987 movie "Black Widow," and I thought then (and still do) that it is such a stately, good-looking vehicle with timeless and classic good looks.
As you compress the calipers the fluid will increase in the master cylinder beautiful Mercedes Mike Tom would approve don’t you think Thanks for the great video 😊
try baking soda a little bit of vinegar and dishwash soap mix it and see how effective it is and if there's a smell usually baking soda helps thank you God bless ☺️
Hi Mike, quality is quality, for me the best of the best, I drive 07 S550 W221 as my daily, but I do look at these with envious eyes. The main issue here in the Uk is corrosion, not maniacal. Great content, as always. Regards Paul 🇬🇧
Mike - did you try the Tuff Stuff with the foam? I have had great luck with the tougher spots using the Tough Stuff. Looks great with the Hover - mucho better Mike. Thx for sharing - Nice ride
Another great Monkey Wrench Mike video! I might be a PITA, but I'd pull the carpet out of the car and I'd pressure wash it. It would look really good. Is that a clean title car?
Hello Mike aka Monkey Wrench Mike. Working on the 2006 Mercedes 420SLE. Removed all of the old window tint. You've cleaned the carpet. She's starting to look beautiful.
Pull the brake booster vacuum line and stick a cable tie down in the hole and check for fluid in the booster if there is fluid u need a master cylinder
Mike I know this sounds so old school. But my favorite mercedes wheels are the mercedes 280 SE, 450 SE 450 SL 450 SLC 280 S 14 inch OEM wheel. I think they would look great on this Mercedes. However, I think the smallest wheel you can get on the 420 SEL is 15.
When your brake pads wear out your brake fluid will go down when you put on new pads your master cylinder will over flow because of pushing brake calipers back in for the new pads.
Hey Mike give Auto Zone a try I'm getting Dura last ceramic pads for my Corolla for $41 a pair, of course I imagine there's a slight difference because of it being a Mercedes 😂 worth checking out.
If you can’t remember whether you changed the oil on a car or not then you might have too many cars. Just putting it out there. It’s funny actually because the motor oil in my CLK has a distinct red tinge to it.
If that Mercedes had an electric rear defroster it doesn't now. If your losing break fluid and can't find any leaks then it is probably your master cylinder leaking into te vacuum assist if that vehicle has one.
I used terrific carpet cleaner spray from the dollar store gets rid of stains and odours then you just vacuum it after. and of course you cannot post pictures on here to show results.😫
Say WHAT!!!! I bought my 1991 420 SEL in Nov. 2024 has 65,000 miles on it now mine is in real good condition and I dropped 15,000 for it and then complete gone through for another 1,500. SOOOO I did not see how many miles on yours. But I don't think you will get to my cost. BUT as you have said I can't look at it and not just SMILE!!!!!
Why would you eat/drink in a nice car? It really irks me the way that modern reviewers scoff at the lack of cupholders in older Mercs, as if having therm is somehow progress. No-one is allowed food or drink anywhere near my 1994 S500L, and yes, I am fun at parties!!
Mike, if you're losing brake fluid out of the master cylinder with no signs of leaks at the wheels or from the hard lines underneath then you have two remaining options, one cheap and pretty easy to fix and one definitely not.
The cheap and easy option is that the seals in the master cylinder are failing and you're losing the brake fluid into the brake servo/booster. An easy way to check is to remove the vacuum line and then use something like a cable tie or semi-stiff wire to reach down into the bottom of the can to see if you have any fluid in there. It should be dry in there, so the presence of any liquid gives you your answer which is that the master cylinder is failing. The brake fluid can attack the diaphragm in the servo/booster so cleaning out the unit thoroughly is a good idea. In some cases when the master cylinder has been leaking for some time into the servo then you can get so much brake fluid in the unit that it gets drawn into the engine through the vacuum line and burnt which creates white smoke from the exhaust that can be mistaken for far more serious engine issues. The burning brake fluid does have a distinctive smell too.
The expensive option is that the ABS pump is breaking down internally from age and people not following the correct procedure when pushing back the caliper pistons when installing new brake pads. What you should do on any vehicle with ABS is to open the bleed nipples on the calipers to let the excess brake fluid out when pushing the caliper pistons back in as the valves in the ABS pump are one-way valves, so putting pressure on them the wrong way can cause the valves to break, which pretty much writes the pump off, particularly on more recent vehicles as the pumps are sealed units that are not serviceable, and are often hideously expensive if you have to replace them.
Such a joy to watch this other than the craziness online.
Love the Mercedes Mike 😎😎👍👍You stole that car 💯💯
Mike, if you can get that carpet out and powerwash it from the back side, then let it dry upside down in the sun (I know, I know, autumn) ... It's work, but it gets you a clean carpet. Bonus, you can get to the floorboards to inspect the top side for any damage / rust in the floors.
You don't want to dry the carpet in the sun. You want it up on sawhorses in the garage or barn or somewhere else out of the Sun.
The jute backing and the carpet itself will shrink if you leave it in the sun.
I’m seriously in love with this Mercedes. I just love the engineering in these old girls! This one sounds like the best running one you’ve ever scored! Never stop buying these plz, you can’t really buy at auction here in BC without a dealer licence, so I rely on you to fill your driveway up with them 😂😂
I love the body style on the older Mercedes.like the one you're working on.
Hi Mike, Seeing as you have multiple cars it would be worth getting some small notebooks and assign one for each car and log all the work you do as well as the parts you change, mileage,ect.on that specific car. I preferer to keep it in the car incase I'm traveling and something comes up that I need to maintenance the car while I'm on the road. Just an idea to keep track of what all you've put into the car this can help when it comes time to sell the car. Keep the videos coming. ✌
If you can't find a brake fluid leak, I would check the brake servo ( what you call the booster?)
An uncle of mine who lived in Sweden used to garage his car in an under grand Carpark storage during the winter and for years when ever he got the car out of storage in the Spring, the brake reservoir would be bone dry.
He'd fill it up and use it spring Summer & Autumn ( fall) and it never lost any fluid or need to be topped up.
Back it would go into storage for winter & bone dry next time it came out.
The mechanic finally figured the fluid leaked into the booster and the first time the car was started after it's winter lay up a plume of smoke came out the exhaust for about a minute or two and then it was fine.
That smoke was the brake fluid being burned off )
They could never quite work out where the master cylinder was leaking ( presumably it was a slightly worn seal), but they changed it and it fixed the fluid loss.
I really enjoy watching you fixing up these old luxury cars🤘😎🤘
I can tell you really love that 420. I'm happy for you. I have a 86 camaro z28 that im constantly working on and I absolutely love her. We love our cars.
Job well done Mike !! After it’s painted it’s going to look like new 👍🏆
I believe I picked up a hint of sarcasm as you said that door sill was a comfortable place to sit 💯
Excellent work, Mike. It's always a pleasure to see the progress on her. Wouldn't it cool to also have the equivalent model year BMW 735i E32 and Jaguar XJ40 3.6 Sovereign alongside her like on the old Motorweek reviews.
Hey you can get these attachment brushes for your drill to clean the carpet with. Get you a little pump sprayer and spray down your carpet after you vacuum it. Use that drill brush and then your steam cleaner. You will definitely see a difference buddy. Love you channel !! That 🦆 !! 😁🤣🤣👍❤️
Hey Mike, I love lola & Benzo. The mercedes looks great. I have a 1995 S class 600.
That car is awesome ! It will bee very impressive fix up .
Holeee Exhaust Leaks, Batman 😂
Nice job!
Mike u by far have the best shop crew on yt..love when benzo tries to help u out hahaha
Awesome job Mike. The car is looking great! Keep up the great videoa and great work! As always love your channels
This is such a beautiful body style. As i see you have a number of vehicles with leather seats, I would recommend mink oil paste, which is a product I use on both leather and vinyl seats, doors and even dashboard covers. I find it at my local farm and feed store and it comes in a small tub (Snow Proof brand, 3 oz. tub). I rub it on with a small cloth, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then buff it off with a clean soft cloth. It smells good, goes a long way and really softens and conditions vinyl and leather.
Great older MB. I greatly enjoy that series. They are like tanks, they just run.
Wonderful seeing the progress on this beautiful w126 Mike. The car looks so much better without those tinted windows.
In the movie Beverly Hills Cop there is one w126 like yours. Maybe you could play some of the theme music for your intro when you working on this car.
Fantastic score on the Benz, it cleaned up so good.
Cool, ask Big Al about his contacts to the film industry, like him you could rent this car out for the silver screen, or flixnet stream 😁
Gotta start yourself a list of everything you complete on each vehicle. Love watching best wishes
Love the content Mike.
How. Much to buy
I love this car! I believe actress Theresa Russell drove this same year/model in the 1987 movie "Black Widow," and I thought then (and still do) that it is such a stately, good-looking vehicle with timeless and classic good looks.
Mike......that duck quacking is absolutely hilarious!!!!!!
Smart looking car Mike and it’s great watching you repair all its faults 🏴👍🏻
Love that startup sound.
As you compress the calipers the fluid will increase in the master cylinder beautiful Mercedes Mike Tom would approve don’t you think
Thanks for the great video 😊
try baking soda a little bit of vinegar and dishwash soap mix it and see how effective it is and if there's a smell usually baking soda helps thank you God bless ☺️
Cool Mike
Well done Mike!
That's a good looking ride you have there! 👍🏻
The w126 is an amazing car! Great video!
Mike this Mercedes Benz is awesome you really got blessed with this one . Awesome job there keep it going...😎
Hi Mike, quality is quality, for me the best of the best, I drive 07 S550 W221 as my daily, but I do look at these with envious eyes. The main issue here in the Uk is corrosion, not maniacal. Great content, as always. Regards Paul 🇬🇧
Another fun video with Mike 👍
Great job as always, Mike! That V8 just puuurred.... 🥰😍🤩
Mike - did you try the Tuff Stuff with the foam? I have had great luck with the tougher spots using the Tough Stuff. Looks great with the Hover - mucho better Mike. Thx for sharing - Nice ride
Brake fluid goes down due to worn brake pads. Don’t forget to remove fluid before you push calliper pistons back for new brake pads.
Hi Mike I love that exterior colour combo
Endlich ein anständiger, richtiger Mercedes zum Reparieren, anstelle der elenden schwedischen Rosthaufen, mit denen Sie sich abgemüht haben.
Try awesome cleaner Mike it's at the dollar general
Another great Monkey Wrench Mike video! I might be a PITA, but I'd pull the carpet out of the car and I'd pressure wash it. It would look really good. Is that a clean title car?
If you put the heat on close the doors that can help with drying the carpet
With your skills the Barracuda will not be a problem ,just a great addition to the fleet
🇺🇸Get you a dry erase board and hang it in the garage to keep up with status on your vehicles! Good work Mike!
My aunt Pam use to have one when I was a kid❤
Mike Love you content ! Keep it up!
Bosch CIS fuel systems have a fuel pump and fuel pressure accumulator not two fuel pumps. :-)
On this episode of MWM, Mike shows his sexy Thanksgiving Turkey Leg 🎉
Great job in the car, I love that car
Awesome car for sure plain and simple ❤
Great video,work and car😎🔥
Hello Mike aka Monkey Wrench Mike. Working on the 2006 Mercedes 420SLE. Removed all of the old window tint. You've cleaned the carpet. She's starting to look beautiful.
Nice job , Mike . But one thing to ask … why are the bumpers so big in the US ? In Europe is not so big
5. Mph bumpers. Mandated by US. NTSB. STANDARDS
Pull the brake booster vacuum line and stick a cable tie down in the hole and check for fluid in the booster if there is fluid u need a master cylinder
Do the headlight wipers work?
Hey Mike next time try liquid laundry detergent like tide or Gain and add some of those smell good beads , pallets. !
Great work ❤❤❤❤
Get a drill brush for those carpet stains. Works like a champ.
1986 the year i left Prepartory school for high school.
the car looks stately.
If you watch a few detail videos, you can pick up some inexpensive, time saving tips for cleaning carpets.
I appreciate u not cutting corners on getting those vehicles back on the road. Wish more vehicle videos, too old for electric bikes. Lol
Good video 😀
Super Job 👍 Mike You were the best thing to happen to the Old Mercedes, I don't think Benzo likes being called Lucky 😂
Hoover 's are the best
These models are peak Mercedes Benz. They will always look good.
Almost as good as a Barracuda
This has potential to become a mafia boss car
Fuel Hoses looking a little fat 😂 A leak waiting to happen.
Mike I know this sounds so old school. But my favorite mercedes wheels are the mercedes 280 SE, 450 SE 450 SL 450 SLC 280 S 14 inch OEM wheel. I think they would look great on this Mercedes. However, I think the smallest wheel you can get on the 420 SEL is 15.
Funny looking truck…,LOL. I love the older Mercedes.
Replace all brake hoses
When your brake pads wear out your brake fluid will go down when you put on new pads your master cylinder will over flow because of pushing brake calipers back in for the new pads.
You should get a shop like Randy has.
don’t forget the right bezel mike.
Needs all rotors.pads.wheel bearings
Oh man, for a sec I thought you bought yet another car! You got to finish a car before buying another one! lol
Watch for cam scoring
I love those cars besides Volvo from these time period great fun little cars and reliable if taken care of correctly
Hey Mike give Auto Zone a try I'm getting Dura last ceramic pads for my Corolla for $41 a pair, of course I imagine there's a slight difference because of it being a Mercedes 😂 worth checking out.
Mike need a paint job on the benz
If you can’t remember whether you changed the oil on a car or not then you might have too many cars. Just putting it out there. It’s funny actually because the motor oil in my CLK has a distinct red tinge to it.
Paintwork on the flanks is really good isn’t it?
Mike your exhaust leaks sounds like a pesky goose quacking
Where do you find these cars for the price???
It could be a bad power booster. Brake fluid causing it leak in side the power booster one of my trucks has that problem right now ..
Mercedes looks good. How’s the Lexus doing?
Hey Mike clean your driveway leafs up and power wash your driveway it would look great
If that Mercedes had an electric rear defroster it doesn't now. If your losing break fluid and can't find any leaks then it is probably your master cylinder leaking into te vacuum assist if that vehicle has one.
I used terrific carpet cleaner spray from the dollar store gets rid of stains and odours then you just vacuum it after. and of course you cannot post pictures on here to show results.😫
Say WHAT!!!! I bought my 1991 420 SEL in Nov. 2024 has 65,000 miles on it now mine is in real good condition and I dropped 15,000 for it and then complete gone through for another 1,500. SOOOO I did not see how many miles on yours. But I don't think you will get to my cost. BUT as you have said I can't look at it and not just SMILE!!!!!
LMAO, to late to ask if you changed the oil😅
Mike u should watch the new Video of tflclassics
Nothing can be as pretty as Lola !
When sat in the back of a Barracuda
Hey buddy don't even pretend to kick that beautiful duck
Why would you eat/drink in a nice car? It really irks me the way that modern reviewers scoff at the lack of cupholders in older Mercs, as if having therm is somehow progress. No-one is allowed food or drink anywhere near my 1994 S500L, and yes, I am fun at parties!!
I would say to leave the paint at this paint and send it to a retailer and see what they can do 😭🤓
the duck is funny😅