gingerfold:
It’s in dock again…and the Mercedes dealership where it is now are saying that it needs 5 new injectors. Still it’s an improvement on 6.
Have you not taken that glove out the tank yet !!!
I know you have reached the end of your tether with this but it is worth playing the system. If you have a fleet engineer get him involved, if this thing genuinely needs five injectors then there is something causing them to fail which needs investigating; regardless of whether it ends up being the quality of your fuel. On another level what he should be doing is telling this dealership that he wants “the factory” involved in this TODAY, with a Merc or Detroit Diesel field service engineer turning up and reporting directly to him about how Mercedes plan to proceed and what their knowledge is of similar events. It doesn’t matter if Turners have any Mercs on order at present or not, any manufacturer will be keen to avoid being told by a company of your size: “this failure is the last straw, never darken our door again because we shall never, repeat never buy your product again.” If you FE doesn’t agree with taking this line then he is no good at his job -… taking too many freebies.
robthedog:
gingerfold:
It’s in dock again…and the Mercedes dealership where it is now are saying that it needs 5 new injectors. Still it’s an improvement on 6.Have you not taken that glove out the tank yet !!!
It’s 200 miles away from me now and not my problem anymore. But I take your point, by now you would have thought Mercedes would have twigged that they need to investigate the fuel tank.
What doesn’t stack up however is that all our fuel tanks have anti-syphon devices in the neck of the tank, so it’s difficult to put anything of any size into the tank. (By the way the anti-syphon thingys don’t stop the determined fuel thief, they just rip out the stack pipe). If contaminated fuel was / is the problem I don’t see how because I had this truck for 18 months and it was double shifted; same run every night from Manchester to main depot and back, 650 km, and the night driver always refuelled there. Depending where it went on its multi-drop day shift deliveries its Kms varied from as little as 120 (local) to 440 (Carlisle), so some days it could get back to main depot without re-fuelling at my end. If it had to be fuelled at Manchester we use a depot of a national fuel distributor, where all my other trucks fill up, and none of them have had fuel problems. So we can narrow it’s re-fuelling habits to just two sites.
cav551:
I know you have reached the end of your tether with this but it is worth playing the system. If you have a fleet engineer get him involved, if this thing genuinely needs five injectors then there is something causing them to fail which needs investigating; regardless of whether it ends up being the quality of your fuel. On another level what he should be doing is telling this dealership that he wants “the factory” involved in this TODAY, with a Merc or Detroit Diesel field service engineer turning up and reporting directly to him about how Mercedes plan to proceed and what their knowledge is of similar events. It doesn’t matter if Turners have any Mercs on order at present or not, any manufacturer will be keen to avoid being told by a company of your size: “this failure is the last straw, never darken our door again because we shall never, repeat never buy your product again.” If you FE doesn’t agree with taking this line then he is no good at his job -… taking too many freebies.
Unfortunately our FE is on leave, but his deputy is on the case; he was discussing it with me today. We’re all totally fed up with the thing, and everyone in the company is of the same opinion about Mercedes. I am copied in with Emails to the very top of MB in the UK, but the replies leave much to be desired.
I know what my uncle would have done 50 years ago… “take the pile of crap to the bottom of the yard and set fire to it” which he did once with a Perkins R6 powered Bedford S-Type whose engine had blown up once too often. It did burn very well though, I remember. 
Well, finally the last two Actroses have gone from my depot. And my considered opinion after all the traumas with them… they are the worst trucks I’ve operated in the last 30 years, and together with the worst back-up I’ve ever known from the Mercedes dealership, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish. Sorry if this offends Mercedes lovers on here but I’ve not been able to find one good thing about them. Dreadful, dreadful trucks.
gingerfold:
Well, finally the last two Actroses have gone from my depot. And my considered opinion after all the traumas with them… they are the worst trucks I’ve operated in the last 30 years, and together with the worst back-up I’ve ever known from the Mercedes dealership, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish. Sorry if this offends Mercedes lovers on here but I’ve not been able to find one good thing about them. Dreadful, dreadful trucks.
Go back even more than 30 years they did nothing then which a decent DAF or MAN probably couldn’t do as well or better at the end of the day.
What have you replaced the things with.
Hello G. On your other thread, there is nothing but praise for Mercedes’ 1970s vehicles. The only bad mark is that they didn’t bring the higher-spec ones to GB sooner, and that is from a bloke who operated them.
Regarding electronics, modern diagnostics systems can tell if there is a faulty wire, and where the bad connection is, physically along the length of the wire. I’ve seen a fitter use a device that does just that. Such utility seems to be lacking from the capabilities of vehicle electronics. Imagine that- the dashboard of the lorry says, “Bad connection in blue wire just behind the dash by the ashtray. Replace loom part xxxxx.” Not a chance. Maybe they want to sell workshop hours to the out-of-warranty market.
It’s not the same in computers, at least in high-end design systems. Mine went wrong a few months ago. The screen said the HDD cable was faulty, so I bought a new HDD, fitted it, and the screen said the cable was faulty. I replaced it, and the thing worked perfectly! I should have trusted the diagnostics. At least I have a spare HDD now. I guess computers’ lives are limited by their specifications going out of date- my old warriors would not be powerful enough to run current software. Not true with lorries- you could use a Mercedes 2032 today, if you had one. The obsolescence must be built in some other way- difficult-to-repair elec faults.
Can you have a word with our management and persuade them to ditch the 7 we operate . Bloody awful things . I prefer the 10 year old Daf i drive
Carryfast:
gingerfold:
Well, finally the last two Actroses have gone from my depot. And my considered opinion after all the traumas with them… they are the worst trucks I’ve operated in the last 30 years, and together with the worst back-up I’ve ever known from the Mercedes dealership, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish. Sorry if this offends Mercedes lovers on here but I’ve not been able to find one good thing about them. Dreadful, dreadful trucks.Go back even more than 30 years they did nothing then which a decent DAF or MAN probably couldn’t do as well or better at the end of the day.
What have you replaced the things with.
I’m 100% DAF in my operation. Don’t get me wrong, DAF have their niggles still with electrical faults, but the local dealership is very good and usually get things done first time. The ride quality with the latest XFs is the best I’ve ever known, even better than Volvo and Scania, and so quiet in the cab. Last time I was in a Mercedes I was nearly travel sick, the ride was so choppy and uncomfortable. And I do wonder about the engine noise decibel level with the Actros, it must be bordering on the upper legal limit.
Ironically one of the Mercs broke down on the M6 on Saturday, on its last but one trip with my driver.
[zb]
anorak:
Hello G. On your other thread, there is nothing but praise for Mercedes’ 1970s vehicles. The only bad mark is that they didn’t bring the higher-spec ones to GB sooner, and that is from a bloke who operated them.Regarding electronics, modern diagnostics systems can tell if there is a faulty wire, and where the bad connection is, physically along the length of the wire. I’ve seen a fitter use a device that does just that. Such utility seems to be lacking from the capabilities of vehicle electronics. Imagine that- the dashboard of the lorry says, “Bad connection in blue wire just behind the dash by the ashtray. Replace loom part xxxxx.” Not a chance. Maybe they want to sell workshop hours to the out-of-warranty market.
It’s not the same in computers, at least in high-end design systems. Mine went wrong a few months ago. The screen said the HDD cable was faulty, so I bought a new HDD, fitted it, and the screen said the cable was faulty. I replaced it, and the thing worked perfectly! I should have trusted the diagnostics. At least I have a spare HDD now. I guess computers’ lives are limited by their specifications going out of date- my old warriors would not be powerful enough to run current software. Not true with lorries- you could use a Mercedes 2032 today, if you had one. The obsolescence must be built in some other way- difficult-to-repair elec faults.
I don’t doubt that the Mercedes of the 1970s was a much better truck relatively speaking,and it was on their reputation for reliability that I hired a Mercedes tractor unit from Salford Van Hire in 1978 when I worked at Mothers Pride Chesterfield. I can’t remember the model, maybe a 1628 ■■?, but it wasn’t the most lively of performers with a 40’ box van trailer, which was well below maximum weight when full of bread.
The electrics and electronics on the Mercs i had for the last 3.5 years was the least of their problems, and I don’t think that there’s any modern truck that can claim to be trouble free in that department. As I said previously the dealership is unbelievably bad. Typical example, and this is true, if a fuel filter change warning light comes on then they don’t change them at a routine inspection and service. They don’t carry fuel filters in stock, and apparently they must come from goodness knows where, because its a 3 days lead time. I kid you not. So you have to take the truck back for a fuel filter change. Mercedes cannot grasp the fact that a truck has to be out on the road earning revenue; not sat in their dealership for 3 days waiting for fuel filters.
By contrast a DAF was in for a 6-weekly inspection and it needed a part that had to come from Eindhoven overnight. The part was fitted by 08.00 next morning and the truck was still able to do a full days work.
We had a couple of lads (o/d’s) who ran Merc four wheeler tippers for many years and rated them. One was on a ‘Y’ plate and he kept that going for years, he even put a new cab on it when the original rotted away and it saw him through to retirement.
Main dealers can be a pain in the backside in the car world as well! I fitted a new 5th gear and synchro to the gearbox of a workmates Rav 4 many years ago (his wife used to hang her bag on the gear lever and wore the synchro cone out!) and got the parts from a main dealer. I asked what grade oil was needed: "Part number ******, we sell it in litre bottles for £8 a litre. I said I could get five litres for that, what grade is it? “No idea, we just get it from the stores by number so don’t need to know the grade”. What about engine oil then I asked, “exactly the same, part numbers again so the grade isn’t known”. I asked if they kept oil in bulk and he looked shocked, “nobody keeps oil in bulk these days”. I said that I had better have three litres of gear oil then: “Oh we don’t keep any oil in stock but can get you some for tomorrow”! 
I gave up then and put 75/80 gear oil in from our motor factor! 
Pete.
gingerfold:
I’m 100% DAF in my operation. Don’t get me wrong, DAF have their niggles still with electrical faults, but the local dealership is very good and usually get things done first time. The ride quality with the latest XFs is the best I’ve ever known, even better than Volvo and Scania, and so quiet in the cab. Last time I was in a Mercedes I was nearly travel sick, the ride was so choppy and uncomfortable. And I do wonder about the engine noise decibel level with the Actros, it must be bordering on the upper legal limit.Ironically one of the Mercs broke down on the M6 on Saturday, on its last but one trip with my driver.
With the exception of the MAN with 13 speed Fuller, or might have been a twin split without me realising it 
, I don’t think I ever drove anything which I liked better than the 2800, the 85, and the 95.I liked all those but I liked the 2800 and 95 cabs better than the 85.I never had any break downs at all with any of those either.
I did lots of miles with the nice soft rumble of the old 680 based motor trying to send me to sleep.
As for the Merc V8 and V6 I wasn’t that impressed especially that evil piece of junk V6 
although to be fair the V8 might have been better with turbocharging.
Re Mercs - like everything to do with Manufacturers and certain models there are strands of development to like or not to like. I can honestly say that the last really good Merc I drove was on a Y-plate and was a 4x2 tractive NG-1633 unit and that was a terrific motor - pleasant to drive and torquey. It was a real flier! But it still had the ZF Eco-split crap synchro box in it.
And then came the horrible EPS SK-cabbed Mercs which I hated (the only lorries I’ve ever hated!) but even then - back to strands of development again - the Merc SK 1850 I drove to Fez in Morocco and back for an O/D in hospital, had the SK Euroliner high cab and 500 horses. It was a serious ‘uphill-downhill’ V8 machine in the Spanish mountains.
Then along came the Acking [zb]tross and I drove some early LHD examples of those horrible machines. Cab wasn’t bad but the Iveco was much better. ‘Telegent’ gearing was not to my liking. But again that’s a bit subjective, given that the Twin-Splitter appointed Eurostar I drove after it was not to everyone’s taste but I preferred it.
Carryfast:
gingerfold:
I’m 100% DAF in my operation. Don’t get me wrong, DAF have their niggles still with electrical faults, but the local dealership is very good and usually get things done first time. The ride quality with the latest XFs is the best I’ve ever known, even better than Volvo and Scania, and so quiet in the cab. Last time I was in a Mercedes I was nearly travel sick, the ride was so choppy and uncomfortable. And I do wonder about the engine noise decibel level with the Actros, it must be bordering on the upper legal limit.Ironically one of the Mercs broke down on the M6 on Saturday, on its last but one trip with my driver.
With the exception of the MAN with 13 speed Fuller, or might have been a twin split without me realising it
I did lots of miles with the nice soft rumble of the old 680 based motor trying to send me to sleep.
As for the Merc V8 and V6 I wasn’t that impressed especially that evil piece of junk V6
I reckon the DAF 95 Super-space was one of the best, and that cab was wonderful for long-haul work (I did plenty in them). Frustratingly, it was offered with a rather thirsty ■■■■■■■ 500 lump (Cliff Luxton ran one) - dream motor in theory but instead of a Fuller Road-Ranger constant-mesh 'box it had a bloody ZF (albeit an excellent installation) synchro ■■■■■■■■ All these manufacturers nearly got it right except for nutters like CF and the likes of me
ERF-NGC-European:
Re Mercs - like everything to do with Manufacturers and certain models there are strands of development to like or not to like. I can honestly say that the last really good Merc I drove was on a Y-plate and was a 4x2 tractive NG-1633 unit and that was a terrific motor - pleasant to drive and torquey. It was a real flier! But it still had the ZF Eco-split crap synchro box in it.0
And then came the horrible EPS SK-cabbed Mercs which I hated (the only lorries I’ve ever hated!) but even then - back to strands of development again - the Merc SK 1850 I drove to Fez in Morocco and back for an O/D in hospital, had the SK Euroliner high cab and 500 horses. It was a serious ‘uphill-downhill’ V8 machine in the Spanish mountains.
Then along came the Acking F**cktross and I drove some early LHD examples of those horrible machines. Cab wasn’t bad but the Iveco was much better. ‘Telegent’ gearing was not to my liking. But again that’s a bit subjective, given that the Twin-Splitter appointed Eurostar I drove after it was not to everyone’s taste but I preferred it.
The 1633 a with Fuller option might have been a game changer Robert.
I can say that a DAF 3300 with a 9 speed Fuller was one of the best trucks that DAF ever made… by mistake, that was meant to be a 2800 ATI and we got it. 
I think DAF also seemed to have maintained their composure longer and better than Merc ?.
Carryfast:
ERF-NGC-European:
Re Mercs - like everything to do with Manufacturers and certain models there are strands of development to like or not to like. I can honestly say that the last really good Merc I drove was on a Y-plate and was a 4x2 tractive NG-1633 unit and that was a terrific motor - pleasant to drive and torquey. It was a real flier! But it still had the ZF Eco-split crap synchro box in it.0
And then came the horrible EPS SK-cabbed Mercs which I hated (the only lorries I’ve ever hated!) but even then - back to strands of development again - the Merc SK 1850 I drove to Fez in Morocco and back for an O/D in hospital, had the SK Euroliner high cab and 500 horses. It was a serious ‘uphill-downhill’ V8 machine in the Spanish mountains.
Then along came the Acking F**cktross and I drove some early LHD examples of those horrible machines. Cab wasn’t bad but the Iveco was much better. ‘Telegent’ gearing was not to my liking. But again that’s a bit subjective, given that the Twin-Splitter appointed Eurostar I drove after it was not to everyone’s taste but I preferred it.
The 1633 a with Fuller option might have been a game changer Robert.
I can say that a DAF 3300 with a 9 speed Fuller was one of the best trucks that DAF ever made… by mistake, that was meant to be a 2800 ATI and we got it.
I think DAF also seemed to have maintained their composure longer and better than Merc ?.
1633 with Fuller: couldn’t agree more, CF!
I’ve never heard of a DAF 3300 with a 9-sp Fuller. DAF only offered those in the RHD UK-spec 2800s (I drove one). 3300s weren’t offered with any kind of Fuller as far as I’m aware (post 2800) in Europe, but the Turkish-spec 3300 had a 13-sp Fuller as standard but lacked many of the refinements of Euro-spec 3300s. If anyone knows any different speak now or for ever hold thy peace! lol.
And CF ^^^, you mention the DAF 85. They were lovely units to drive, especially the 400 bhp version. Don’t forget that the early ones were offered with the Eaton Twin-splitter: ace!!! 
ERF-NGC-European:
Carryfast:
ERF-NGC-European:
Re Mercs - like everything to do with Manufacturers and certain models there are strands of development to like or not to like. I can honestly say that the last really good Merc I drove was on a Y-plate and was a 4x2 tractive NG-1633 unit and that was a terrific motor - pleasant to drive and torquey. It was a real flier! But it still had the ZF Eco-split crap synchro box in it.0
And then came the horrible EPS SK-cabbed Mercs which I hated (the only lorries I’ve ever hated!) but even then - back to strands of development again - the Merc SK 1850 I drove to Fez in Morocco and back for an O/D in hospital, had the SK Euroliner high cab and 500 horses. It was a serious ‘uphill-downhill’ V8 machine in the Spanish mountains.
Then along came the Acking F**cktross and I drove some early LHD examples of those horrible machines. Cab wasn’t bad but the Iveco was much better. ‘Telegent’ gearing was not to my liking. But again that’s a bit subjective, given that the Twin-Splitter appointed Eurostar I drove after it was not to everyone’s taste but I preferred it.
The 1633 a with Fuller option might have been a game changer Robert.
I can say that a DAF 3300 with a 9 speed Fuller was one of the best trucks that DAF ever made… by mistake, that was meant to be a 2800 ATI and we got it.
I think DAF also seemed to have maintained their composure longer and better than Merc ?.
1633 with Fuller: couldn’t agree more, CF!
I’ve never heard of a DAF 3300 with a 9-sp Fuller. DAF only offered those in the RHD UK-spec 2800s (I drove one). 3300s weren’t offered with any kind of Fuller as far as I’m aware (post 2800) in Europe, but the Turkish-spec 3300 had a 13-sp Fuller as standard but lacked many of the refinements of Euro-spec 3300s. If anyone knows any different speak now or for ever hold thy peace! lol.
Ironically I always thought that the 3300 and 3600 had 13 speed fuller as standard fit wrongly.
But as I said our 3300 9 speed was a mistake in manufacture which only came to light after an argument between motorway police and our fleet engineering staff regarding a warning which got back to the depot about the speed noted by a patrol of one of our ‘2800’ ATI’s.
I do know it’s late regular driver had made a few veiled comments about it’s abilities in that regard but had kept the actual details quiet for obvious reasons.At least until I drove it a few times when he was off and I realised that he’d been sand bagging its abilities to make sure that no one interefered with the fun.
Until then when he must have got carried away and that was that.The fleet engineer’s I don’t believe it turned into let’s get DAF to check this and that’s when they found that it had enough poke to pull its high ATI gearing way off the clock.That’s when they checked the engine and found the 3300 motor sitting under the cab.
ERF-NGC-European:
And CF ^^^, you mention the DAF 85. They were lovely units to drive, especially the 400 bhp version. Don’t forget that the early ones were offered with the Eaton Twin-splitter: ace!!!
Absolutely way better than the older 2500.
Proper engine not the silly small 8.2 litre lump and enough room in sleeper form but not as impressive as the 95 which I thought was an ideal cab design and an excellent move up from the 2800.
We had a few 85 drawbar prime movers which I tried to hold onto for as long as possible whenever the evil 2534 went in for inspections and service.
Although they were day cabs as opposed to the Mercs short sleeper option which was the only good thing about the heap.
Carryfast:
ERF-NGC-European:
Carryfast:
To be fair to our German friends and European partnersWhile I’d guess that modern technology and reliability and easy maintenance is mutually exclusive regardless of which make it is.
I think you probably mean the NG range, CF, as the 1628 was an NG (not an SK) - and yes they were reliable. The SK wasn’t at all bullet-proof, not least because of its disastrous EPS gearbox! Robert
It was one of Ryder’s rental fleet I’m not sure of its exact year but NG to SK seems to have been 1988 so might have been a pre 88.But the 1628 seems to have crossed over from the NG to SK regardless ?.Also from memory the EPS was also only an option not fitted on a take it or leave it basis.
While even the later early 90’s ‘Powerliner’
SK was the second NG. Rather than NG was New Generation from 1972 to 1980, but then there was another New Generation so I distinguish them by cab shape, the old square shape with three lines, the rounded front and the facelift rounded cab, confused so am I.
The Only Mercedes I could fall in love with is the 16 litre V10 in the 1632