W126 Outside temperature Display installation in a W123 (300D) - Page... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/251755-w126-...

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12-11-2009, 12:07 PM #31

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Late last night (or early this morning) I was coming back from LA and driving up a very wet I-5 @ around 4000 feet elevation. The temp display shown below freezing. It was very useful in determining icy conditions and hit several slick spots. But took precautionary measures... Basically slowing down and paying attention more.

Great instrument to have!

On a side note. I've found the w124 type of temp display fits better in the cluster. I will add a post about this a bit later.

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12-11-2009, 03:30 PM #32

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: Cleveland, NY
ImBroke Posts: 2,230
Diesel way of Life
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Hmm, I just picked up a 124 display too. It reads in F. I know what the 5 wires do, so maybe I'll install this one instead.

12-12-2009, 06:08 PM #33

Join Date: Jun 2008

micalk Location: Simi Valley, CA (SoCal)
Custom User Title Posts: 454

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve

I wanted to see what the illumination (backlight) of the display would look like if I connected it to the dimmer (rheostat) switch.
In this pic, I soldered a male electrical connector to the rheostat.

< images deleted >

I can now dim the backlight of the display. But at full power, it is the same brightness as it was wired directly to the headlight switch. I think my original plan of going with LED instrument cluster bulbs would counteract the brightness.

Find a one watt 3 ohm resistor (3.2 ohm?) and put it in line. This should drop about 2 volts and dim the light appropriately. Then it will dim with the rheostat and look more appropriate at night.
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12-14-2009, 06:57 PM #34

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Building a better mouse trap....

Here are some pics of the w124 display being installed.

Comparison between the w124 and w126 temp display. The w124 display is obviously shorter.

Had to add new screw holes to match up with the w123 cluster. Drill is positioned in the new location.

W124 temp display fitted in the W123 cluster.

Compared to w126 display as installed.

This picture is how to wire up the 5 pin connector. Later year w124 displays uses this type. The earlier years display uses the 4 pin connector found on the w126.

To install the wire, it is similar to what I shown earlier in the thread but with the following....

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W126 Outside temperature Display installation in a W123 (300D) - Page... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/251755-w126-...

#1 pin has two ground wires. One for temp sensor/probe and the other for ground connection to the body.
#2 pin is Illumination power.
#3 pin is Temp sensor/probe signal.
#4 pin is for the later model year w124 specific speed control. You will leave disconnected for use on the w123.
#5 pin is main power.

.
Attached Thumbnails

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12-14-2009, 07:02 PM #35

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImBroke

Hmm, I just picked up a 124 display too. It reads in F. I know what the 5 wires do, so maybe I'll install this one instead.

You can use the same wiring and female connectors on the 4 pin plug and transfer to the 5 pin plug housing.

Here is a .pdf doc on a newer w124 retro fit to an older harness. Courtesy of jeremy5848.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/attachments/diesel-discussion/68669d1244610680-w124-outside-temperature-display-wiring-diagram-outside%2520temp%5B1%5D.pdf

.
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12-14-2009, 07:03 PM #36

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by micalk

Find a one watt 3 ohm resistor (3.2 ohm?) and put it in line. This should drop about 2 volts and dim the light appropriately. Then it will dim with the rheostat and look more appropriate at night.

Thanks for the tip! I will try that and report back when I get a chance.
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12-15-2009, 02:16 AM #37

Join Date: May 2007

charmalu Location: Out in the Boonies of Hot, Dry, Dusty, Windy Nevada
Registered User Posts: 9,680

This thread needs to be in the DIY Articles.

Great Job Richard,

Charlie
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12-15-2009, 04:40 AM #38

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Houston, TX
H-townbenzoboy Posts: 4,338
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Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve

This pic is where the probe wire connects to the interior wire loom which go through the grommet on the firewall.

How did you get the wires and the connector through that hole? I'm guessing you had to take the wires out of the connector, route them through and then place them back in the connector from the inside of the car?
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12-15-2009, 04:11 PM #39

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by charmalu

This thread needs to be in the DIY Articles.

Great Job Richard,

Charlie

Thanks Charlie, But I think it still needs some fine tuning before it being turned into a DIY. I would like to tap into a better power location for the Illumination as well as correcting the brightness with a 1 watt 3 ohm resistor as mentioned earlier. As far as the Illumination power lead, I think pin #12 on the instrument cluster plug wire harness would be a good place to tap into. I'll see if it works a bit later, unless someone else beats me to it.

.
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12-15-2009, 04:22 PM #40

Join Date: Jun 2006

DeliveryValve Location: Central California
Chairman of my Benz Posts: 4,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy

How did you get the wires and the connector through that hole? I'm guessing you had to take the wires out of the connector, route them through and then place them back in the connector from the inside of the car?

Actually when you pulled the wire from the donor car, you have to cut the wire at the connector to pull it out of the dash of the donor car. When installing it, I used telephone wire (or some thin wire) to get through the grommet and then wrap it around the two prob wires. Once secured, you just pull it straight out and then unwrap the telephone wire from it. You will re-solder the connector. I've done this a few times already, one time I just cut the wire in half, sent it through the grommet and used a wire connector to splice them
together under the dash. Not sure if it is a good way of doing it as the splice may effect the temp sensor output. But it seems to work fine.

.
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12-15-2009, 05:11 PM #41

Join Date: Nov 2001

Billybob Location: Cape Cod Massachusetts
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Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve

As far as the Illumination power lead, I think pin #12 on the instrument cluster plug wire harness would be a good place to tap into.

As far as the 1981 model year but probably most 123 model years, Pin #12 on the instrument cluster is the interior illumination rheostat controlled voltage. If your looking down stream from the pin the wire is GY/BU, gray wire with a blue stripe; the same wire illuminates the ACC panel bulbs, the fiber optic light source bulb and the hazard switch bulb

12-15-2009, 05:41 PM #42

2 of 3 2/21/2025, 11:23 AM
W126 Outside temperature Display installation in a W123 (300D) - Page... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/251755-w126-...

Join Date: Nov 2009

dadette123 Location: Houston
what little I know Posts: 240

All this great work begs the question, "Was there anything ever intended for this prime instrument cluster location by Mercedes on the 123?"

12-15-2009, 05:58 PM #43

Join Date: Nov 2001

Billybob Location: Cape Cod Massachusetts
Banned Posts: 1,427

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadette123

All this great work begs the question, "Was there anything ever intended for this prime instrument cluster location by Mercedes on the 123?"

Yes! Column shifting auto transmission 123 cars have the gear indicator in this position!

01-01-2010, 12:33 AM #44

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sev Posts: 1,462
Infractions: 99/99 (999)

delivery valve: nice job, dude. i've been wanting to do this from day one on my w123. after driving 201's and 124's my whole life, the gauge is almost a must. as i was reading the thread from the first few pictures my mind immediately jumped to the later model w124 temp display which is shorter--i'm glad you eventually swapped over to this new style display. hopefully the cluster fits on the bottom side now.

yeah, this is next on my to-do list along with fitting cluster LED lighting, gauge rings, and fixing my odometer--going to do it all at one time.

as for the suggestion about the w201 temp display, not a good idea. first off those plug into the w201 cluster from the front, and have a wiring harness attached to them, with either one, two or three separate plugs, depending on the year of the car they were removed from. the w126/w124 units are much easier to work with and install from the back of the cluster
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01-01-2010, 12:34 AM #45

Join Date: Apr 2007

Sev Posts: 1,462
Infractions: 99/99 (999)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadette123

All this great work begs the question, "Was there anything ever intended for this prime instrument cluster location by Mercedes on the 123?"

yes, a piece of foam

don't laugh it's a factory part

yeah, on some w116 and w123's, i believe they had a seat belt warning light, or just a colored plastic dummy light strip there. on early w116's, this light was located on the front of the shifter console and had it's own wiring harness and light bulb attached to a plastic housing that said seat belt (same as on w114/115 I believe). it turned off when you plugged in your driver's side seat belt if it had the wiring harness attached to the buckle. on later ones ones, i think it was a film of plastic like the dummy lights that just said seat belt
on them, with no light in the background.

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Last edited by Sev; 01-01-2010 at 12:47 AM.

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