Mercedes-Benz 1981–1993 Maintenance Manual (P/N S-2388-CS1)

Mercedes-Benz of North America’s Maintenance Manual (P/N S-2388-CS1) covers 1981–1993 models 107, 123, 124, 126, 129, 140 and 201, including gasoline and diesel configurations. Its model- and engine-specific job entries cover scheduled maintenance, inspections and adjustments.

Searchable Text and Job Bookmarks

Search and diagram detail: OCR text supports searches throughout the manual, and 93 embedded PDF bookmarks provide access to the introduction and maintenance job groups. Small labels in the diesel tester connection diagrams are easier to read when enlarged.

Supplied as one printable, English-language, 331-page PDF: nine opening pages containing the cover, copyright information, preface, model tables and maintenance-system notes, followed by 322 maintenance job pages. Revised pages dated October 1993 are incorporated in this total.

Engine, Drivetrain and Chassis Maintenance

The following selected maintenance topics show the range of work covered. Other entries include exhaust-connection checks and seat-belt inspection.

• Engine lubrication and valve gear: Step-by-step oil and filter changes, valve-clearance checks and adjustments, with engine-specific tools and specifications.

• Diesel fuel system: Idle-speed testing, injection-timing checks and adjustment, fuel-filter replacement and fuel-system bleeding procedures.

• Belts and ignition: V-belt tensioning, poly-V-belt inspection and replacement, spark-plug service and oxygen-sensor replacement.

• Transmission and driveline: Manual-transmission oil service, automatic-transmission fluid and filter changes, 4MATIC transfer-case checks and differential lubrication.

• Brakes and chassis: Pad and disc inspection, selected brake-pad replacement procedures, parking-brake adjustment, brake-fluid replacement and steering-joint checks.

• Cooling, climate control and body: Coolant checks, refrigerant-charge assessment, ventilation-filter replacement, hydraulic-top fluid checks and sunroof maintenance.

The testing and adjustment sections are suited to technicians familiar with workshop measuring equipment; diesel timing work calls for the specified transmitters, adapters or digital testers.

Service Planning and Repair Boundaries

The normal- and severe-use maintenance schedules distinguish lubrication service, maintenance service and additional work. Job numbers match those used in Mercedes-Benz maintenance documentation, while applicability notes and service-tool lists help organize the correct work for a particular engine or chassis.

This provides a technical foundation before more involved repair work. For injection-pump removal and control-module diagnosis, the text directs readers to separate repair and diagnostic manuals.

Valve Gear, Fuel Systems and Belt Drives

Valve work separates the adjustment procedures for engines 110 and 616/617 from the bucket-tappet and shim procedures for engine 102.983. The oil-service sections distinguish filter arrangements used on engines 102, 103, 104 and 119 from the diesel filter assemblies.

Diesel timing coverage includes start-of-delivery testing on engines 616/617 and reference-impulse testing and adjustment on engines 601/602/603. Tester connection diagrams and measuring-point illustrations identify the equipment arrangements used for these checks.

Gasoline fuel-filter instructions distinguish CIS, CIS-E, LH-SFI and HFM-SFI installations. Fuel-line routing views, throttle-linkage illustrations and engine-specific belt-routing diagrams support the relevant maintenance jobs.

Transmission, 4MATIC and Suspension Checks

Automatic-transmission service includes torque-converter draining, filter replacement and temperature-dependent fluid-level checks. The manual explains how overfilling can cause fluid foaming and overheating, with continued operation risking transmission damage.

Separate entries address 4MATIC transfer-case and front-axle lubrication. Hydraulic-reservoir checks distinguish level control, ADS, ASD and 4MATIC equipment; these are maintenance checks, rather than hydraulic-system overhaul instructions.

Brake Service and Steering Inspection

Brake tables distinguish pad thickness, disc wear limits and maintenance-service limits by model and brake configuration. Fixed-caliper piston-position drawings and floating-caliper layouts accompany the applicable pad-service procedures.

The caliper section warns that unsuitable piston-resetting tools can damage pistons or dust boots. Brake-fluid replacement also distinguishes vehicles with ASR II or ASR III from vehicles without ASR.

Cooling, Climate Control and Body Maintenance

Cooling-system entries cover antifreeze concentration, leak checks and capacity tables. The air-conditioning section separates R12 and R134a applications and explains the limits of assessing refrigerant charge through the sight glass.

Body maintenance includes drain-location illustrations, sunroof rail servicing and hydraulic-top fluid checks. Model 140 ventilation instructions distinguish dust filters, active-charcoal filters and recirculating-air filters.

This material is for informational reference only. Follow the manual’s precautions for ignition voltage, hot coolant, pressurized brake systems and refrigerant work, and consult a qualified technician when necessary.

Selected Wheel-Bolt and Transfer-Case Specifications

The wheel-bolt tables specify 110 Nm for M12 × 1.5 bolts on covered models other than 140, and 150 Nm for M14 × 1.5 bolts on model 140.

For model 124 with 4MATIC, the transfer-case fluid-change entry lists approximately 0.6 liters of ATF as the service quantity.