I started by taking alarm clocks apart at age 8.
It was the 3-rd one, that I was able to put back without parts left over.

 

I got my start when I was 10. My father bought me a lawn mower so I could mow lawns and make extra money for the summer (1970). When my father returned from work that day I had torn apart the little briggs engine (3.5hp) and had all the parts laying around on the porch. I just wanted to see what made it work. What I did was see how mad I could make my father. Needless to say I took the whippin' of a lifetime and then I had to put it back together and make it work or I was getting anohter whippin'. I've loved all thing mechanical since that time. I've worked on most everything that rolls on wheels.

Learn from people that will teach you, like these nice people. One of the smartest people I've ever known told me: "Knowledge is not what you retain in your head, it's knowning where to find information when you need it." The messageboard and others are a wealth of knowledge.

Have fun,
Tony T

 

very true and i fully agree.

teaching others is also a good way to discover your own knowledge and helps you learn/research more on fear of some difficult questions that may arise.

 

sleepwalker,

do you have the 15 pin assignment drawing you could send me for 1985 500 SEL?

 

before sept or after sept 1985?

got VIN?

here's before sept85

[IMG]local://upfiles/1/BCA734390A2645A8A6A8AC320B17DA57.jpg[/IMG]

 

Dash cluster illumination could be as simple as a worn out/dirty illumination reostat. Sometimes when resetting the tripmeter, the **** is rotated down. That little **** does two things, resets the tripmeter when pushed, brightens dash lights when rotated clockwise! They were famous for poor contact, sometimes wiggling it as rotated will restore illumination! Yes this car has 3 fuel filters. One in fuel tank, one pre filter by oil dip stick and a large one mounted behind pwr steering pump. The one in the tank is usually trouble free, the other two should be changed 15 to 20,000 miles. Fill the large one half way up with fuel then install. There is a primer pump on the injector pump. Rotate the **** on it counter clockwise a little bit then lift up the ****. push it up/down till you feel resistance in the lever. Its located on the front of the pump, **** is the size of silver dollar. Diesels, unlike gas rigs, require purging of air in the fuel system once filters are replaced or car runs out of fuel. I would flush the brake fluid because of age. I would also replace the rubber brake hoses from frame to front calipers. They are known to flake off internally over the years and cause brake pads not to retract. Change oil at 5000 miles! no longer. Personally, if it were mine, I would flush the rear suspension self leveling hydrallic system as well.