I recently purchased a 1988 240DL. Overall car is in very good condition but being 35 years old it does have some minor issues to sort out. First annoying one is the passenger door makes a popping sound when opening and closing. I read there may be a crack but I don't see anything there. I do see the door spring snap against the rollers which I think it may be broken? Not sure how to go about replacing just the spring. I do see them for sale individually so I'm assuming the whole hinge doesn't need to be replaced. I'm also working on the windshield washer, I think the nozzles are clogged and it won't pass state inspection as is. Last item is I purchased new tail lights as the lenses were faded and cracked with some pieces broken off. You can't have any white light show through and I didn't want to wrap it in red tape. problem now is the new lights don't all work. Everything was replaced including the circuit sheet. The back up light don't work and one of the brake lights is inoperable. I read this is a common problem and one solution is to hard wire everything. Is there another solution to getting them to work? Thanks for any help provided.

 

Door popping simply needs lubricating - the rollers the spring sits on - need to rotate. 850s are the cars that crack the metal and require welding (with the door off) to solve the pop.

Washer are simple - follow the hoses. The nozzles clog and can be easily be cleaned - the wire in a twist tie is the correct size - strip the paper off, have someone spray while inserting the wire to clean the nozzles. You might need compressed air, blowing from either side of the nozzles, or new nozzles. Some cars have check valves in 90 degree or t fittings - those clog also. Find a cheap t fitting with no check valve is an economical solution if so.

What brand of taillights did you purchase? There again, those cars are simple to follow the flow of electricity to each bulb - use your $5 test light.

If there is no power getting to the white? wire that send power to the reverse lamps - the switch (for auto trans) could be mis-adjusted or shift linkage bushings could be needed.

If you have problems getting the 1157 brake and taillamps to work (lower outer lenses) - remove the wire for the rear fog lamps and move the brake light wire to those upper inner bulbs. That's where the brake lights were from 76-85.

 

Thanks for the information. I went back and watched the door rollers and they are notched to accept the spring when it comes over. They both roll with it during the door swing so not sure what else it could be.

 

Spray rollers with wd40 (or your choice of penetrant, lubricant - yes I know wd40 is not really a lubricant) - move door to make noise, spray more, move door to make noise, then notice noise goes away - have done this a thousand times on 240s.