Audiovox CCS-100 Aftermarket Cruise Control Install
on the 1983 300SD (W126 OM617.951)
by MaydayMike
04/19/08
The Official Audiovox CCS-100 Aftermarket Cruise Control Install DIY
Here's my little contribution to this site. I've found a lot of useful information here even before I purchased my MB so I thought I'd make an effort to give something back. I'm posting this to show how I installed the Audiovox CCS-100 vacuum cruise control system
on my '83 300SD.
Anyone interested in cruise control that holds speed as well as OE for about $130, read on. If you just have to keep it all original, there's quite a few places that will sell you ANOTHER rebuilt amp or servo for much more money.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I assume no responsibility for anyone injuring themselves or others while following these instructions. Use jackstands or sturdy ramps while under your car, wear your safety goggles, be careful with sharp tools, don't touch the wrong end of the soldering iron, don't eat the silica gel packet, etc. Your results may vary. Maybe this system only works on Lapis Blue '83 SD's, and I was just lucky. All I can tell you is that mine has been working great for about 6000 miles now.
I got my system from this guy's EBAY store...
I understand that this kit is available from most chain auto parts stores (Autozone, Advance, O'reilly's, etc... whatever you have in your part of the country.) Make sure you get the vacuum canister. You may have trouble ordering this from the local store, as it seems to be on backorder everywhere... but the Ebay guy has some in stock.
Start out by selecting a mounting place for the servo. I put mine on the left inner fender. Just make sure the cable going to the throttle linkage isn't curved too tight or against anything that will melt it or rub through the housing. You may have to drill a few holes to mount it.
Now you need to hook the cable up to your throttle linkage. I already removed the useless leaky EGR controlling valves from the top of the valve cover, and this simplifies things. You can also remove the linkage that goes from the stock CC servo to the throttle arm. This would have been in the way for my mounting bracket.
I used one of the steel brackets from the kit, and modified it a little. I had to cut a little off, bend it, and I think I drilled a few of the holes out a little so it would fit on the stock bolts on the valve cover. Next, install the bracket on the valve cover, then install the cable on the bracket according to the direction book. I attached the chain and connector to the throttle arm that the stock CC pulled on. I was planning on drilling out the stock ball stud and using a nut and bolt, but I was too lazy. I just put the ring around the ball stud, and snapped on one of the stock ball joint socket thingies to keep it from coming off. It looks awful, but it works just fine. Now adjust the cable so that there is no slack.
While you are under the hood, you might as well mount the vacuum canister. I put mine right next to the servo on the inner fender. You can tap into your vacuum line above the IP where the stock useless leaky EGR crap was originally hooked up. If yours is already disconnected, there is probably a vacuum 'Y' with a golf tee stuck in it. Run a line from the 'Y' to the vacuum canister, then run a short line from the vacuum canister to the servo.
Plug the wiring harness into the servo and set the dip switches at this time. The instruction manual details this but I'll tell you how I set mine to get you started. 1-off 2-off 3-on 4-off 5-on 6-off 7-off. Now separate the twisted gray/black wires and set them aside. Separate the other black wire and attach this to a good ground. I put a ring terminal on it and put it on one of my servo mounting screws. Bundle up the blue wire and tuck it away, or cut it off, or remove it from the plug altogether. It's for the tach signal, and despite what the manual says, the system works just fine without it. Now, you should have red, brown,purple green, and yellow wires left. you need to route these through the firewall(s) (2 on a 126) into the cabin under the dash area. I bundled these into the included plastic wire loom and routed them like this...
I cut slits in the existing grommets to run the new wires through. Make sure you use lots of wire ties to keep your wiring and vacuum hose out of harm's way!
Now its time to get under the car!
I read a post on here where a guy was able to get the stock vehicle speed sensor to work with another aftermarket cruise system, but I could not get this to work. I used the magnet kit that came with the CCS-100. On the 126 there is an existing hole in the floorpan at the edge of the driveshaft hump, just a few inches behind the transmission crossmember. You want to attach the magnet to the driveshaft according to the directions where it will line up with this hole. Then mount the sensor to the included bracket and screw it to the floorpan with a big sheetmetal screw that will bite into the existing hole. Then just bent the bracket so it will be within 1/4" of the magnet when the driveshaft turns. Now run the grey/black twisted wires down to this area and plug 'em in to the sensor. Don't forget the wire ties!
OK almost done!
Now, remove the panel from under the dash on the drivers side. Unplug the long black plug from your stock cruise amp. All your remaining wires will connect to this plug. You can do this a few different ways. I took a junk cruise amp, took it apart, and unsoldered the plastic end piece that fits into the plug.
Then I soldered the new wires to this:
, and simply plugged it in. This is how you need top hook it up...
red wire - pin 1 on cruise amp plug - this is 12 volt power
brown wire - pin 3 - this one turns the system off when you move the control stalk to the (duh...) off position.
purple wire - pin 8 - this one is 12 volts when you apply the brakes... lots easier to hook up here than tapping into the brake light switch on the pedal!
green wire - pin 2 - this is for set/coast. Hooking it to pin 2 will make set/coast the down position on the control stalk. This made the most sense to me.
yellow wire - pin 4 - this one is for resume/accelerate. This is activated by pushing the stalk up.
NEW OPTION... Install a jumper wire between pin 6 and 8. Now the 'resume' position on the control stalk will disengage the cruise control WITHOUT turning it off, just the same as tapping the brake pedal. Now you can disengage to coast, and just flick the stalk up to resume all without touching the pedals. (Moving the stalk to 'off' to disengage will require you to manually accelerate, and set your speed again.)
Thats it! Go out and test drive in a safe low traffic area. Get up above 30 mph or so, and push the stalk down to set. Enjoy your newly working cruise control!
Discuss this DIY here.
-MaydayMike
CategoryDiy
