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My new "Sweet Mercy"

557 views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  AzimuthAviation 
#1 ·
Just bought an old 300SD from a Benz enthusiast (she just got a 2 year old S550, and owns a '69 220D that still starts on the first turn). It was her daily car had 277k miles on it, but was taken routinely to get oil done, and whenever the car squeaked to one of the better mechanics in the area for over 15 years. She couldn't take care of 7 cars with the purchase of the new S550, I paid $2500 for it. Replaced air filter mounts (2 were shorn in half...) and vacuum valve levers, because it jerks out of first. That didn't totally solve the problem but I still love it. The alternator died, and I replaced that. My next move is valve adjustment, diesel purge and injector-return line replacement, and perhaps fuel nozzle replacement. This winter I'm going to replace the timing chain.

It recently(as in today) started leaking oil fairly badly from the oil cooler hoses. I know this is a very expensive repair, and I'm really not sure I can do it myself...question is do you think I can, and is it worth it to stop this leak? Today It left about a <10" diameter puddle after sitting for 4 hours.

Also the engine coolant was absolutely disgusting...I changed it today (I had a very tight budget when purchasing the car) It was really dark and dirty...didn't appear to have oil in it...or feel like it when I stuck my hand in it was a uniform feel. I noticed today though after putting new coolant in (I didn't do a full flush for fear of creating too free a flow too quickly for the parts that were used to working hard...) that my turbo seems to work better now. I'm guessing this is because the turbo uses some of the coolant to cool down the air going to the engine if I recall correctly. So I'm more than pleased with that.

Love the forums been searching and reading through them since I started looking for an old diesel back in March. I think I got lucky with this one. Has some bad rust spots, on the bottom, but the whole interior was just redone within the past year, and the A/C compressor was just recently replaced, and the brake booster was replaced as well so most of the expensive repairs are done except for the looming transmission rebuild. All the windows work well, the sunroof worked well for a week but now it's gotta be done manually...bummer...new CD-playing radio but the wiring in the back speakers was done poorly, I don't really care about that but it's always nice to have good sound, to be honest though I usually just listen to "Sweet Mercy."
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to the Forum.
I hope you are aware that only Mercedes, or Zerex 05 coolants are suitable?
A forum search will show you why.
The 'Welcome to the Forum' announcement / tutorial sticky on top shows how to take advantage of all the forum features.
Cheers
 
#4 ·
I must have been more tired, or had less ice in my glass than I thought last night. Would have sworn I'd responded to this. Teutone, did you fix one of my rambles around the Bombay? ;)

The oil cooler hose isn't that big an expense. The trick it to see how it's snaked in there. I've got a post somewhere in the past where I did mine. Don't mess around by leaving an old set of hoses leaking the life blood of your engine...

You don't have a turbo intercooler on your SD unless it's been made "race ready" by NASA.

AA
 
#5 ·
I feel more enlightened.

I'm not sure as to why it seems to be working better (could be completely psychological but I found myself getting to 55-ish much sooner than I was before...)

anyway about the oil cooler I ran some searches of your old posts AA and I couldn't find anything about replacing oil cooler hoses. perhaps PM me if you have an idea of where it might be in your veritable ocean of posts.

I got new hoses online for 150 bucks total. I looked at the Dieselgiant.com DIY page on replacing oil cooler lines and it looked pretty complicated would love to hear how you did it.
 
#6 ·
My SD was a clapped out POS that I bought for an "airport car". Something that if it got stolen you say damn and go about your day. It was my first MB and after spending a few months with it getting it actually road worthy, I fell in love with her. She hadn't been treated all that well in the past and those hoses were misrouted. Let me dig around and see what I've got on that.

It's a fact. Anytime you fix or work on something on your car it runs better. If you go without washing it for two weeks, it'll run better after you do :)
 
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