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Old 06-08-2014, 01:56 AM
eightiessadies eightiessadies is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Baltimore Maryland
Posts: 18
Vacuum Pump Failure, picking up the pieces?

Hello, I had a vacuum pump " explode" and I'm trying to figure out what I need to do before it's safe to try and start the car up again. If i need to take it to a professional. And if there is any literature regarding my specific predicament.

It's a 1983 240d 2 tank grease car conv. AT with a 1980 engine, the pump came with the engine and says pierburg mercedes. It is the piston type.

I was driving on the highway when the "veggie" filter clogged and I was losing power. Come to find out, I'm also low on diesel and the car was struggling for fuel. Moments later I lost vacuum, suddenly, hard brake, stuck in low gear, high rpms. I thought I'd keep driving a bit and try to make it home because I thought a vacuum line popped off or something. Especially since I had just had the master brake cylinder replaced....
Started getting a lot of smoke from tailpipe and engine overheating and not shifting up to high gear so I decided to stop. Tested for vacuum at the main line right after VP and got 2-3 hg. Decided to tow home.
Took off check valve and it seemed to be stuck, cleaned with wd40. Reinstalled,
Still no vacuum. Idle really poor, car trying to stall out, bit of clanging noise. But as I mentioned I ran out of fuel and probably had some air in the system so I don't know if the noise was just the rough idle from air making it's way through the lines.
So I removed the VP and it is toast. The wavy element (timing element?) that moves the VP piston looks OK, smooth, no visible wear, except on the outside of the round part of the assembly has a nick in it, possibly where pieces of the VP made their way through. There are shavings all inside the pump housing and in the oil pan.
I dropped the oil pan and found a few bits of the VP. I'm not sure if I've collected all of it, and if not what I can do to be sure all of the shrapnel is removed. I'm not very knowledgeable on engine internals....

So I'm looking for...........
-Written details about removing debris from engine esp. after late model VP disintegration
-VP installation tips ( i have the old one off and a new MB pump on order)
it seems that instructions are not readily available
-Is this not a good DIY project and should i take it to a really expensive mechanic who will take weeks and $1,000's to fix it

I can't seem to find anything completely covering this topic on this site
Help appreciated


MANY THANKS
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