Oil return tube woes
 

Okay guys, need a little help with the 300D. :o Seems we can't coerce the lower oil return tube to come out of its hole. The original rubber gasket is hard as a rock and I've dug out as much of it as I can, but even though the tube wiggles a good deal it just won't budge up. We've gone so far as to put a noose of cord around it and have been prying it up with a crowbar levered against a 2X4 on the valve cover, and all we've accomplished is breaking two progressively larger sized cords.

Any hints for getting this guy out? :confused:

maybe you can drop the lower pan and attack from below.

tom w

Why remove or mess with when a $4 tube of high-temp silicon will solve your woes? I fixed mine with silicon about 8 months ago and its not leaked a drop!

See:

http://www.tglmarketinginc.com/mbfor...l/59200008.jpg

I did mine a few months ago- had to take off the lower pan and use a socket w/ extension the size of the tube to knock it upward from inside. good luck.

I seem to recall that someone put a hose clamp on the outside of the tube, therby allowing them to get a good upward hit with a hammer..............YMMV.

Now that you have it out.......
 

Does anyone have a good way to install the tube once the seal is reinstalled in the upper crankcase? I did one a few years ago and it was a pain.
I removed the lower pan to remove mine too.

I've been ignored..... :D

Did the same job. The Mercedes mechanic recommended digging the old grommet out with a small screwdriver or knife blade. Be careful about pieces falling into the oil pan. The grommet is just hard and not pliable.
I did remove the lower oil pan and installed a new oil pan gasket doing the job. I was not sure about any pieces getting into the oil pan so I wanted to be safe.
Do not mare the metal tube while digging. It is supposed to seal against the grommet so it has to remain smooth.

Dave

pawoSD - I ain't ignored you;).
Looks like a good, simple seal job to me using one of the high quality sealants that are available today. I think it is a good idea and may try it someday.

I tried the sealant last month and it didn't work for me:( .

I just did this job yesterday.

You have to dig out ALL of the old grommet to get enough side play on the lower tube. Once you've done that, move the upper tube up as far as possible and then push the junction of the two towards the right front headlight. You'll get enough separation to barely be able to get the two apart. I tightened a hose clamp around the lower tube so I could bang on it upwards to get it out of the grommet.

The more I think about this job and thread the more it makes me want to go out there (the shop) and come up with a ss flex hose return with the appropriate fittings:).

This is what I'll likely do next time by just sizing the hole and then tapping for the appropriate thread for a screw-in fitting.

In any case, we got smart and used a heat gun (450 degrees for 5 minutes) on the area before pulling on the noose again. It popped right out and I was able to get all the old hardened seal out, although I'm going to drain the oil to be sure nothing dropped down in there.

I'm concerned I didn't put it back together correctly, as one printout shows the seal pushed on the lower tube above the o-ring and another states to press the seal in before inserting the lower tube. We put the seal on the lower tube then pressed the whole assembly back into the hole with good success. It's really in there!

I guess I'll know if it's too far when I put the upper tube on and it's still leaking. Or that could indicate I diagnosed the leak wrong. We'll see soon!

Thanks all for the feedback! :D

I don't see how you can put the upper tube on if the lower is firmly in place. Maybe I missed something?