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#1
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350SDL--is this beginning of the end?
137,695 miles
I have had to add small amounts of water to the reservoir at least twice now in the past 2 months whenever the dash light came on with no discernible/visible leakage. When I first start the car, it runs rough as I depress the accelerator 3 or 4 times with white/blue smoke coming from the exhaust. After that, it levels out and runs smooth. There is no appreciable oil consumption. I'm due for an oil change now in 3K mile intervals and it's barely down a 1/2 quart. I went through a month or so this summer running hot (about 105-110C) until I had the replacement radiator replaced. I would say that the engine never technically overheated, i.e., never redlined during that period. I detect no water in the oil on the dipstick. The right front corner of the engine is wet with oil well below the valve cover but not at the valve cover. Could this be small amounts of water seeping into the first cylinder because of a warped head? Am I headed for hydraulic lock and a bent rod? |
#2
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Get a coolant pressure tester and see how long it will hold 16psi. That will tell you if you are losing coolant or if it's just evaporating out the cap when the engine is fully warm.
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#3
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I've read of 60x water pumps leaking without any indication in the weep hole visible from above. There is something of a drain tube at the bottom of the water pump. I don't know what it's for. I would have a 60x expert, they're few and far between, check the pump.
I'd love to have you pull the cylinder head to give the rest of us 3.5-ers a point of reference but I don't think your coolant loss warrants that as a first step. Sixto 93 300SD |
#4
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Begining of the end.
No but it might be the end of the begining. Just could not help it. Too obvious to miss. First do or have a pressure check done on your cooling system to see if any indications of a leak are there. That water pump for example may not seep with no pressure. After driving the car someday after it is good and warm park it and watch the ground for a drip with the engine running might help to locate a possible leak as well. I would not jump to any conclusions at this point with as little information and evidence as you have at this point.
Last edited by barry123400; 11-11-2006 at 08:48 PM. |
#5
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love the sly winston churchill reference, barry.
tom w
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC] ..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis. |
#6
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Yes, trust someone from British North America to catch that one.
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
#7
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Good one Barry.
Pressure test the cooling system, and check for leaks. Send a sample of the oil out to the lab to make sure there is not coolant in it. If they red flag it well then its probably the head gasket. These engines had the newer heads so cracking shouldn't be an issue.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#8
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350SDL--beginning of end??
I took care of the oil leak. Yesterday, I cleaned the right front area of the engine where oil was collecting and drove the car until hot for the two-fold reason of checking for an oil leak and a water leak. Then, I parked over a blue tarp over night. And by the way, the undercarriage pan had been removed. This morning there was a small oil spot on the tarp below the alternator and the water pump housing and nearby brackets were wet with oil. I wiped the area clean and I started the engine and oil dropped down onto the water pump housing. It was the timing belt spring tensioner housing. I tightened it and the leak stopped. I did see a small clear wet spot on the tarp but because of the blue tarp, I could not tell what color it was. It was below what could have been the lower radiator hose.
I'll check that out next. If that isn't it, I'll do the pressure testing. |
#9
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Based on my experience and based on the low mileage on your engine
Quote:
BenzDiesel |
#10
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350SDL--the beginning of the end?
My friend who has been working on MB's for over 35 years has the car now and we're planning our strategy. The threads on the injection ports were different from the pressure gauge fitting that he had so we aborted the 1st step compression step. Instead he took out all of the injectors and found the following: From front to back, the 1, 2, and 3 injector ends were black and greasy as might be expected. The 4, 5, and 6 injector ends were in varying degrees (steam?) clean with some rust up the collar to where the treads begin. At this point, still don't know if it's a cracked head or merely the head gasket so looks like he'll remove the head next. I will go back and photograph the injectors and each step of this process for further reporting.
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#11
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Good Luck with your endeavor on the 350D. I will be following your progress and agonies, I hope they will be small, and that a Headgasket will remedy the situation.
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#12
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COURAGE: the 350sdl is one of the most beautiful benzes ever. I take oil samples at every oil change (5,000 miles) and for the last 3 years no problems.
Then I hit a deer and the car was crumped pretty good driver side left. The engine wouldn't turn off with the key and I had to pry open the hood with the jack to get to the shut off. the temp gauge was at 120 when I shut it off. started up at body shop and ran fine. I get the car back next week and will see how the engine turned out. I have my fingers crossed....COURAGE
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71 220D 169K wrecked 83 240D 118K sweet 4 speed 91 350SDL (one of the 60% good engines) 156K 84 300d (loaner to my sister) 189K 79 300SD (partswagen) 86 420SEL partswagen 70 220d (partswagen) 68 280s GASSER!!! under construction now 85 300sd 310K miles winter beater car retired 93 300d 2.5 turbo 168K wife's car 83 280SL euro 5 speed 155K 69 250S newest project 54K |
#13
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is the 350SD the proverbial Money Pit!?
350SD for sale on eBay, the seller claims to have spent $16K on documented repairs hmmm, not good advertising
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-S-Class-TURBO-DIESEL-91-350SD-OVER-16K-IN-DOCUMENTED-RECORDS-159K-MILES_W0QQitemZ190162368486QQihZ009QQcategoryZ6336QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting! |
#14
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Quote:
To me: "its always run perfect I have never had to do anything" Translation, I only changed the oil for the past 50k miles so $5k worth or parts are on edge and guess who gets to change them? "$16k worth of recent repairs" Some other sucka got stuck changing everything. Which means excellent buy! Between say 150k and 250k miles a lot of parts are going to need to be replaced in order to keep the car running well, and well not a beater. Someone has got to do cough up the $$$$$, might as well be the PO.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#15
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hatt
the last one i rebuilt had about 150k miles and the rods were bent.
larry perkins |
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