I'd suck the fluid out with a turkey baster and refill the reservoir a few times. I don't know what could be doing that, it must be air though what else could get inside?

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

It is a bit orange, eh? Maybe we should have a sample collected for analysis. I know of some good labs.

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- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

I wonder what would happen if you did one of those machine flushes, like the BG flushes? Don't they flush the system under pressure that you might not get otherwise?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Okay I just drove the car about 0.5 miles to get some oil for the 6.9 and checked the PSF level cold. It's clear! (well...yellowy but the way it should be) I drive the car back and open it up and again. Orange milkshake. The hoses are tight.

The thing that baffles me is why did the plastic container pumped out last night remain milky when the reservoir in the car itself return to clear?

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I would just pull off the return hose (the one with the phillips screw hose clamp) and dump that gunk into a bucket, and flush out the orange gook with the pulley turning by hand. it takes a bit longer, but you get it all out, and you don't get any air in.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

temp of engine compartment?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I would say 55F as it sat overnight. The inside temp in the plastic container in my place is roughly 65F.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Shaken, not stirred please

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Best guess:

#1. Clear P/S fluid contaminated with the wrong type ATF = must be flushed.

#2. Air leak in the fluid return circuit = possible bad pump or gearbox seals sucking air...

#3. Bad pump = internal cavitation causing foam...





Have a great day.

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ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

New observation.

Drove the car 390miles today....had to. I opened the lid up and saw water condensation! There was absolutely no indication of it before but there were water droplets (or something beading and clear) on the lid. That lid shows a decent seal and was dry all the way around....or perhaps it isn't. I encountered some light rain on the way up but even if it did leak how did I get water in the PSP reservoir on a dry day prior to today's driving? And if so why the heck did it clear up this morning?

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

AIR or Possibly water.

Flush it by hooking up hoses, get the frond end off the ground, then with the engine off, go lock to lock continually filling ( a friend would help here), and try again.

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

I have seen this before in many hydraulic systems in heavy machinery that I used to work on. When you get water in the fluid and pressurize it, it will make an emmulsion of the water and oil even though they dont mix. What you are seeing is really fine water molecules dispursed between oil molecules causing the milky appearance. 100% positive that you have water in your fluid from some source or another. Best off changing the seal on the lid and making sure the little nut on the top seals decent as well. You will need to flush the system several times with fresh fluid and drain to rid it of all the water. It would be a good time to change the filter too.

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2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins - Georend fully built trans, Banks Big Hoss Bundle, Smarty Tuner, 5" turbo back exhaust. 500 HP and 1100 ft/lbs to the ground.
1979 Mercedes-Benz 300CD - Lost to a four car pile up on 275, Thank You Michigan Drivers.
1986 Mercedes-Benz 300D - Sold, Euro non-turbo car.

It's got to be water.
But no matter what it is, you'll need to keep draining, purging and replenishing, until it is all out.

I saw "emulsion" when I first saw it but didn't make sense since it was dry. Either way there is water in it.

I can't seem to find a new seal on fastlane for the PSP reservoir lid....

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Aha! thanks to TTCummins, water/oil emulsion it is then, not something accidentally added (unless someone added something else along with PS fuid!)
So, I wouldn't worry too much right now about that seal, it will take a pressure wash or a flood to get enough water up into that reservoir
here's Fastlane's response to a search for "P/S Reservoir Gasket" for a 300TD, I believe the same for your model (Fastane disn't recogninze PSP) but better to check using your exact model before ordering one:
http://catalog.worldpac.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=26H1EAL2C29817LLUY&year=1984&make=MB&model=300-TDT-001&category=M&part=P%2FS+Reservoir+Gasket

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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!