If it has good oil pressure and no rattling of bearings, no way would I take a cap off.

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.

my thoughts exactly. you touch it you break it
oil pressure very healthy, sounds very quiet in the belly as well. just that color worried me. I've seen it once, on a 350sd that had a broken oil pump (10mm bolts that hold some plate came loose, swirled around in the pan and finally one went through the screen and busted the pump). That made me think...
another thing: there's a rubber end piece that 'covers' the screen. at the oil intake for the pump. that piece broke off, so there's a rubber ring left that still sits at the end of the oil-intake and then there is the rest just sitting in the oilpan. So now I'm worried that that loose rubber piece, which is like 1.5 inch square (but then round) maybe gets sucked onto the screen on a regular basis and then starves the engine of oil
I really though this was a keeper but now I'm sure it'll give me nightmares about swirling rubber debris in oil pans!!
this must have happened to people before?

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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett.
'98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles
'87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten

As long as its not knocking and has good oil pressure I wouldn't touch it. Your asking for trouble taking stuff like that apart.

The oil cooler wasn't removed by chance?


617's once in a while seem to put a rod through the block for no reason, I have seen it happen on this site a number of times. And the oil pump chains tend to snap around 300k. other than that the bottom ends never seem to give any trouble.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I inspected my oil pump around 265k when I had my pan off, and the strainer was in perfect shape (had a new one so I replaced it anyways ) but everything looked good, including the oil pump and chain....no visible wear. Should I be worried about sudden destruction as I approach 300k in the next year or two?

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I'm guessing you have measured chain stretch and have a very good idea how worn the chain is...

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Thanx,
Alberta Luthier
1983 300CD ('Stinky')155k miles, 2.47 diff, EGR removed, AAZ injectors with 265 nozzles from Sean,and vogtland lowering springs.
1984 300SD ('Old Blue')150k Klicks from Japan originally, came with rear head rests, no sunroof and never had an EGR

I can do that at any time with my X-ray vision.

No...I didn't check it, now I am paranoid again. I'll just have it replaced at 299k.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

did yours have some sort of a rubber boot/ adapter attached to the strainer?
I'm looking for a part # to order that 'thing'

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'84 300SD 214.000 miles KKK, soon Elsbett.
'98 BMW 323 coupe 426.000 miles
'87 300DT 278.000 miles kinda forgotten