a) I can't find the radiator cap and am not sure which metric to use to determine whether or not there's coolant in the car.



b) Is this the tube to check transmission fluid? There was no dipstick.



c) How the heck do I pop open the fuel door?

d) What kind of coolant/power steering fluid/trans fluid do I need?

Thanks!

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

I'll bite:

The radiator cap is the shiniest metal object in your first picture; if it was any more clear, it would bite you.

I'd suggest you pick up an inexpensive Haynes service manual. Read it and start there.

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

Well, it's not like I didn't realize there was a cap on the overflow. Is there not anything on the actual radiator? Like a normal car? How do I know how much coolant is in there?

AFAIK, Haynes/Chilton didn't make a manual for my car. Maybe I'm wrong but I've been trying to secure an MB manual for about a day with no luck (from local places, my last resort is to order it which I'd have to wait for).

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

You missed at least one question!!!

You should ask, "Where is my air cleaner?"

I have that. It's taken off.

C'mon guys

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

Chilton makes a manual that covers your car. I have one sitting on my coffee table.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Yeah, and I've been told by many people that it's worthless so we might as well not even acknowledge it's existence.

Look uh if you guys don't want to answer my original questions please don't post

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

Okay. The tube (with no dipstick) in your photo is the oil drain for the air/oil separator in the air cleaner housing. The transmission dipstick should be behind that, close to the firewall. Usually has a red cap, with a lock. You have to raise the lock before you can remove the dipstick.

For coolant, use the Mercedes antifreeze or Zerex G-05. Fill to the level of the line on the bottle.
Transmission fluid: Dexron.
Power steering fluid: generic power steering fluid works fine. (Mercedes originally specified transmission fluid; some folks feel that changes in the transmission fluid formulation make p/s fluid a better choice.)

If your fuel door won't open from the outside, the vacuum lock is probably stuck on. Open the trunk, peel back the liner and you should be able to manually unlock it.

It's far from worthless. get one.

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'79 300SD
'82 Chevy Chevette diesel

Definitely get the manual!

That is not an overflow tank, it is an expansion tank. The pressure and level in the expansion tank are the same as the radiator, there are level marks on the side of the tank to indicate the proper coolant level. The cap on the tank is a pressure cap (like a radiator cap on a "normal car").

Is this car currently running, or are you trying to get it going?

First off, thanks for answering my questions guys, it really helps a lot.

Yeah, we're trying to get it running now, trying to turn it over and nothing. No starter noise or anything. I read that there was a starter interblock system from 74 onward, and got in the car, closed the door and buckled my seatbelt. I felt like an idiot and nothing happened still. We don't really know what to do from here other than trying to troubleshoot the starter etc.

Is there a starter solenoid up near the fuse box or anything?

Btw, the battery is new and has a charge, some electronic components are working (radio, windows, etc).

And the basic point about the manual is, I can't find one locally and ordering one is going to take a week. I've got help today and tomorrow and I'm not sure when I'll have it again so I want to try and get as much done as possible.

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

make sure the car is in Park. Maybe try to fool with the shifter a little.
There is a small black box on the passengers side under the hood. It should be right behind the headlight. You can jump the car from there I believe. Someone may correct me, it has been a while since I had to jump my car.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

I'll try that. I was just reading about the starter interlock system some more and they were talking about a push-button override switch but I can't find anything. a) is that what you're referring to, b) does anybody else know where it's supposed to be?

Also once I get this worked out, is it relatively easy to permanently override this system? I could see it causing more problems in the future.

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

Also, what the heck is this stuff?





The number on that little plastic part looks to be

1288800097

Some of those 8s could be a 6 and vice versa. Looks like it was partially melted.

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 300D

With no knowledge of your specific car I could be wrong... but the only thing I know of in terms of an interlock to EVER prevent starting is the "NSS" - neutral something or another. If the trans is not in P or N it won't crank. This switch tends to fail and prevent starting. Hold the key in the start position while wiggling the shifter through some gears and see if it ever turns over.

There was never an override switch. Some people may choose to install one themselves (as in, just hack up the wiring with a plain old radio shack toggle switch) to defeat this safety feature when it fails, rather than replacing the switch.

As long as there's coolant in your expansion tank you should be fine. Mine has a line on it.

The fuel door doesn't have to be released or anything. Just push one side of it in and the other side pops open.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL