So I went out to my car this morning and I guess I left one of the interior lights on last night so it was completely dead. It is so cold here too that when I sat in my drivers seat I cracked the tex in 2 spots (seats were perfect no tears anywhere before this) Also to my dismay my (prior to today) PERFECT dash now has 2 huge cracks running in it from the defroster vent to the center vent holes. I put my battery from the sl in my car (wasn't a stock one so it fit in the 300) and when I got the car started apparently the o-ring in the top of the oil filter canister shrunk in the cold or something and just dumped oil out all over the side of my engine and my driveway. To top it all off when I was leaning over in the engine bay to replace the o-ring I accidently put too much pressure on my main vacuum line and it broke in half at the brake booster check valve. I also just noticed oil weeping from the oil cooler lines...

Oh and one more thing I just noticed the 3" piece of hose below the thermostat housing is weeping coolant at a steady rate.

__________________
1982 300D Silver/Blue 612000kms (Sold 2010) Now at 660000kms, original engine, original tranny.

sounds like it's time to get rid of it. i know if all of that happened in a day, or even a week i would probably have it crushed!

__________________

Sorry for all of your bad discoveries!! The cold weather does some strange, damaging things to cars.

__________________
My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

That is an issue dogpile of the highest order!! Sheesh!!!!!
I could not survive anywhere north of Texas.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Sorry. At least you noticed everything while still at home and didn't break down or kill the car. Everything is fixable although the dash is a PITA.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

Wow, it must be cold.

At least your engine is in good shape to start in the cold.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Sounds like a lot of parts need replacing that haven't been replaced yet!

My car has been braving the arctic conditions here very well, due to the massive # of parts I have replaced in the past 5 years....

Today I started my car at 9 degrees and it only took 2-3 seconds.

Don't be down about that stuff, its all easy repairs....stuff will always break.

__________________
-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)

Tomorrow morning the outside temperature will be in the low double or high single digits. The Jetta will start with less than five seconds of glow time.

Of course, the Jetta isn't outside and neither is the Benz.

oh, i feel your pain.

people who live in a temperate climate may not understand how brutal extreme cold can be on a vehicle. everything breaks in the cold.

__________________
________________

punkinfair

My condolences. "There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The arctic trails have their secret tales that will make your blood run cold. . . ."

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That stinking 3" hose began dribbling on my Diesel Coupe too just the other day , turns out the hose clamps got loose somehow...

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights
But the queerest they ever did see
Was the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam Mc Gee.

Now Sam Mc Gee was from Tennessee where the cotton blooms and blows... ok enough lol

The Cremation of Sam Mc Gee by Robert W Service, 1915

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

If you got lucky, you can fix the broken vacuum hose with heat shrink tubing.
Most hardware stores will have the larger stuff that you will need for around $5 total.
Get the longest overlap possible, and possibly shrink two layers onto it. Works with best a hot engine bay and a hair dryer.

Also, it's time to order LED replacements for your front, rear, and glove box festoon bulbs. Leaving them on overnight usually won't run the battery down.

__________________
$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I have left my interior lights on for DAYS and not run the battery down. you A have a bad battery(in those temps I bet it needs to be NEW every two years!!!) or B you left more than an interior light on... I've even left my headlights on overnight and had no problem starting the car the next morning... not in anywhere NEAR arctic temps but still...
I've never heard of an o-ring shrinking due to extreme cold, but I understand it. I bet it cracked and split open. serious bummer!
in those temps you better be plugging in your car. heck, I'd have a battery charger on it and plug in the block heater AND have it in the garage!!!

__________________
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!

Thanks for making me feel even better about living inthe South!

Sorry to hear of your troubles, though.

__________________
" 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