When I went to change the oil on my 84 300D, I noticed the air filter was really shaking. Is this a sign that the motor mounts are shot? I didn't see any broken braces on the filter. Any suggestions? Thanks!

How did you check the mounts on the filter ?

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
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Strickly visual. Not really sure what I should be looking for, but everything seems tight. With the motor running, the filter really shakes.

Does it vibrate in accord with the engine, or does it seem to be shaking independent of the engine's movement? If it's the former, I'd look at motor mounts. If it's the later, you could check the bolts that hold the filter housing onto it's mount (underneath the filter itself).

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
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1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Thanks! It appears to viberate with the engine, but I'll the filter housing bolts tomorrow during the daylight.

In my case one of the bracket arms had a hairline crack in it (common malady) making what should have been a three point support into effectively a two point one...sucker shook like a belly dancer on steroids

A sure sign that the motor mounts are shot is if when you shut the engine down it really shakes and usually makes a noise.

If it is only the air cleaner shaking, then I would remove it and repace the three rubber mounts and really check the bracket. I had a cracked bracket on my 81 300SD

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1982 240D 4spd, 327,000mi

most common for the LH mount to fail first as more likely to get fuel on the mount. If the vibration is much worse, feels like the car is shaking when reversing, then the LH mount is had it.

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1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
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* Check the three rubber mounts under the air filter housing.
* Check the air cleaner bracket for cracks, and/or a broken support arm.
* Check the bottom air cleaner bracket mount bolt, it can become loose/strip the threads from the intake manifold, and begin bouncing/rocking the bracket.
* Insert a #2 pencil between the engine mount cup and engine mount arm, if it will not fit = the mount is junk.

If all of these are good, the odds are that the rack damper pin needs adjustment or is bad.

0000742674 Injection pump Rack Damper Pin OM617
0000742674 Injection pump Rack Damper Pin OM617




MB# 6179880111
Fastlane: Air Cleaner Buffer... Round Shape
http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=6179880111

Fastlane: Air Cleaner Bracket
http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=W0133-1624640

Fastlane: Engine Mount
http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=W0133-1629653




Have a great day

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Put the car in drive and with your foot on the brake give it some throttle. Do the same in reverse. If a mount is shot you while see the motor move excessively.

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1998 E320 150,000
1980 300SD 240,000
1965 190D 79,000

An update of the excessive vibration of the air cleaner housing. Doing all the suggestions that were postings, I've determined that the problem is the motor mounts. My thanks for all your help!