Okay, 300SDL owners, I have a question.

How much does your serpentine belt wobble from side to side when looking at the belt? I made the following video last night. Oh, I also did a blowby test for the video. Okay, you have to click the pic below to start the video in a separate window.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were videoing my 86 300sdl. It sounds just like yours and my serpentine belt moves just like yours. It sounds really good!

I started on my guide rod mounts today. It is going very well and very smoothly. I will have to change out One huge rubber bushing on the driver's side only. It is the one that gets leaked on by my Steering gearbox. I think I will come up with a shield for it to keep the power steering fluid off. Original Mercedes parts on this car, and I am putting original Mercedes parts back on. The quality of the Mercedes Guide rod mount kit is amazing! I will also use original Mercedes sub frame bushing too. I bought all four bushings, but I only need to replace that one.

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John
1986 300sdl
1985 380se

John --- maybe you need to install a new power steering reservoir gasket?

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I think you need to replace your tensioner damper. Seems like it has a little more bounce than it should.

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

x2. That tensioner is awfully bouncy at idle. The belt wobble might be an optical illusion.

Sixto
87 300D

I was hoping a few of you would confirm my suspicious diagnosis. Sometimes, I think I hear a squek from that area; however, my hearing isn't the best in the world.

Doesn't the tensioner have to be undone in order to replace the vacuum pump? I should check the condition of the serpentine belt again.

Where is that engine replacement receipt? I want to see what was "supposedly" replaced.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

IIRC, the blowby "tea kettle dance" doesn't work with the om60X series. I believe I read it somewhere here on the forum that the 60X has a bit of a vacuum on the top end or something of that nature.

Mine has some vacuum from the breather. Easy solution: unhook the breather.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

The tensioner doesn't have to be removed, just undo the upper damper attachment and swing it out of the way. The PS pulley has to come off.

EPC shows 3 replacement engine part numbers; short block, long block, fully dressed. I think only fully dressed comes with a tensioner.

Sixto
87 300D

I was looking at mine today and my tensioner is not moving around like yours. Mine sits there steady.

Guide rod mounts done, not as bad a job as I thought. Oil and filter change and Transmission fluid and filter change.
Productive day!

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John
1986 300sdl
1985 380se

Hmmmm.....
I filled up last night and my average was 23 MPG --- guess it's time for me to do a long GPS verification of the odometer. Maybe, the Italiaan Tune Ups are impacting my economy.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Okay folks. With the rearend of the car up in the air and the car in neutral, how easy should it be to turn the wheels? Did anyone catch an earlier post by me where I thought my emergency brake on the rear driver's side wheel was dragging? I think the brake caliper is not releasing. Obviously, this could cause my MPG to be 23, right?

I've already ordered the rubber brake lines to replace. Any thoughts? Should I replace the calipers at the same time or just the rubber brake lines, first? I don't really want to do the "whole brake" job at this time, but maybe I should just bite the bullet and do it all --- emergency brakes, drums\rotors, calipers, pads, and rubber lines.

I've got to get some shocks on this car soon. Anyone know what the colors on the spring mean? Oh....and I bet the shocks are original --- see that black circle on the rear trailing arm. That's caused by the car "bottoming" out.

I took some pics during the visual inspection.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

You seem to want to keep it, so just bite it and do the full brake job. That way its done.

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

I am consitantly at 22.5 to 26. But that is running 75mph for 35 mile clips back and forth to work. Think rolling hills. I dont know if it should be better or not. Its about double of my suburban so no complaints there!

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

My wagon gets 25+ as of late...with a high of 27.15 since I have owned it. I was at the 22-23 mpg mark when I had a dragging caliper just like yours. I recommend getting the caliper(s) at a local autochain that offers a lifetime warranty. I bought one online to replace a leaky caliper and just over later I replaced it because it was seizing. It was on and off for several months in hindsight, but it was hard to tell because of the torque! I was always surprised at how "spry" she would feel on some days and dead on others!

Anyhow, I bought the next one locally only to discover that there is a lifetime warranty on it. It is a genuine Benz caliper, just remanned by some company. Once I replaced it I had full power and mpg went up 3-5 mpg. I also replaced both rear brake lines, though only once caliper (back passengers).

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000