Hi all,

I did it again and I'll be damned if I do it one more time. I busted out my oil pan. I don't think that this would happen if I had a steel skid plate to protect it.

Is there anyone who knows if I can get a skid plate made of thick metal?

I have a 91 350 SD and I love it now that I have it again after being down for four months with a busted oil pan.


Thanks in advance,
Diesel Dork

What do you do to bust your oil pan???!? Drive over curbs?

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

Here's the story of how it happened,

The first time it happened I was being towed home from loosing my main belt. I asked the driver to back it in to my drive way. He did real slow and careful. He even got out and lowered it so the angle wasn't as steep. While he was creeping up it scraped and broke. I got the last new pan that was found out of country.

The next time I was driving and making a left turn into a driveway and the bottom scraped a little. I didn't think anything of it until I noticed there were oil spots under it. This was right after it was replaced so I thought that the mechanic didn't install it right but I had cracked it a little. The mechanic used some kind of epoxy or something that sealed it.

The last time I was driving threw a neighborhood that had gradual dips in the intersections. I went threw one and it busted out real bad. To add insult to injury I came back the next day to have it towed home and there was a ticket for parking the wrong way with a note that said,"clean up oil". Still fighting it.

Now that it's replaced for a second time I had the front shocks replaced and am getting tires that are taller than the stock ones that are on now. And I want a metal SKID PLATE to make an attempt to keep it from happening again.
Diesel Dork

Take it to most any metal fab shop. They will make whatever you ask for...

__________________
1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D

For this being your second post, your tone sure is rude.

It is a valid question to ask, because it would take quite a hit, or often times more damage to the car than just the oil pan to make that happen. Things happen all different ways, I know... but that is why the story behind the damage is interesting.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

Eh, Aluminum pans aren't that hard to compromise. They don't bend like steel...

__________________
1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D

sounds like the springs are wore out, got any pix of how the car sits?

The problem with a skid plate is there's nothing very rigid to attach it to ahead of the oil pan. The skid plate might absorb the impact but it will transfer the force to the K-member, no problem there, and the radiator lower support which will be too glad to collapse and possibly send the radiator into the fan. Maybe you can attach the skid plate to the bumper mounts on the frame.

As was suggested, the front end of your car might be sitting too low and the engine mounts might be worn.

You won't find a ready made skid plate in the US or Canada. If you're outside the US, MB might offer an optional skid plate for your car as they do for cars exported to the Middle East and Africa and usually with a package that includes increased road clearance. If you're in the US, bring a cake to your favorite dealership parts counter and maybe they'll look up the European parts catalog for you. Or contact the MB Classic Center in Irvine.

A 4x4 shop should be able to fabricate something for you. The catch is you're reducing the road clearance of a car with marginal road clearance to begin with. You'll protect the oil pan but you'll likely hit more things.

Best of luck.

Sixto
87 300D

Also, could be more of a hassle to drain oil...

__________________
1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D

first off,
WELCOME!
our forum is pretty cool!

Hmm. the 300D W123 body style has a skid plate from the factory... perhaps it could be modified to fit a 126?
I'd SERIOUSLY inspect the motor mounts, and the vehicles suspension if I were you. something HAS to be sagging for driveway hits to kill the pan...

__________________
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!

Still so new to this site that I haven't loaded any pix of my car yet but it sits fine.

The exclusive to Benz mechanic from the Father land says the springs are fine, the motor mounts are fine and it doesn't ride low with the stock size tires. He suggested getting tires that raise the ride but don't look silly out of stock size.

It has 15" rims and I'd like to get 16" with a slightly higher tire but that becomes a fine line with turning clearance and rubbing the new tires.

I'm going to do a search for or start a new thread looking for 16" chrome 8 whole Benz rims with the correct offsets for my car.

__________________
Diesel Dork

I make my own B100 with a Bio Pro 190 and run my deisels on it for $.97/gal

Have
1991 Mercedes 350 SD
1998 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins
2005 Mercedes Sprinter
1956 Cadillac Coupe deVille
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 gas only to pick up WVO
Sold
1983 Mercedes 500 SEL gas

Thanks for the warm welcome. Yes your forum is pretty cool with one exception but I've blocked him so that's not going to annoy me any more.

I'll investigate wether having one fabed from scratch vs modifying a new one would be more cost efficient. Being that my so called aluminum oil pan that seems to be made of papermeche needs protecting. I've talked to my mechanic and he's said that there seems to be the standard amount of clearance. Suspension, mounts are fine. We replaced the front shocks just in case and he suggested higher tires over the stock ones. He has test driven the car so I don't know why it's happening but it is. I just have to totally baby the car and protect it's soft spot the oil pan until I can get a formidable helmet for it.

__________________
Diesel Dork

I make my own B100 with a Bio Pro 190 and run my deisels on it for $.97/gal

Have
1991 Mercedes 350 SD
1998 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins
2005 Mercedes Sprinter
1956 Cadillac Coupe deVille
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 gas only to pick up WVO
Sold
1983 Mercedes 500 SEL gas

'seems' doesn't cut it for me, specifics, measurements, numbers, etc tell the real story,

what's the mileage and are the springs original?

never know what a prior owner may have done also, mighta wanted a lower ride, cut a coil ..hardly drove it etc

front shocks hopefully were wore out and replaced for THAT reason, cos they have nothing to do with ride height

higher tires may help, but doesn't make sense to have to go that route to correct an easy bottoming out prob

i'd definitely want specific info on the springs, they may even have the proper ride height, or close, but still be wore out

could also be the wrong ones for the car

how far is the pan from the ground exactly?

keep this in mind also

This is the one I made for my car. This unit is for sale. It hooks over the round bar at the bottom of the core support (under the radiator), and bolts to the front crossmember.

It will protect from parking blocks and some speedbumps, but not from train tracks if you are going 80.

Noise encapsulation panel will need to be trimmed or deleted.

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

wow that is some SERIOUS steel

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87 300D sedan rarity with the #14 death stamp SOLD