Hey Guys - Quick Intro

[Steve-H]

All,
Just sayin 'hi'. Been lurking here for the past 5-6mo learning as much as I could. I've been in the market for a W210 E300, and just picked up the cleanest one I could find...So I figured it was about time to register here; as I may have a couple of questions along the way !
Background on the car:

• '98 E300TD
• 107k
• Smoke Silver/Tan interior

I had the dealer change out the glow plugs as a condition of the sale. Fortunately they came out with minimum issues - so the rest should be easy from here on out. The only other real preventative maintenance I've read about here is swapping out the engine mounts...I'll do that once the weather gets warmer.
Is there anything else that I should look to do immediately ? I saw on the maintenance history that the belts were done about 10k ago - and all looks fine. I'll probably grease up the suspension bits and change the oil...but that's all I have planned for it (besides driving of course !).

Thanks for all your help thus far !
-Steve

[kerry]

Welcome aboard.
TD as in wagon?

[engatwork]

Welcome aboard. Sounds like you have picked up a nice one. You got pics?

Replace the idler pulley on the serpentine belt between now and about 140k miles. Also, when was the last time the transmission was serviced? I'd schedule that if you can't find records.

[ROLLGUY]

I had the exact same car (year, color etc) and really loved it! This forum is the best place to find out about fixing anything on your car. It is actually very DIY friendly. A bit more advanced than the 123's I was used to driving, and a lot more fun. I miss mine, as a friend made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Also, welcome to you.

[Steve-H]

Sorry, TD as in TurboDiesel...No wagon (Were they even available in the US that year ?). As far as the tranny service - is it just a fluid change, or is there more to it ? Lastly, where can I find all the recommended service intervals ?

Thanks again,
Steve

[Steve-H]

Sorry, forgot to add pics...These were still from the dealer - I'll get better ones once I clean the car up and give it a proper detail:






Note - the rear trunk handle trim has been replaced..
Also it has the 'weird' orthopedic seats. Not sure the passenger's side is functioning as it should...something I'll have to investigate.

[Rollo MB]

Originally Posted by Steve-H

All,
Just sayin 'hi'. Been lurking here for the past 5-6mo learning as much as I could. I've been in the market for a W210 E300, and just picked up the cleanest one I could find...So I figured it was about time to register here; as I may have a couple of questions along the way !
Background on the car:

• '98 E300TD
• 107k
• Smoke Silver/Tan interior

I had the dealer change out the glow plugs as a condition of the sale. Fortunately they came out with minimum issues - so the rest should be easy from here on out. The only other real preventative maintenance I've read about here is swapping out the engine mounts...I'll do that once the weather gets warmer.
Is there anything else that I should look to do immediately ? I saw on the maintenance history that the belts were done about 10k ago - and all looks fine. I'll probably grease up the suspension bits and change the oil...but that's all I have planned for it (besides driving of course !).

Thanks for all your help thus far !
-Steve

When you get the opportunity to get the front end jacked up, get the wheels off and give the area of the upper spring perch a good looking over. The perch has been spot welded to the frame channel and the inner wheel well then it was covered by undercoating. Water gets into that space somehow and rust forms in the areas around the spot welds, eventually the spotwelds and/or the sheet metal they are welded to rust through and fail. The perch comes loose usually its front or back side and then the spring pushes free dropping the wheel well onto the tire. This will usually happen at low speed when turning, often the wheel arch of the fender ends up on top of the partially turned wheel requiring a fender repair and repaint to fix in addition to the spring perch repair.

Scrub all the dirt and grime away from around where the spring perch mounts, carefully inspect the area, any rust collored stains should be examined carefully, any portion of the undercoat in that area which looks like it might have "bubbled up" needs to be examined and probed to determine if it is rust forming below the undercoat. A sharp flat blade screw driver will come in handy for probing. For some unknown reason seems to occur on the passenger side more frequently than the driver side.

MB has a repair and a TBS regarding this issue, depending on the extent of any damage repair could be just a new perch, or there is a perch/wheel well sheet metal section combo if the rusting is more extensive. Repair is effected using large rivets and two part body panel adhesive, and reapplying new undercoating over the repaired area.

It's much better to find this problem early rather than later. You can do a search of the archives there have been some pretty extensive threads on the issue, good luck and enjoy the car they are a fine vehicle.

[Steve-H]

Thanks. So I've read the threads out there...But still don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about doing a visual inspection. Do most people spend some time to actually remove the rubber undercoating and see what's beneath the surface ? From the threads it seems like it can look perfectly fine from the outside; but a week later the perch comes off...

[satyr]

Wow that's clean! I did the intake cleanout not too long ago on the 96. I also replaced fuel lines because they can develop leaks and suck air causing intermittent weirdness (apparently this problem is aggravated by new biodiesel blends too). Learning alot about alternators and ground straps these days at 170K.

[Rollo MB]

Originally Posted by Steve-H

Thanks. So I've read the threads out there...But still don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about doing a visual inspection. Do most people spend some time to actually remove the rubber undercoating and see what's beneath the surface ? From the threads it seems like it can look perfectly fine from the outside; but a week later the perch comes off...

I suspect most people don't go that far as it's pretty difficult to remove the MB undercoat! If someone was to go to that extent they would be advised to remove it with a wire wheel in an angle grinder, eye protection, mask and leather gloves are mandatory! The grinder will give you a hell of a ride if it catches on a starp edge and your skin presents very little resistence to the high speed spinning wire brush. It will take some time to strip that area, probably would benefit from disconnecting the brake line and getting it out of the way when doing something like this.

After removing the original undercoat something real like 3M Body Shutz 08864 should be used to undercoat any exposed area. 3M Seam Sealer 08360 is thick stuff that can be filleted into corners and feathered out at the edges.

Wurth makes underbody seal that is closer to the original MB gray stuff and their brushable seam sealer is very good also, their stuff is sometimes harder to find though.

[Steve-H]

Thanks again. In school, I had an old Suzuki Samurai into which I swapped in a VW turbodiesel (guess that's where I got the diesel bug from !). Regardless, with that POS I learned all about wire wheels, seamsealer, and the importance of eye protection when using a wire wheel. I had a wire actually lodge itself 1/2 way though my safety glasses....
Regardless, does it make sense to do ? I have no problem in spending the effort - as I have all the tools. I just don't know if - at the end - if it looks OK from a good, close inspection its worth tearing into.

-Steve

[pimpernell]

Originally Posted by Steve-H

Thanks. So I've read the threads out there...But still don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about doing a visual inspection. Do most people spend some time to actually remove the rubber undercoating and see what's beneath the surface ? From the threads it seems like it can look perfectly fine from the outside; but a week later the perch comes off...

My 96 E300d was up on a lift having the tires rotated, and I gave both spring perches the once over. Everything looked great, undercoating in place, and no bulging areas or signs of rust anywhere. Exactly one week later, after parking the car for the night, I find that during the evening, the passenger side spring perch completely failed, breaking the spring, and ripping out the surrounding sheet metal it was attached to. Total bummer. Price to repair both sides ranged in the neighborhood of $1500-2000. Only other issue with the car was my SRS light remained on, and after diagnosis, it was guesstimated that the child safety seat sensor in the passenger side seat needed to be replaced. Estimate of having that replaced came in at about $600-1000, seems very labor intensive to get to. Based on the age of the car, and my declining wrenching abilities, I decided to sell the car rather than have it repaired. Your vehicle looks great, and a wish you lots of luck. I really loved my 96, but could no longer justify putting in close to $3000 in a car that was feeling its aches and pains just like its owner.

96 E300d with right front spring perch failure up for grabs....

[Steve-H]

Wow - sorry to hear about that............Looks like removing the undercoating is in my future then. The whole purpose of this car is to rack up some miles - so I don't want anything in the backs of my mind.
Has anyone gone through the trouble of removing the coating to do an inspection ? I haven't found anything doing a search...I'll be sure to post my process and findings.
I'll check my local body supply shop for the goods.

[kerry]

Delaware is close to NJ. If the car had spent its life in AZ, NM, NV or CO, I wouldn't bother getting a close look at the perches. But Pipernell's account of a NJ failure probably warrants inspection in your neck of the woods.

[Steve-H]

Originally Posted by kerry

Delaware is close to NJ. If the car had spent its life in AZ, NM, NV or CO, I wouldn't bother getting a close look at the perches. But Pipernell's account of a NJ failure probably warrants inspection in your neck of the woods.

I picked up the car in GA. According to the carfax the car spent its' entire time there.