Thanks. I really like that it's set up like that.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

One often hears about how these Mercedes engines are near bulletproof. They are reliable, of course, but it's always struck me that the vulnerable part is the injection pump. Doesn't take rocket science to figure that out I guess.

Perhaps I worry too much but in the back of my head is the thought that an IP going south could equal big $$ to make right.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

The injection pumps are very reliable. Yes, they do wear out, but if you're taking care of the fuel system, they're extremely durable.

Some of us get more unlucky than others. I'm on #3 in my SDL. The original had a bearing grenade and ruined it, the 2nd was seized up with varnish and muck from sitting or some sort of contamination, and #3 (that I'm running now) is from a 3.5L engine and has its own share of issues (delivery valves, injection quantity, intermittent injection problems on Cylinder 3). Currently have my feelers out for #4 which will be from a 3.0L engine, not another 3.5L. I'm not interested in running higher boost or turning up the fuel on my car to get more power out of the 3.5L pump.

If you want some light bedtime reading (sarcasm!), I have a running thread in my signature line on my car which should have some links in it to the various IP and DV calamities I've gone through. I will say this though - the car has never missed a beat, even when running poorly. The 3.5L pump has been extremely reliable if not a bit unrefined.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

I have this horrible feeling that going to HPR - been using it for a couple of months now -may not have been ultimately a good thing. Seems my leaking problems sprung up after that.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

It could be the HPR, or it could just be coincidental that the leaks got worse. Rubber has a finite life and once it degrades to the point it leaks, it won't be improving on its own.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

I've been busy, finally getting down to this. I put in a new filter and O-rings last night, the old filter had fuel in it. Before that I did the test of loosening one of the injector lines and cranking the engine. No fuel came out. No surprise. Everything pointed to a fuel delivery problem.

Today and tomorrow I'm going to do the lift valves and put new O-rings in the lift pump. Will charge the disconnected battery while I'm doing it, as I get that a lengthy proper cranking sequence is in my future.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K