85 300sd
 

Im looking for a replacement fuel hose for my return line.I noticed mine has a pin hole leak. Is this just regular fuel line or a specific merc. part?

It's gotta be DIESEL RATED or it'll begin weeping in a month .

would you know what size hose it takes?

Injection Return Hose
 

Not off the top of my head, sorry .

Someone else here will or you can easily look it up on the parts page of this forum....

do you mean the cigar hose?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Diesel-Fuel-Injector-Pump-Return-Hose-Cigar-Hose-0009975152/233171329369?fits=Model%3A300SD&epid=112656722&hash=item364a182159:g:0m0AAOSwEjFXel6X

yes. ty

Easily available on ebay. "cigar hose".

you can use regular fuel hose sold by the foot.


All the euro models have this, not an issue.

No, you can't .

Firstly, the "cigar hose"has a special shape to it and secondly, regular fuel hose gets very soft and fails after a month or so of diesel use......

New guy here. Thinking about buying 83-85 300sd... any words of advice when shopping? Will 35 year old age - kill that motor? Do I spend more for the Lower mileage one (80-120k?) or spend less on the 150-180k car-- knowing both will need lots of rubber/joints/bushings/etc. to be replaced.

seen a few with little puffs of smoke coming out of oil filler (when i take cap off)... is a little smoke- ok? Or deal breaker

any advice would be appreciated

Or am I crazy to think I can make one of these my DD?

I hate to disagree with your years of mechanic experience, but my experience is polar opposite



My two 300Ds have either never had a cigar hose (ok one was a 280 originally) or at least never had when I've owned them (apparently they were a US spec only thing?)


If fuel hose can handle petrol/gasoline it can handle diesel no problem. I suspect hose you've been buying is poor quality. I even use air hose as diesel fuel hose no problem. The same hose will swell and soften in petrol :)

Fuel Hose & Daily Drivers
 

The hose thing may be a U.S.A. deal, I'm talking about top brands of hoses going soft or cracking and leaking when used for Diesel fuel .

Maybe NZ is different ? .

I've known a few who also claimed the engine ran fine without the special cigar hose, I also know many who claim it ran better after it was installed, removing a regular bit of 7MM Diesel rated hose....

I'm not an Engineer of any stripe so I try to avoid thinking I know better than those who are .

As far as making an old Mercedes Diesel into a daily driver, yes it can be done but even if you had a brandy new 1985 Mercedes, German cars in general are designed to need regular touching and this can get old if you're not an enthusiast to some extent .

Smoke coming out the oil filler isn't an issue, the cap dancing with the hot engine idling, is .

Look for RUST as it never sleeps and is the very most expensive to repair .

What Nate said.
35 year old cars will require maintanence. Mileage means nothing on old rubber anymore. Either plan on doing it yourself or paying someone $$$$$ for the privilege. Parts are getting expensive. The good ol days of affordable plentiful parts are over.

I would treat a car like this as a toy and passion peice. Get a real daily driver beater to drive when the Benz is in dry dock.

Better choices for daily drivers than any thirty five year old car. You should also have a spare car if you have an old example..

To find a true low milage example is both hard and can be expensive.

Yes- I expect some downtime... Biggest question- is with low mile, Higher purchase price sd... will OM617 be rock solid- despite 35 yrs/age... or will there be issues there to- eating into my operating costs

I don't want to be shocked by Motor issues...
yes- I expect rubber/windows/seats/bushings to need attention

yes-I have a backup car as needed

also- looking at one with rebuilt trans-- any advice on that?