No idea who told you off, there are nicer ways to suggest moving to the DD subforum. This is definitely the right subforum for talking about diesels though, there's quite a brain trust in here and the guys who know everything rarely venture to the other subforums.

1: You'll need to replace the front main oil seal. I'm not well versed on the 617's in that area, so you'll need to wait for one of the 617 guys to fill you in on the details.

2: Change the pump. It isn't worth messing with just the bearing. Buy a Graf or Laso pump with a cast impeller. It'll last you another 30 years.

3: I assume this is a manual? If so, you need to rebuild all the shift bushings. MB gear shifters never had a great feeling from the factory and a worn out one is simply HORRIBLE to drive. There are aftermarket kits to replace the rubber bushings with Delrin plastic and is said to greatly improve the shifting experience. If you search this forum, there is a writeup on how to rebuild the shifter, including pictures (assuming they weren't hosted externally and now gone).

4: The heavy feeling is normal for a W126. It shouldn't be set in concrete, but it should still require a bit of effort. If coming from a modern car, it would be easy to think something were wrong. Just keep an eye on the fluid. If it's murky and brown, change multiple times until it runs clear. ATF was the original fluid and is what should go back in it. There's a filter in the bottom of the reservoir that probably needs changing too.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

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

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

Thanks so much for your help.

My engine is actually a 603, not a 617. Don't know if that makes any difference to changing the seal

For the power steering, is it correct to assume that the fluid is constanlty circulating?

thanks again




QUOTE=Diseasel300;4115361]No idea who told you off, there are nicer ways to suggest moving to the DD subforum. This is definitely the right subforum for talking about diesels though, there's quite a brain trust in here and the guys who know everything rarely venture to the other subforums.

1: You'll need to replace the front main oil seal. I'm not well versed on the 617's in that area, so you'll need to wait for one of the 617 guys to fill you in on the details.

2: Change the pump. It isn't worth messing with just the bearing. Buy a Graf or Laso pump with a cast impeller. It'll last you another 30 years.

3: I assume this is a manual? If so, you need to rebuild all the shift bushings. MB gear shifters never had a great feeling from the factory and a worn out one is simply HORRIBLE to drive. There are aftermarket kits to replace the rubber bushings with Delrin plastic and is said to greatly improve the shifting experience. If you search this forum, there is a writeup on how to rebuild the shifter, including pictures (assuming they weren't hosted externally and now gone).

4: The heavy feeling is normal for a W126. It shouldn't be set in concrete, but it should still require a bit of effort. If coming from a modern car, it would be easy to think something were wrong. Just keep an eye on the fluid. If it's murky and brown, change multiple times until it runs clear. ATF was the original fluid and is what should go back in it. There's a filter in the bottom of the reservoir that probably needs changing too.[/QUOTE]

The w116 and w126 Diesels were export to North America cars only. The '85 came with the OM617 and was only available as automatic.

So it would appear that your car was refitted with the 603 and Manual trans by a previous owner.

__________________
'83 SD, 2x '85 SD
You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts.

youre spot on. I worked this out myself the other day. Probably he did it when it was imported into Morocco in 1993 as there were plenty of w124s around and a few acccident cases as the scrap yard, i dare say

O.K. then ,

Good to hear you're going to tackle is yourself but, I don't know your skill level and I HAVE NEVER DONE A OM603 FRONT OIL SEAL so these are basic seal job related comments, O.K. ? .

Someone here might say "! DON'T DO THAT !" and if they do, listen if they've done this particular job on your typ engine before .

Anyway : I like to use the 'rocker' typ of oil seal remover, like this : https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7769235?cid=paidsearch_shopping_dcoe_google&campaign=GSC-Tools-Equipment&campaign_id=8553470562&adgroup_id=107047174069&adtype=pla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr9mx-4ea7QIVAhx9Ch07aA9FEAQYBiABEgJgUPD_BwE

I was hipped to this handy, easy to use and LOW COST tool 40 years ago and I didn't think it'd work on that particular job (tranny tail shaft oil seal) but Lo ! it worked flawlessly , and much easier than I expected .

The seal proper is pressed into the timing cover where the nose of the crankshaft sticks out, seals are never (?) on the crankshaft .

I don't know if you're allowed to bang the new seal in with a big socket or bit of pipe that's the same diameter as the metal part of the seal ~ the alloy timing cover might break .

In general shop work you pry the old seal out of the timing cover then remove the cover and clean it well, place on the bench and press or bang the new seal in, supporting the cover from below so you don't dent it (steel covers) or crack/break it (alloy covers) .

Then you place the timing cover back on the engine with one or two bolts loosely holding it in place, install the pulley and tighten it into place, then install the rest of the timing cover bolts / nuts and tighten correctly . this allows the pulley to serve as an aligning device, most factory shop manuals insist you needs a special UnObtanium aligning tool that costs $1,200.00 -if- you could ever find one....

I've done both. both ways, as a field Mechanic I've done some memorable jobs I wished I didn't but they worked out fine in the end .

Working in the dirt in Guatemala or other third world locale is rarely much fun .

The problem with the liquid chemical softeners is this : once they soften up the old rubber lip on the seal they tend to wait until you shut the engine down when it's good and hot, then the now soft rubber lip sticks to the shiny surface of the crankshaft and when you re start the engine after it cools down, the lip rips right off and the cascade of engine oil begins.....

If you're damned and bound to gamble and try softening the ools seal, do a hot oil and filter change and add one teaspoon of fresh brake fluid to the new oil, this is the primary ingredient in seal softeners, no need to spend $15 on a fancy can of snake oil .

DO NOT come here crying if this ruins what's left of the oil seal and causes the engine to seize up down the road, YOU WERE WARNED THIS IS A "HAIL MARY" SO DO NOT EXPECT IT TO WORK .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Indeed. Well spotted