Oil Pan Gasket - What If Question
 

Lets just say EVERY thing on my 84 300D Turbo is working fine, but my Oil Pan Gasket which is leaking, and causing low oil pressure, could that cause shaking of the engine? I had to set the idle up to stop the shaking, it's at about 850 to 900 RPM, with the idle up, it runs fine. I'm thinking that since I set the idle up it's pumping more "oil or pressure" through the engine and calming it down. Could this be possible?

I am not so sure on that theory. But I have the same problem of vibration but the the oil pressure is good. I temporarily fixed with the same solution. Anyway I usually keep the idle little higher in summer months due to AC use and improved cooling.

I know my engine mounts a weak so I think that could attribute to a little shake at lower idles. Check you engine mounts too.

MVK

ok thanks, engine mounts are new but the engine shocks need replaced, probably replace those soon.

Leaking oil pans do not cause low oil pressure. Excessive clearances between bearings, journals and moving parts do. You are just buying time by increasing the rpm.

If your motor mounts are known to be good and the shocks to be bad, replace the shocks. Raising the idle is just hiding the problem. For your gasket, just replace it. I am assuming you're talking about the lower oil pan gasket.

Yall might want to plug your car into these two sites to check on TSB's which may help your engine vibration...

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/central2.cfm

http://alldata.com/

Greg

Steve,

What weight oil are you using?

-Larry

What is your oil pressure at hot idle? If it is 1 bar or greater, you have nothing to worry about --as long as it increases the second you blip the throttle to 1000-1200 RPM. Mercedes actually says in their owners manual that less than 1 bar of oil pressure at hot idle is acceptable. Mine just turned 250K and idles hot at 1.75 bar.

With that out of the way, you might also want to check the rack damper pin in the back of the injector pump. The new redesigned one is gold zinc plated, the old one is silver colored.

Do a search of previous posts about the rack damper; there's lots of information on why it is needed and how to install / adjust it.

It's much easier and cheaper to tackle this than it is to go after the motor mounts, and if you have the old-style silver one, the new one WILL make a difference.

I'm about to put in Castrol GTX 20W 50, and about low oil pressure, I made a mistake but got that fixed so I guess I have nothing to worry about there. Their is nothing wrong with the engine, but the motor mount shocks might be bad so I will have to look at them, how can you tell there bad? They look fine but that means nothing, how should they feel, soft? Also is 20W 50 good? My mom's boyfriend is a Truck driver and knows his way around a diesel, and said that's what he was using in the car.

Oh and Nate I'm going to look into that. How much are they normally?

"in the car" is the key thing. Is his car a diesel? Ask him what he runs in that truck. You need to be running a diesel rated oil. Please do a search and do not let this become an oil debate but you need to be running Delo 400 or equivalent.

Steve,
The rack damper pin was around $25.00 --

Want to second the Delo400... it is listed as recommended by MB... I use the castrol 20-50 in gasoline cars...good , but not made for diesel engines...

is there a big difference because I bought a whole case of Castrol GTX 20W50 and can't return it. Would it hurt to use the oil because I don't want to waste it or would I be better off getting Delo 400? :(

yes, it will hurt your diesel... it is not made for diesels... and will wear out your engine prematurely..