I've been searching and searching a can't find the answer to this one.
I just picked up a 123 today for cheap. This means I will be asking a lot more questions over the next couple of days/weeks. But the immediate interesting thing that I found was when fitting a stereo into the slot under the acc controls I found what appears to be engine oil dripping from the ledge just above the stereo. Natural assumption would be that it is coming out of the acc controller and dripping down off this ledge.
I am going to take it apart tomorrow to see if I can pinpoint the leak but anybody have any ideas? Could this be a blown vacuum pump and oil has fed all the way up the vacuum feed line to the acc controls?
Any ideas would be helpful..
Thanks

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

The only place oil can come from in that area is the oil pressure sensing line that connects into the back of the dash. It must be running down something and then dripping down in that area.

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Jim

Yes, I will corroborate engatwork's suggestion. This is a common problem in these cars. It's not a huge deal, but kind of hard to reach. If you do a search on this forum, you will find lots of suggestions because this one has been done before...believe me!

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1982 300D Turbo "Helga"
380,000 miles

If your car has an actual oil line running to the oil pressure gauge, it might be leaking. Later models( like 84, 85) have electical sensors.

Hope this helps.

MVK

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One penny saved is three penny earned.

1985 300D Turbo 179,000miles

Thanks for the quick responses. Yeah, I kind of thought of that but was a little confused by where it is showing up.
I hope the gauge isn't bad because I thought that I read that the gauge is a big deal.
Am I wrong in this or can a DIY fix a gauge leak?
I'll look it over tomorrow and let you knwo what I find. I cehcked the carpets and all under the drivers side and didn't see any signs of leakage but hadn't thought to look under the stereo in the dash enclosure...

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

There is another source of oil leakage in the vicinity. The car is shut off by turning the starting key counter clockwise. This changes the vacuum system line up (there is a vacuum fitting on the back of the key operated mechanism) and forces the fuel supply to be shut off, using vacuum. The mechanism has a diaphragm that has vacuum or ambient air pressure applied to one side to get the force and stroke needed to shut the fuel off. The other side of the diaphragm is connected to the engine oil system. If the vacuum diaphragm is defective, not only will the car shut off poorly, or not at all, it will also suck oil into the key operated vacuum valve. When this happens, the rubber connectors on the ends of the vacuum lines get soft and gooey, and eventually begin to leak oil. I have never had this source of oil under the dash come out the stereo compartment, but I have had it run down the driver's side of the center console, which is right nearby. In general this source of leaking oil is accompanied by difficulties shutting the engine down. Good luck, and I hope this helps. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I found oil saturating the loom cloth on the elecrical cables leading to the two sides of the ACC control box on an 83 300D. Don't really know where the oil is/has come from. The area around the oil pressure gauge and line appear to be dry now, and have not had a chance to explore the area around the vacuum up behind the ACC. Since the car has only been in my hands for a few months, it is hard to know what may have been repaired or replaced, and what may have been overlooked. It is possible for a vac pump leak to put oil all the way up to the A/C vacuum operators up behind the console area is it not? None of the lines appear to be oily or dark inside now, but could have been cleaned or replaced by PO.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Thanks Jim,
I'll try to track that one too.
Car seems to shutoff okay but unlike my 115 when you turn the key for off it hesitates just a half secind before happening. My guess is that this is normal but I could be wrong.
I really like the positive shutoff ont he 115. Hit the stick and it dies, no questions asked...

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

it is probably from the vac pump. if it is the oil pressure gage feed you would have oil everywhere.

could be a previous pump failure.

put a clear inline gas filter in the vac feed line and see what happens.

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g-wagen

opps - forgot about the vacuum lines. Tryan is correct if it is the oil pressure line leaking then it will continue to pour out unless the prior owner fixed the leak and just did no clean real well. You can introduce oil into the vacuum system from the shut off valve.

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Jim