How to replace 103 water pump
 

I've got an 86 300e with the 103 engine.
I have to replace the water pump.
I can't figure out how to do it. DO i need to take off the visco clutch and all the accessories on the drivers side? I cant get to 1 of the bolts as it is burried behind the belt tensioner or water pump.

http://mb.braingears.com/124_DISC1/Program/Engine/103/20-2100.pdf

which references -

http://mb.braingears.com/124_DISC1/Program/Engine/103/13-3450.pdf

Sixto
93 300SD
... just asking for trouble by posting links

hmm i can get to your links.. (thanks)
but when i try to use that site.. it says "404 not found"

Other one is too big to upload.

Sixto
93 300SD

Thanks.. i figured it out. I have to browse by folder. But since the files are named the same as the references, i can do it.
All set.

Thanks a bunch.

My manual says
"remove all coolant hoses. Unscrew 4 bolts holding pump to engine."

Is that the same manual i find available on dvd?

This is a pretty big job, but a lot easier on the 300e where there's room to work than on the 190e.

86 300E water pump
 

Just finished replacing the water pump on my '86 300E. Took me about ten hours which also included replacement of the belt tensioner, all hoses, thermostat, and belt. I took my time and removed/cleaned many parts (radiator, fan, pulleys, etc.) while I had access.

Thanks to the tips in this forum I knew what I to expect and saved a ton of money.

I used a Sears Craftsman 13mm flex socket to get to the notorious water pump bolts. The most difficult part was not getting access but loosening the bolts which required an air wrench.

AH.. i haven't found much on the forum on water pump removal. But people love to title their threads for such things "what'll 8 hours and 3 cups of coffee get ya" instead of "103 water pump replacement w124" or something.
I have gotten estimates by people who have done it at 6-8 hours. Everything has been so easy thus far. This is making up for it. The water pump shouldnt be a longer job than a cam or head.
I guess i'll just pull it in the garage and work on it slowly over a few days.

Took me 6 hours going slowly, didn't need the flex tool. Pretty labor intensive, and your lower back will hurt for a few days, but beyond that I'd say it's fairly straightforward.

Yea.. i've run into an activated reservist out here that owns an import shop on mainland. He suggested 20" extension and a swivel.

"You will need to remove the clutch to get to the rest of the stuff, but you do not need to remove the PS pump just pull the tennsioner the last bolt is below the manifold best to remove the bracket holding on the oil dip stick support and go down through that hole with a 13mm bow end, the lower bolt is a 6mm allen use a 20" extenstion and a swivel ."


It looked pretty straight foreward to me, just seemed that it went against all the other engineering of the car. THe rest seemed so cut and dry. It cant be all like that.

I've sinced gotten the CD version of the MB manual, of course it's poorly engineered its self. I had to take all the PDFs and put them togeher and convert them to text using an Optical Character Recognition program (comes with acrobat pro). Now i can just type "water pump" and get the right pages. Like i said before my paper manual says "remove 4 bolts holding pump to engine"

Took me about 10 hours when I did mine a couple years ago.

If you haven't yet put together an extension for reaching the water pump bolts, and you have all 13mm hex head bolts, I strongly recommend getting the FLXM13 wobble extension socket made by Snap-on. It works really well for getting to all four of those bolts.

I dont work at a garage anymore..
where could i get snapon.

When I replaced the water pump on my M103'd 300SE, I unbolted the PS pump and moved it aside. I did not remove the fan or clutch, because I didn't have the proper tools, now I do. I also got a new serp. belt. Moving the PS pump to the side allows access to the lower bolts.

Use a small amount of grease to hold the O-ring in the groove and get a new hose between the pump and the head pipe.

I thought it looked like the PS pump bracket had enough clearance in there when pump is removed to get at that bolt.. as it has to be done anyway.. i'll do it that way and report back if it worked for me.
If not.. it'll be fan and all.

besides the actual waterpump, what else am in going to need. mines been leaking for a while and i have a few days off.

cheers