Hi. On my 87 300e, I'm going to do my first brake bleed; it's of the entire system because I had to replace the master cylinder, and the fluid from PO is pretty dirty. I put the car up on ramps and located the bleeder caps & 9mm nuts, but I can't figure out how to get a wrench into the small space to loosen the bleeder nuts. I saw on Fastlane there is a special MB tool with tubing attached, which sells for over $100, but a can't imagine everyone uses this. Do I need a non-standard wrench? Would it help if I took off the wheels ? Thanks.

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87 300e (white/black; amg body kit)
88 300ce (red/cream; amg body kit)
93 300ce cabrio (white/blue/blue top)
93 300ce cabrio (black/grey/black top)
98 ml 320 (totaled @ 137,000 miles)
99 clk320 (black/grey/black top)

Deep socket...

Thanks Arthur; and then when the fluid runs clear I hand turn the nut to shut off the flow, pull the tubing and fully tighten?

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87 300e (white/black; amg body kit)
88 300ce (red/cream; amg body kit)
93 300ce cabrio (white/blue/blue top)
93 300ce cabrio (black/grey/black top)
98 ml 320 (totaled @ 137,000 miles)
99 clk320 (black/grey/black top)

Basically..yes
Best to pressure bleed from the master

Use the Serch feature if you do not understand Bleeding Procedures

The reason you are having difficulty getting to the bleeder nipples is that the car is on ramps. Much, much simpler to jack the car up and remove a wheel at a time. Then you have plenty of room.

You are supposed to bleed with 30 psi pressure. I have found that the Motive Products bleeder works very well. Makes this a trivial process. Around $65.00. You will need a small clear container and plastic tube that connects to the nipple. That way you can see the bubbles and pretty much tell when the old fluid is pushed out by the new fluid.

Steve

Is that true? That seems high to me. I did mine at 15 psi. Is there a reason/advantage to push it to 30 psi?

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

I have a pressure bleeder, Motive, and plan to do exactly that as described in the Haynes manual & the various posts on this forum. I'm especially glad I will be able to do this with the car on ramps, which to me is the safest, and really the only, way I want to be under it. Arthur, I'd also like to take this opportunity to express my great appreciation not only for your reply here, but also for the help and learning you provide so regularly to everyone here.

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87 300e (white/black; amg body kit)
88 300ce (red/cream; amg body kit)
93 300ce cabrio (white/blue/blue top)
93 300ce cabrio (black/grey/black top)
98 ml 320 (totaled @ 137,000 miles)
99 clk320 (black/grey/black top)

You are Wecome and Thank You...

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but I am trying to picture how you avoid making a mess trying to do this with a deep well socket. You can't use the socket if the tube is attached.
You can't attach the tube if the socket is on the bleeder nipple. So when you loosen the bleeder you are going to have a mess.

Much less messy to take the wheels off, stick the tubing on, and loosen with a small wrench.

Steve

Well, thanks to everyone, I completed this job. I did it on my 87 300e, which lost its braking ability, eg, the pedal went straight to the floor once the engine was started. I took off the reservoir and found one of the grommets had buckled, which I guess allowed air to enter the system. Hoping this was the cause of my problem, I replaced the reservoir, grommets and master cylinder from my parts car ( in hindsight I probably should have bought new grommets just to be safe), purchased DOT 4 and a power bleeder, and went to work. I also purchased a 9mm deep socket, and used it to loosen all four bleeders to make sure none were stuck, used about 13 psi at the bleeder after putting in two 12 ounce bottles, and started from the right rear. All the old drained fluid was a light, olive green, and not as dirty as the muddy looking fluid I removed from the reservoir with a turkey baster. This made me wonder if MB or another brand of fluid is green, or if the green just was dirt (the castrol I used was clear). BTW, when the fluid flowed through the tube it looked pretty clear, and I probably stopped too early on the rear wheels. But next spring I'll do in again (mb says every 12 months for my '87). Started the car, the pedal was pumped a bit and stayed firm, and I took a test drive, me and my SEG. I was so pleased I threw some more fluid into the bleeder and did the clk, where mb has repositioned the bleeders so that a small 9 mm wrench was all I needed. The old fluid also came out light green, and I doubt it had ever been changed (shame on me). In the clk the reservoir was grimy, so I used a toothbrush to clean the right side area by the cap before I turkey-basted out the dirty fluid, but I couldn't gain access to brush the other side, so when I was done I levelled the fluid in between the minimum/maximum lines, just below the dirt line. Thanks again; without you all I never could have done this.

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87 300e (white/black; amg body kit)
88 300ce (red/cream; amg body kit)
93 300ce cabrio (white/blue/blue top)
93 300ce cabrio (black/grey/black top)
98 ml 320 (totaled @ 137,000 miles)
99 clk320 (black/grey/black top)