I just bought a '90 300TE with 148k miles. I had an '84 Volvo 240 for 14 years and 252K miles. I always used 20w-50 and changed my timing belt and water pump every 60k miles.

Should I do the same with the 300TE? Also, any other advice if welcome!

Keep in mind I live in Florida and would rarely, if ever, take this car into cold winters.

Thanks,
Greg

Do a search on oil on here. The car has no timing belt - it has a chain. You should be able to find alot of info on the timing chain on here also. The life of the chain is dependent on the oil/filter changes.

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Jim

Is what the owner's manual lists as a recommended viscosity for your car and climate.

Oil brand, regular or synthetic, how you change it, and how often are all subjective topics and have been discussed ad nauseum on these forums.

Use the search feature if you wish to review past postings on any or all of these subjects.

Welcome to the land of Mercedes ownership, and especially to MercedesShop. I think you will find that this is the best website on the internet for DIY Mercedes owners...

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Scott Longston
Northern California Wine Country...
"Turbos whistle, grapes wine..."

thanks for all the input...oil is a big subject here, sorry I brought it up. Coolant discussion is just as exciting.

Looking forward to having my car for years...Greg

Your 300TE has an M103 engine. Although these engines have a single row timing chain, their record is excellent. This is due to the use of a ratcheting timing chain tensioner which maintains proper tension at all times.

Thank goodness it doesn't have a belt. I avoid the purchase of vehicles with a belt like it's the plague, even though I slipped up when my wife hurriedly bought her 4Runner. Periodically replacing timing belts is a major pain. If they outlawed the use of rubber belts for timing I would have no argument.

Good luck,

Don't most cars with a rubber timing belt have non-interference engines? That is, if the belt breaks the pistons won't hit the valves? My 240D is interference engine, so if the timing chain breaks the pistons and the valves get up close and personal. In the '91 MR2 I used to own, the pistons would NOT touch the valves if the belt broke; just adjust the timing and put in a new belt, and you're good to go.

- Nathan
'83 240D "Steiner"
'00 New Beetle TDI

No, many of the belt timed engines are indeed interference engines. All diesels are interference because of the tight compression ratios.

Have a great day,

The Honda engines are typical interference engines, and some Toyotas, yet they still use the rubber timing belts. I have seen the results after a ruptured belt, and the pistons look like they've been used for target practice!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

I've seen quite a couple of BMW's with bent valves, when the belt ripped and pistons hit them. I defenitely do stay away from "timing-belted" cars as well.
For your coolant I recoomend using only MBZ coolant. Its more expensive, but as it has been explained to me worth the money.
MBZ and other European coolants are ph-neutral and supposedly don't attack the plastic parts on the radiator, whereas American coolant is alkaline and will cause corrosion and make plastic parts brittle.
Happy motoring in your new car!
F.J.

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F.J.
81 300 SD grey/palomino 168K miles
84 190E 2.3 black/grey 64K miles (wrecked)
85 190E 2.3 maroon/palomino 92K miles
88 300E desert red/palomino 204k miles
(made to look like a '94-95)
92 400E desert taupe/creme beige 120K miles
(converted to 94-95 E420 looks)

How much is a timing chain replacement service on an M103 motor? I've got 132 589kms on mine and will probably change the chain at or before 160 000kms. Any idea guys???

I'm a student and should start saving now right?

Thanks,

Mike McKinney

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1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

It is usually recommended to replace the chain between 80k miles and 150k miles, depending on the engine type and the way the car has been driven. Chains usually only jump teeth or break at high rpm's or sudden violent accelerations.
In your case I would say the 100k mark sound good for some preventative maintenance.
Parts are inexpensive. You'll need the chain, master link(usually comes with the chain, tensioner, inner and outer rails and the clamping lever.
The labor is another thing. I do the work on mine myself so no cost for me there. Get a quote on the labor form a reputable mechanic and say you'll provide the parts. Always make sure you collect the "replaced" parts though and that they are the ones from your car.
Good luck!
F.J.

P.S.:Feels great the be cruising in a Benz as a student,hm?!
Been there, and I liked it a lot.

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F.J.
81 300 SD grey/palomino 168K miles
84 190E 2.3 black/grey 64K miles (wrecked)
85 190E 2.3 maroon/palomino 92K miles
88 300E desert red/palomino 204k miles
(made to look like a '94-95)
92 400E desert taupe/creme beige 120K miles
(converted to 94-95 E420 looks)

Hahahahahaah you know it brother!!!

My idiot friends all bought Hondas and Mustangs after getting approved for their loans.

I went the other way and bought quality.

I've wanted to own a Mercedes-Benz since I was six (I was born on July 7th 1980) years old and my neighbor Perry Rea had a 1986 300E (burgundy on black).

I was pedaling a 5 speed CCM mountain bike in those days. I would wait out on my driveway after diner to watch that car drive by me. I was awestruck. My parents had just bought a 1986 Taurus LX wagon around the same time. Our other vehicle was a 1984 Toyota VAN.

That car just oozed quality and craftsmanship and from then on I was sold on Mercedes-Benz.

Mike McKinney

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1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

SHYNE,

The M103 engine is unlike most of the other MB engines as far as timing chain life expectancy goes. These are simple chains with only the crankshaft and camshaft sprockets to deal with. Add to that the fact that this engine has a ratcheting tensioner and you have the engine in the MB stable with the best timing chain record.

I am not saying this to discourage you from replacing the chain for preventive maintenance reasons, but unless your car has not had frequent oil changes, I really think you could run it a little longer. My 300E has almost 200k miles with the original chain.

The engines that really require "take no chances" timing chain management are the V8's.

Good luck,

Larry,
Someone said that a chain can break with sudden acceleration and at high RPMs. What do you think of this. Now THIS concerns me! I floor it often. My M104 motor has 95k miles with relatively consisent oil changes throughout it's like, and VERY consistent the past 25k miles (since I got it). I know we have been over this before... but is the M104 motor common to chain failure? and more so with high rpms..!? Thanks a bunch.

BTW, I'm 19, and this Mercedes is my first car. And damn, am I sold! Thank god many of my friends drive german cars! Not too many people with Hondas that I know, I think I'd die, because I cannot STAND rice rockets. WHAT JUNK!

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I recently replaced the timing chain because of all the heavy acceleration and high-RPM driving I do in my ... 240D. (polite cough)

Cheers,

- Nathan
'83 240D "Steiner"
'00 New Beetle TDI (with rubber timing belt that needs changing every 40k)