Just acquired my first Mercedes
 

Hi all,
I just purchased a 300SD Turbo Diesel that has a little over 250,000 miles on it. I can't believe how well it runs and looks for a 25 year old car. I'm really enjoying it. Any insight into how to maintain it would be really appreciated. I'm completely new to owning any Mercedes and have not had a diesel vehicle before either. I'd like to be proactive in it's care as much as I can be.

BTW, in doing my web research, I noticed someone had a 250,000 + medal on their grill. Anyone know where to get one?

Thanks!

Re-Post in the Diesel forum and you will be welcomed like family on christmas.

Yes, those are lovely cars!

Change the oil every 3000 miles if you use "dino" oil, use ONLY CH-4 or better (Shell Rotella, Delvac 1300, ect) rated for DIESEL use -- ordinary gasoline engine oil isn't adequate.

If you use synthetic (Mobil Delvac 1, Mobil Truck and SUV oil -- same stuff, different bottles -- etc) you can go 6000 miles between changes.

Change the filter every time, too.

You must do a valve adjust every 15,000 miles on the five cylinder diesel.

Use diesel additive every tank in the winter, else you risk fuel gelling which will prevent it starting. Shop around for the best fuel --ignore price pretty much, buy the brand it runs the best and gets the best milage on. I've found that Shell is the best around here, Circle S (whoever that is, used to be Phillips) is the worst. No telling where you are!. Buy only from stations that move considerable amounts, too!

Check brake pads every oil change, replace rotors every other pad change (see posts on brakes).

Change the coolant and brake fluid every two years.

You should get at least another couple hunderd thousand miles out of this car with proper care!

Problems to anticipate if not already fixed:

Front suspension ball joints, upper control arms, tie rods and drag link all wear out around 200,000 miles or so, watch for excessive tire wear on the inside and for groans and rattles up front. Guide rod bushings also fail about now, causes clunks when braking and over speed bumps.

Watch for rustout on rear control arms, this can be dangerous. Sway bar links back there to bad, too.

Shocks will need replacement sooner or later.

The milage badges are available (free) at the dealer, you apply for them from MBUSA.

Have fun!!!

Peter

psfred,

Wasn't that Circle K that used to be Phillips? If so, it was acquired when they bought TOSCO and I believe they have now spun off Circle K. Was a PPCo employee for many years and hate to see the name maligned because of the Bosco er Tosco fiasco.

Yeah, it's Phillips, says so right there on the pumps, but they built is some years ago and who knows now!

Nothing wrong with the gasoline there, but their diesel doesn't work well in my personal cars -- too much smoke, bad milage (28 instead of 30). Shell, at least here, is nicer.

Diesel fuel is pretty variable stuff, though, and you do really need to try all the local suppliers to find the one that works best for you. What is in the tank, at least as far a diesel goes, depends on which refinery made it since there isn't much in the way of additives in it most of the time. Gasoline is different, the major chains all have their own additive packages and there is more brand distinction.

Peter

If his SD is 25 uears old, it's a w116 chasis. If you have ANY questions whatsoever, feel free to PM or email me if you'd like. I've worked on just about anything that can be touched on my own SD. W116 chasis' don't have guide rods. Those were on the 126 and 123.
Enjoy
David

Going through several hundred gallons of diesel a week at work driving straight trucks, can recommend that the best Marathon station cuts a special Winter forumula of "diesel plus' by adding kerosene to their supply and then charging about $.10 cents more per gallon. And Sunoco provides the highest Cetane rating of all, assuming you can find a Sunoco station that's got a diesel pump.

Otherwise you are correct - it's generally left up to the diesel driver himself to use his own additives and mix his own fuel with a little cooking grease, dirty engine oil, kerosene, paint thinner or whatever..... especially flamable stuff during cold weather when diesels have tough time starting.

Btw Peter, aint it about time for your annual starting of the 220D ritual with campfire on the shovel that gets shoved under the engine?? Possibly taking a propane torch to the intake manifold and cylinder head will help too. I've recently learned there are truck engines with no glow plugs that have an intake manifold heating element instead.

LOL, yes I remember you've got an excellent 115 sunroof 4-spd 220D in your stable. And its probably the last car you wanna get rid of too.

I've got a marginal 220D automatic that has been inert for the last year and a half due to no start -- got a new engine sitting in the garage waiting for me to fix it up and get it swapped in. I wish I had a manny tranny.... Building a fire under it won't help, the compression is so low now it won't fire even in the summer!

All diesel suppliers these days winterize the fuel, but you can still get caught by a station with low turnover having summer fuel when a sudden cold snap comes along, leaving you with gelled fuel.

If they didn't, trucking companies would raise a huge howl, depend on it! Gelled fuel stopping a fleet costs mucho dinero!

Peter