I have just bought a rough 280SE 3.5 that has been sitting unused for several years. It has a rust free body but mechanically it is a bit of an unknown. I have got it running but the power steering has no fluid and the leak appears to be from the bottom of the steering box. Whats the procedure for removing the box, is overhauling it something I can attemt and how can you tell if it is worth overhauling.

I am new to this forum so hi to all!

Are you sure that the leak is actually from the steering box? Most likely the rubber hoses have all gone bad or the seal or bearing in the steering pump has gone bad.

As far as removing the box it's a pain.. you need to disconnect the box from the coupling, remove the mounting bolts and disconnect the tie rod from the steering arm. BTW if you do remove the tie rod be sure to get the proper tool and leave the nut on otherwise you will ruin the thread and have to replace it.

What you should do is to first buy the replacement hose and then fill it up with fluid adn see where the fluid comes out and be sure that it isn't running done the hose from a leaky connection first before removing the steering box for an overhaul. It took me a day and a half to figure out how to get mine back in.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

Down your way, John Green at http://www.mbspares.com.au is a great source of new & used parts and know-how.

He can sell you a rebuild kit. If he can't also set you up with the rebuild instructions, I have them around here someplace. It's not easy, as there are few special tools you might need to fabricate.

A used steering box should be easy to locate and the cost will be "reasonable", compared to the pain involved in learning how to do a rebuild and needing it to actually work the first time.


Having said that, it CAN be done. A fellow in Pakistan, who had no choice but to rebuild his, did it well. Now, if I can only find the isntructions I sent him last year on how to do it.

-CTH

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- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

Thanks for the replys.

I will give everying a thorough degrease and double check the source of the leak.

If it is the steering box, can I drop the box before disconnecting the hoses as they look pretty hard to get a spanner on so close to the manifold.

Do I need to remove the master cylinder to get to the steering column joint?

I was able to remove the hoses and the steering wheel coupling easily enough and without takin gout the master cylinder but when I put it back in the master cylinder was in the way. I guess you could leave the hoses one but disconnect the other ends of them.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

Had my first drive in the car, the motor and trans seem good so will get the car registered.
The power steering though has more problems. The steering box is leaking but not a lot, can't tell were from as access is poor. The pump reservoir is leaking around rim, hold down nut, and high pressure outlet at least. The steering itself is light turning left and makes a clacking (stick in spokes) sound from the pump, turning right steering is heavy, and no sound. The pump itself seems to vibrate noticably at all times, are they rubber mounted?

Help on any of these problems would be appreciated.

Regards

John

Either the pump is totally hosed, or it's full of air and needs a good bleeding AND it's not bolted down to the engine very well. No, it's not shock mounted at all. The pump is bolted to a cradle. The cradle is bolted to a plate. The plate is bolted to the head. You can unbolt the plate from the head this way.

The only time I've ever seen a leak from the lid was when the lid wasn't tighened down right. Perhaps it was overtightened in the past and the seal inside the lid has been messed up ?

Also, have you eliminated the possibility that so much fluid has overflowed from the resevoir that it has dripped down the side of the pressure hose (the one with metal fittings) down to the steering box ?

Most likely, the PO messed with the system and didn't reassemble it right, so one or more of the fittings is messed up. Worse, he may have done so while working on the exhaust manifold or the cylinder head on that side. Did he say the car had a valve job ? Or is there any evidence that the manifold has been removed recently ?

With the engine off, take off the resevoir cover. How full is it ?
Start the car. Now, fluid should be circulating well. Is it full of air bubbles ? Have an assistant turn the wheel slowly one way, then the other; chock to chock. The fluid level will rise and fall. will the fluid suddenly froth turning in one direction and not the other ? That would be consistent behavior with the noise if the problem is air in the system (I think).

-CTH

__________________
- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

Grease the kingpins!!!! All the other grease fittings, too -- this was the last MB with all the suspension pivots with grease fittings, and if they have been neglected, the kingpins (they take the place of ball joints) may be binding.

Both my 280 SE and the one in the yard have oil all over the pump housing -- I'd suspect the seal under the lid or at the center bolt, allowing it to splash.

You can bleed the air out by repeatedly turning the wheels from lock to lock while they are off the ground, engine running -- I'd also check for steering effort with the engine off at the same time. This will tell you if the kingpins are sticky -- they will need to be replaced if they bind, else you will pull the steering box off the frame while parking someday!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

The pump is probably fine. I would not suggest a used steering box. It was rare to have a 4 or 6 cylinder to leak, but just about all the V8s eventually leaked and needed resealing. The cause is the heat generated from the exhaust manifold. The manifold is rigt next to the box which wipes out the seals. If you get a used box from the breaker yard,chances are it will also leak.

Good luck,
Peter

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

I havent had much time to work on the car lately but I have figured out a couple of things.
There is a control valve in the steering box that directs fluid to left or right, this is not working. The noise from the pump is bearings. Some of you have said the fluid could be running down the hoses from the pump to the steering box, this had me confused until I realised you guys have the pump and the steering box on the same side of the engine, we have right hand drive down here, and the hoses go up and down and around to get to the steering pump so I dont think thats possible. I have resigned myself to taking it all apart asap and doing the lot. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the MBSpares tip, John got me a very nice steering wheel, and I bought one of his CD manuals for the car and it seems pretty good,cost $AUS220 though thats about $US110, you guys probably buy them for $20.

Regards

John

That's the retail price of the factory CD. The bootleg price is 10-20$.

Good point on left/right. They don't mirror the location of the bolt on engine components just because the steering wheel is moved.

-CTH

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- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

Well I took the easy route and bought a Reconditioned steering box ($AUS390) and fitted it today. It only took a couple of hours but I have to confess to having some help in the form of a mechanic friend and a hoist. I would not like to attempt this job with ramps or jacks holding the car up. Just too awkward working in that position. We also took some short cuts which may come back to haunt me.

To detail the process if you are interested. First from the top disconnect the low pressure hose, then the steering coupling by pulling out the two SL clips (factory says undo the hex bolt). Then hoist the car up. Take the front wheel off, and disconnect the high pressure line. Disconnect the support strut (bracket end), remove the steering damper, and take nuts off the tie rod and drag link where they connect to steering (pittman) arm. We used a fork bar or a hammer to disconnect the ball joints, effective but I know not approved of. Then the three bolts holding the box to the side frame. The box then slides off the coupling and down around the exhaust. Then find out your reco box has the wrong steering arm, swap steering arms. This is may be where I could have stuffed up. Factory says a pin has to be inserted in steering box and steering column to maintain centres. We didn't and I am hoping we got it right. We then lifted the steering box back in onto the coupling and tried to put the bolts in. No luck, my worn out front subframe mounts (next job) meant the engine was sitting low and the manifold was in the way (its a V8), we had to jack the engine/ trans up to get the bolts in. Otherwise just reversed the disassembly and bled the system. I have only driven it a couple of miles since ( love that engine ) and everything is ok so far, even the pump is behaving itself now but it is early days. There is a detent in the steering box at the straight ahead which I doubt is in the right place due to our not pinning the centres , but we are getting full travel lock to lock so it should be close.

Next front springs, subframe mounts, discs etc etc etc

Regards
John

John:

There should be a mark on the pitman arm and on the shaft to facilitate centering. I doubt you are too far off.

Engine mounts are easy, if rather dear -- I did mine in the drive, took quite a while as they were SO flat I had to jack the engine up to get the top bolt out! You will need to remove the engine shocks, and will probably need to replace them at the same time -- one of mine was collapsed and stuck, the other empty of oil and non-functional. The replacements were slightly different -- upper bolt is longer, you need to add an extra rubber buffer and enlarge the hole in the steel covers a bit. The original replacement is still available, but hard to get and at least twice the cost.

There are two small (6mm I think) hex socket bolts that hold the engine mounts in -- remove center bolt (19 mm -- usually not too tight) while supporting engine. Remove the two small screws , slide mount out, jack the engine up some more, then some more (mine was at least an inch and a half low!), slide new mount in, re-install small bolts, re-install heat shield and large bolt, tighten up. I had to lever the engine over to the right to install the left mount -- I did that one second.

Clearance will be tight with the radiator in (mine was out for service), but you should be OK. You might be able to get to the left one more easily from underneath if you have a lift, I don't. Right side from the top only.

I did the tranny mount, too. Idles much more smoothly, and without the thumping now!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!