PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

wbain5280 · #2 04-25-2007, 05:48 AM

Ok, so welcome to the forum fellow 300SE owner. Do you have tools and are you able to work on cars?

The car has 211,500 miles on it. It has been diagnosed (by the same mechanic who sold it to me -- did I mention I don't go to him anymore? ) as needing a complete transmission replacement. It burns oil, usually needing two or three extra quarts of oil in between 3,000 mile oil changes.

First change the trans fluid and don't forget to drain the converter, there is a drain plug. These engine use oil and 1000 miles per quart is considered normal. There are two leak points, the rear passenger side of the head and the front passenger side of the upper chain cover. Sealing the latter is easy, the former requires you to pull the head.

The RPMs seem too high to me. I've seen on this forum and I've also been told that it can be okay for the RPMs to stay this high, but it concerns me because the engine sounds like it's laboring, and the car didn't always run this hard at high speeds. As a rule of thumb, the RPMs are half my speed. So at 70 miles an hour, the needle stays firmly on 3,500, and I cannot hear the car shift. According to a couple of mechanics, it's lost fourth gear.

The RPM is normal, at 60 mph mine turns about 3000. These engines are tough but they need to rev high for such a large car. They usually have a V8 in them.

Apparently, it needs power steering repairs, too. I'm making sure the power steering fluid gets topped off regularly because according to my current mechanic, the power steering system leaks in several places. I've never actually seen it leak, but I know by the noise and the fluid level that it must be leaking at least marginally.

Check the rubber return lines from the steering gear to the cooler loop and to the reservoir. If the gear is leaking, get a used one from a yard. Again, you need tools.

Now my car needs rear brake calipers very soon. It could also use some body work; the hood is somewhat dented, and the front chrome needs to be replaced.

How do you know it needs rear calipers? Rear pads I can see but the calipers should last a long time. You can get another hood from the junk yard. The chrome is also available from the same recycler.

You're probably going to need front end work, ball joints, tie rods, bushings, but don't worry, there is allot of info available here. I've done most of this myself. Mine leaks oil from the rear head, I've done the entire front suspension, replaced the steering gear, new tires etc.

Where do you live?