I am the proud new owner of a near-mint 1970 220D w/ 170K miles and I have a few questions. Though I learned to drive in a diesel VW and MB long ago, this is my first diesel. Any additional suggestions are therefore welcomed...
1 - What motor oil should I use? I live in coastal Georgia where the climate is such that I could pin julienned vegetables to any nearby clothesline and enjoy steamed veggies in minutes, i.e. hot and humid.
2 -I seem to have a slow leak of automatic transmission fluid yet the car's transmission was overhauled 40k miles ago. Where should I look? Engine was rebuilt @ 100k miles for some reason.
3 -Which is the "correct" tail light assembly for this year? I am running one solid red one and one that is red with one orange section. Both work perfectly, but it looks a little goofy given the excellent and otherwise original condition of the car. My antique tag looks a little silly sandwiched between two totally different tail lights. Especially since I'm resolutely living with a 1969 Becker stereo...
4 -The Air Conditioner needed a recharge and my local (non import) mechanic and I put in two standard sized cans of freeze-twelve. It cools, but barely. Does anyone know about how many cans this car would need once the bubbles disappear from the little glass window under the hood? I am ignorant of and therefore terrified by refrigerants and electricity.
This is a fine forum, by the way, and thank you all for being here.

All most all of your questions can be answered by doing a search

Should use diesel specified motor oil designed to suspend soot particles.

The tranny also has lines that run to tranny fluid cooler, probably coupled with the radiator on the Vintage 115. You just have to prowl around underneath to spot the leaks, or maybe it's time to re-tighten the millions of allen bolts that secure the pan.

The amber signal tail-light lens is European style and could be worth alot of money, yet it's gonna be tougher to match than the USA style red signal tail-light.

Dunno how much freon the system holds, but A/C flaps at the heater box are vacuum activated in the 115. You should hear them kick into place when you turn the green(?) labeled dash knob. If you dont hear the flaps jump into position, then maybe you can reach underneath and manually put them permanently into place for this time of year.

Another thing that could improve A/C efficiency is to search and seal air leaks at the firewall around rubber boots etc. Vintage 115's were notorious for drafts and firewall leaks.

1970 was a very good year.... old enough to have corner wing windows and massive upholstery before flamable horse-hair seat padding was deemed "unsafe." And it predates the German steel workers' strike by 3 yrs, when MB had to import rust-prone Russian and Italian steel for sheetmetal body parts.

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Last edited by 300SDog; 08-06-2004 at 04:58 AM.

Thanks for the useful info, 240DieselDog.
Tomorrow morning I'll pursueyour suggestions regarding the
Air Conditioning and the tranny fluid.
You are correct; the temp knob features a green worm (not blue) illustration and the steel is indeed sturdy and rust-free. There are one or two blisters in the 35 year old original, battleship blue/grey paint. And one can't help loving a nice diesel car stuffed full of horsehair!
The cheaper, redder tail lights look cooler (important) IMHO and I'm reckoning I'll go with them over the amber ones anyway. I'll post tomorrow's discoveries here, and thanks againfor the info. I'll also post a picture tomorrow if I can figure out how it's done.

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Near-Mint 1970 220D MB @ 174,000 miles
1991 Volvo 240 GL 180,000 miles
1984 Volvo 240 GL Wagon 190,000 miles (sold)
Mint 1983 Datson 280zx SE (rare) 136,000 miles, 160+ mph (sold)
Mint 1973 Buick Electra 225 sedan (454 c.i. V8) 8,500 miles (sold)

W115s, the best Mercedes-Benz™ chassis, bar none! Welcome to the club.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

With Freeze12 you cannot go by the bubbles.