I'm in the mood of being helpful (other words for can't get to sleep), so I thought I'd type up some service intervals recommended for your diesel W123. I'm sure it can be applied to diesel W126s and other older MB models as well. This may be info that's already common knowledge to some here, but even if you know, or don't know it, this will be helpful, or a nice bedtime story.

Check your fluids, like your motor oil, tranny fluid, coolant, windsheild washer fluid, power steering fluid weekly, or every 250 miles.
Every 5,000 miles or so, it's recommended that you have an oil change and a change of the filter done on your car, (that's five months for those of us who have inoperative odometers.) Check out the exhaust system n' "stuff", wheel bolt tightness, differential oil level, brake pad wear, and lubricate your throttle linkage with white lithium grease.
Every 15,000 miles or 15 months, check out your cooling system, manny trannies, get that fluid checked, of course, VALVE ADJUSTMENT TIME! wiper blades may need to be replaced, check steering, suspension components, check the belts and hoses, look at the idle speed and adjust to specs if necessary. Rotate tires, checkout the driveline, check and/or replace the air filter, replace brake fluid (although someone told me you can go longer).
Every 30,000 miles or 30 months, drain, flush and replace the coolant in your coolant system with ZEREX G05 or MB coolant ONLY. Manny trannies and auto trannies, get new fluid and a filter in the case of the auto. Check idle speed again, lubricate and adjust front wheel bearings, change the air filter if need be, check fuel system, and drain and refill the differential oil.
Note:
If you do a lot of stop and go driving, live in dusty, hot perhaps humid areas, it is recommended that oil and filter changes be done every 2500 miles or 2 months, new air filter every 15k mi, and drain and refill the automatic tranny with a new filter every 15k mi.

Some of us already knew this stuff like the back of our hands, but there has been an increasing number of newbies lately, they need to know this so we can ALL keep our diesels going strong for more years to come.

-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Im in San Antonio and was wondering if you knew off hand of any good place to have the valves adjusted around here. It may be a long shot but was just curious.

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1980 300D European
"The Red Fox"
200,000 miles

2003 Chevrolet Silverado

609 Certification

Good suggestions. One correction - the recommended lubricant for the throttle linkage is ATF not white lithium. The owner's manual spells out all these services. Sunroof lube too every 15K. Brake fluid is every year, preferably in the spring. Change the power steering filter and fluid every once in awhile too.

Len
'83 240D 343,000 miles Original owner

My Haynes manual specifies white lithium grease. How in the heck do you get ATF on there? brush it on?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Only the balls and sockets get lubed. Use a Q tip.

Len

but here is what I have used for years. I try to keep all services matched up with 5000 mile increments on the odo, even if it means doing one a little early.

Wes

Attached Files

MB 300D Svc.doc (22.5 KB, 421 views)

I used to check my oil all of the time but now only once in awhile. The level on the dipstick hasn't moved in almost 4k miles.

Thanks for reminding me I think I will lube those throttle linkage's today.


Also do not forget to lube your hood and doors once in awhile.

And wax every 2-3 months.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200