With 86,000 miles on the car, I'm getting ready to buy the fourth vibration damper or shock for the serpentine belt tensioning system. The original one lasted 55,000 miles at which time I replaced it and the serpentine belt and pulley. The clattering noise went away for around 10,000 miles or so and then
came back, with the lower rubber bushing in the shock apparently giving out.
With the third shock, we replaced the pivot pin ($98.00) due to scoring marks and the pivot arm that the shock and spring attach to. All seemed normal until today when the noise came back, and after inspection, it seems that the lower bushing on the shock is shot again and the pivot arm seems to be wallowing around on the pivot pin. The engine runs smoothly and gives no indication that anything is wrong, but somehow excess vibration is getting into the tensioning system. Anyone have experience with a similar problem?

Thanks,


Steve

Something does not seem right.

10K miles is way to soon for the damper to give. It may be worth while to pay and have a MB dealership do a diagnostic test. Ur problem could be else where.

Just a shot - what is the condition of ur motor mounts and tranny mount ?

When I got my used 93 300D, there was a hell of alot of vibration. I replaced the motor mount and the tranny mount. Still not much change. Finally diagnosed it to a wrong exhaust on the car. Had to have the exhaust cut and shorten and the vibration went away.

My guess is u may may have something else causing the problem. Replacing the damper will not solve the problem.

I would look at the engine running, from all angles and see if there is anything that catches ur attention.

It may be worthwhile to have the stealership look at it. Pay them to diagnose and u can do the job urself.

My 2 cents.

I have had a mild vibration lately (less than a week). Can you feel it through the steering wheel and/or the back of the seat?

Forced me to go out and look at my Belt Tensioner Assembly. Initial impressions are that mine has not been replaced, though I have only had for the past 13,000 miles +-. Have others had experience with replacing at your alarming frequency?

What I did notice was that assemble "seems" to have some excess vibration. Certainly not visibly flopping or moving, just a little "blurry" from a very fast vibration. I am not certain if that is the way it is supposed to be, or not. The pivot piece at the bottom was vibrating.

Placing a long wooden dowel upon various accessories or the block etc., there was only mild vibration, but when placed upon the Belt Tensioner Lever, basically at the base of the Belt Tensioner Shock, there was significantly more vibration. Enough to make me want to replace that Shock anyway.

Hope you get additional feedback, but there are few of the W210 TurboDiesels out there. Therefore we always need to post resolutions/findings as it is our "duty".

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

The engine mounts are new and the transmission mount is ok. The vibration is limited to the pivoting assembly. I wonder if an injector spraying differently than the others at idle would be enough to set up a small engine vibration.

Steve

I was also wondering about the injector. Have you done the Diesel Purge?

I have contemplated changing injectors when I clean the intake and replace the fuel lines. But new injectors seem expensive and some talk quality of some new ones are suspect.

I have not replace motor mounts etc. But when I was buying it I had a dealer inspect those and said they were OK.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

Hello everyone, im new to this site and i hope to get some input. My 79 300sd has been acting up. When starting up i noticed that when i shift to reverse the car steering wheel vibrates excessively. Once i shift to the DRIVE position the vibration is less and then goes away soon after.
This has been going on for about 3 weeks. This past week i noticed that when travelling at or above 25mph and turning the steering wheel to the right causes the steering wheel to clunk a bit...Im afraid its going to get worse...I have not checked the mounts or anything else. History: 5 weeks ago i was running very low on power steering fluid. Added the fluid and then i began to notice all of the above. Most likely its unrelated. I did use the Mbenz fluid. I just thought i would mention some history. Are the motor mounts hard to replace? Where should i start?

Gil
300sd 1979
280 sel 1970

Hi Gil, You probably would be best helped if you posted this as a separate thread, as the MB are different year and model and the problems different. One other option would be to use the search function to find related post's.
Hope this helps,
Paul
_______
98 E300

I was replacing one tensioner after another in very short order (A week at a time. They were failing when I would let the car sit and idle as that is when the worst vibration is present. Well, it is now much better as I have had a tensioner on there for six months or so. I have to say it is not as vibration free as it probably should be, but it would make my ears buzz before. So, what was the problem you ask? It apparently was some leaky fuel lines (air in the fuel). That problem revealed itself when we had some bitter cold weather that thickened the fuel to the point that the car would die and the fuel system wouldloose its prime. I was told by my mechanic that this was the definite culprit as the diesels run at 2500 psi or so as opposed to a regular efi gas engine that only needs a little over 100 psi. The air creates a simewhat un-noticable violent series of shakes that over taxes the damper. Mine were actually popping seals and leaking the fluid out. Man that fluid smells toxic. I still have a bit more vibration that I would like coming from the engine and it almost appears to be from that damper again even though it is much subdued, but this vibration can comes at low rpm load so I think I might investigate new motor mounts as an option as I hear they can sag a bit after a few years and loose their ability to keep vibrations at bay as well as they do when they are new.

Thanks for the information. Yet another reminder for me to change the fuel lines etc. over the next couple months.

__________________
raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

I purchased a new belt damper, How do you install it? Do you have to remove the pulley? it seems that the lower damper bolt does not have enough clearance to pull out completely as the pulley is smack dab in the midde of where the bolt has to be pulled out from. ANy ideas?

does anyone have any tips? Is there anyway to install this part, without pulling off the pulley?

Its possible to remove the lower bolt without removing the pulley that blocks it - but only just. You'll find that the bolt will juuusssttt clear the shocker enough for you to get it out, although it requires a bit of manipulation.

Try pulling the bolt out on a slight angle and working the shocker free.

I had the same problem as the original poster, went through 2 replacement shockers. The eventual solution was to replace belt, tensioner, pulley, basically the entire assembly. Been fine ever since. You could tell when things were getting worn, as the shocker would be red hot to touch.

should the angle that you pull the bolt out at be above the pulley or below the pulley?