"well placed" fuel spill, 1st MPG esti, & fishtailing - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

networkboy · #1 10-03-2006, 11:57 PM

So, a bunch in one post.

First the most important:
Anyone know how to get diesel out of a pair of jeans and tee shirt or have I just found my new work outfit? (soaking in the bathtub in hot water and dawn dish soap at the moment). The fuel cutoff at the local station was, shall we say, late. I being the nit that I am, I was standing in front of the fill port.

Second (aside from the rather trivial ammount of fuel spilled) I got 225 Miles from 12.554 Gal of fuel (or just under 18MPG). This is good enough to be a better deal than my gasser(s) (at 10 & 5MPG) but I'd like to shoot for about 22-25MPG... any thoughts? Already replaced the leaking crush washer on the fuel filter banjo bolt, the leaking injector return lines, and the cracked in-line filter, so the major sources of less then stellar milage are gone already.

Finally:
I lost the back end on the car this evening:
Washed car at self serve station (please don't flame, I'm in an appartment and well...

). Tires were wet. Pulled out (left) across two lanes and into suicide lane to accelerate to speed. As I was making the hard part of the left I felt the back end break free and I started to slide. Was an easy recovery, but I gave the traffic around me a moment of pause and reflection. I really was not expecting this car to break traction that easily, but the tires are old (lots of tread, but 10 years or so of sun rot). Aside from the tires anywhere else to look for "looseness"?

Cheers all,
-nB

pawoSD · #2 10-04-2006, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by networkboy

So, a bunch in one post.

First the most important:
Anyone know how to get diesel out of a pair of jeans and tee shirt or have I just found my new work outfit? (soaking in the bathtub in hot water and dawn dish soap at the moment). The fuel cutoff at the local station was, shall we say, late. I being the nit that I am, I was standing in front of the fill port.

Second (aside from the rather trivial ammount of fuel spilled) I got 225 Miles from 12.554 Gal of fuel (or just under 18MPG). This is good enough to be a better deal than my gasser(s) (at 10 & 5MPG) but I'd like to shoot for about 22-25MPG... any thoughts? Already replaced the leaking crush washer on the fuel filter banjo bolt, the leaking injector return lines, and the cracked in-line filter, so the major sources of less then stellar milage are gone already.

Finally:
I lost the back end on the car this evening:
Washed car at self serve station (please don't flame, I'm in an appartment and well...

). Tires were wet. Pulled out (left) across two lanes and into suicide lane to accelerate to speed. As I was making the hard part of the left I felt the back end break free and I started to slide. Was an easy recovery, but I gave the traffic around me a moment of pause and reflection. I really was not expecting this car to break traction that easily, but the tires are old (lots of tread, but 10 years or so of sun rot). Aside from the tires anywhere else to look for "looseness"?

Cheers all,
-nB

Mileage issue: check ALL fuel lines, I'll be your leaking somewhere. Lowest I've ever gotten with my larger/heavier 300SD is 19.6mpg, and that was with no leaking lines.

Rear end breaking loose: TIRES!!!!!!!!! Replace them, with something good, like Goodyear assurance TriplieTreds, or Michelin Destiny or something. I have the TripleTred tires, and you essentially cannot break them loose even if you Really try, and I have. It doesn't work well at all, I can barely get a slight "slurp" slipping noise from them.

Nothing wrong with washing the car at the self serve, I always do it there.

I actually ask for a $10 quarter roll at the bank every now and then so I have plenty just for that purpose.

MBeige · #3 10-04-2006, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by networkboy

Finally:
I lost the back end on the car this evening:
Washed car at self serve station (please don't flame, I'm in an appartment and well...

). Tires were wet. Pulled out (left) across two lanes and into suicide lane to accelerate to speed. As I was making the hard part of the left I felt the back end break free and I started to slide. Was an easy recovery, but I gave the traffic around me a moment of pause and reflection. I really was not expecting this car to break traction that easily, but the tires are old (lots of tread, but 10 years or so of sun rot). Aside from the tires anywhere else to look for "looseness"?

Perfectly normal especially on the 1-2 shift

#4 10-04-2006, 07:58 AM

If the tire are really 10 years old they are due to be replaced regardless of the tread left.

t walgamuth · #5 10-04-2006, 08:41 AM

your mileage is normal for a mixed use driving style.

for all highway it is a littel low. i would expect low to mid twenties on the highway at 70 to 75 mph.

good luck

tom w

networkboy · #6 10-04-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

If the tire are really 10 years old they are due to be replaced regardless of the tread left.

that's the plan. I was waiting for me to finish all the issues at the front-end so I didn't chew up shiney new tires. (all the work is scheduled for the first 6 weeks of 2007, so not too long away.

On the subject of new tires, I was thinking of Goodyear Eagle Carbon fiber reinforced sidewall units. They're supposed to be better at hard cornering, any thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

your mileage is normal for a mixed use driving style.

for all highway it is a littel low. i would expect low to mid twenties on the highway at 70 to 75 mph.

good luck

tom w

This is essentially no highway, lightly hilly terrain, same 20 mile round trip route every day. Till I replace the tires and such I'm only within walking distance of a breakdown

-nB

vstech · #7 10-04-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by networkboy

On the subject of new tires, I was thinking of Goodyear Eagle Carbon fiber reinforced sidewall units. They're supposed to be better at hard cornering, any thoughts?
-nB

since the tires are new introductions, I doubt anyone has experiance with them, but I read a nice ad on them, and I agree, they look like prime candidates. I may even put them on my GASP! suburban.

it does need new tires soon...
I bet they are PRICEY!

John

greasybenz · #8 10-04-2006, 09:40 AM

Some good performance wheels will solve your problem. I put CLK wheels on my W124 with runway enduro's performance tires and man do they grip! The tightest turns or sharpest u-turns i take you can hear the tires squeal but wont let go of the ground!

I have had great experiance with kumho performance wheels as well on the SD.

OMEGAMAN · #9 10-04-2006, 10:25 AM

My back wheels break loose every time I leave the car wash I think it's fun.
You should be getting better mileage than 19. I get 25 in the city.
Check pump timing using this method http://diymbrepair.com/easley/iptiming.htm They will run strong with late pump timing so lots of people never think to check.

networkboy · #10 10-04-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

since the tires are new introductions, I doubt anyone has experiance with them, but I read a nice ad on them, and I agree, they look like prime candidates. I may even put them on my GASP! suburban.

it does need new tires soon...
I bet they are PRICEY!

John

Yeah one of my co-workers bought some. Took a 15mph hairpin at 45 and not even a chirp from the tires (on a mitsi, not a MBZ though). They are $150 each, installed at the local tire shop (who will follow your torque directions if you have a shop manual

)

Kynetx · #11 10-04-2006, 11:16 AM

What's the treadwear like?

MattBelliveau · #12 10-04-2006, 11:30 AM

As for your clothes, I own a restaraunt hood-cleaning company, so I know how to get grease out of clothes! Try a product called "Lest Oil"; it's actually a floor cleaner, but on the bottle it says "great on laundry stains". This stuff is no joke. Get some, and try this method. Use spray and wash directly on the stain. use the washer's presoak, with hot water. Add half a dose of regular detergent (powder works best), half a dose of oxy-clean, and one capful of this "Lest oil". Let it soak, wash, and spin. After it is done, wash them again (before the dryer, of course) as usual. They should come clean.

If I was getting 18mpg, I would be concerned. I've never turned less that 22mpg in mine, driving it hard, too. Check pump timing, and valves. Make sure you are not leaking fuel. Try cleaning your injectors (Diesel Purge works pretty well).

If you were in first gear, flooring it out of a turn, you probably will break the tires loose, but if your MPG is any sign of a poorly mainained engine, or it's not getting porper amounts f fuel, this probably won't be the case. These cars are generally not known for performance (other that starting no matter what!). Good luck.

pawoSD · #13 10-04-2006, 05:27 PM

I took an intersection turn at 46 mph before in my SD just to see what the tires would do (Goodyear Assurance TripleTred), well, it went through the turn like normal, but the tires were going "squeaaaaaaaaaaaaaal" all the way through the turn. It was pretty neat. Never had the slightest feeling of loosing grip.

Not going to do that very often, Rubber is expen$ive.

($87 apiece for my tires

)

benzforlife · #14 10-04-2006, 07:59 PM

AS for my SD i was getting about 18mpg when i had my learners permit, once i had my lisence, i was free to travel at any rate of speed as long as i felt safe and the SD could handle it, now i'm getting like 30mpg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i no it sounds like BS but its true, running the piss out of it occasionaly deffinitley keeps everything cleen.
But i would diffinetly check the other stuff mentioned above as well , do to the fact that they can lead to other problems