my reservoir on my 85 mb 300td is low on fluid. i dont see any leaks, but i would like to fill it up. is there anything other than oem fluid i can put in there? the dealer is 60 miles away. i hate to order fluids thru mail order, as i'm afraid of leakage or the FBI thinking i'm having something dangerous shipped. is there a locally obtainable, cheaper replacement?

I believe the consenus here is that there is no substitute for the oem elixir.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

unless you are chasing a leak, stick with the oem. if you are chasing, go with straight tractor hydrolic fluid. until you find and fix the leak, then get double the amount of fluid the system holds and flush it all out... maybe cheaper to just get the double amount first and chase the leaks with it.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

yup, go with the OG stuff. WRT shipping, as long as you get the item there's nothing else to worry about.

Mercedes indy shops should carry the stuff, I purchased my last bottle from my favorite local shop, not the dealer. Yes it was still OEM.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

The part number is 000-989-91-03-10.
Here's what the bottle of MB fluid looks like.
[img]http://www.***************/secure/PartImages/000989910310.jpg[/img]

Now, here's the Febi-Bilstein Fluid
[img]http://www.***************/secure/PartImages/0009899103.jpg[/img]

If you can find the Febi-Bilstein fluid, you're getting OE w/o the markup for the Mercedes-Benz labeled bottle.

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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.

I got some Febi fluid from a local MB shop. It still wasn't cheap, $15 a bottle I think!

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If you have an airport near by there are mineral oil based hydrolic fluids that will work fine, just have to be mineral oil based. Look for "Shell Aero Fluid 4".

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

DO NOT use tractor oil of any kind. It's a guaranteed hydraulic system rebuild if you do. I tried mineral based Shell oil and the pump stopped flowing fluid in less than two days of driving.

The only stuff that should be anywhere near the hydropneumatic system is MB branded OEM fluid or Febi Hydraulic fluid 02615.

im going against the flow here.synthetic atf mobil 1 is currently being used in my 90 4matic with no ill effect.

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michael cole 1980 300SD gone now but not forgotten,87tdt,90 300te 4matic 95 e320 wagon

According to a poster at the buymbparts forum here are the approved oils

Aral 1010
Gasolin
Shell Tellus
Shell Aero Fluid 4

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I have been using Parts Master power steering fluid for the better part of a year now with about 12K mi and no ill results. SLS pump, hoses, accumulators, valve, and Shocks are all just fine so far.. Since I got my leaks all sorted out, I might go with some of that Shell Aero 4 stuff or maybe even OEM when I do all my fluids this spring, just to err on the side of safety, but I'm pretty sure the PS fluid works just fine...

[QUOTE=tn_bd_jimmy;1374830] i hate to order fluids thru mail order, as i'm afraid of leakage or the FBI thinking i'm having something dangerous shipped. QUOTE]

Complying with hazardous cargo shipping laws is up to the sender, not the reciever. Why would you worry about the FBI??? Doing something you don't want anyone to know about??
I have ordered the OEM fluid from Phil, See the "buy parts" link above. It was ground shipped without any problems.
Shipping hazardous articles is done all the time, you might be suprized how much is in the cargo belly of Airliners, with passengers onboard. So having it ground shipped is no big deal. They just need to know what it is and how much.

Yes use the OEM fluid.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I've used generic ATF and power steering fluid and have had no difficulties.

$15 is nothing. I'd rather spend $15 on a bottle of OE fluid for the system, than to cheap out and buy some unapproved and damage it, having to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs.

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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.

As long as its a "mineral oil" if not you will have problems down the road.

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"