Is it true that if you have a trap oxidizer on your car, you cannot run your car on vegetable oil because you will ruin the trap oxidizer (That is what the local Mercedes dealer/ parts person told me). My car came with the trap oxidizer, and I can not have it removed and I don't want to ruin it (it costs like $1,500) so I am probabally going to have to sell my car and buy a merecedes without the trap oxidizer. Does anyone else have a mercedes
300D with a trap oxidizer, that runs their car on vegetable oil? Any ideas?

If you are in the US its a recall, they have to do it. I can't speak for other countries.


Just get the parts from a junked car without it and swap them.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Go to a M-B dealer, they will remove the trap-ox for free and replace the exhaust. If your dealer won't, there's something crooked there.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

The recall doesn't simply remove the trap. The car is fitted with an oxidation catalyst downstream of the turbo. Those cats can and do clog up even on pump Diesel. I believe California 85s get a cat in the same location as the trap.

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

I had an 85 CA model and yes the trap is replaced with a cat. I got rid of the whole mess by swapping the manifolds and turbo out to a fed model. There's really no other way to get rid of the cat in one of those. A big PITA to do.
If you have a 603 with the cat, I've read here all you need is the old header pipe. You can get rid of the cat that way. Then it's only legal for "off road".

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Just get the federal intake/exhaust manifolds, oil supply/drain tubes and exhaust down pipe to convert it. The turbo and air cleaner can be reused.

The CA turbo and fed turbos are different. The CA turbo doesn't align with the fed exhaust manifold.
Picture of CA turbo below.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Loosen the 6 bolts on each housing and rotate them to line up correctly.

They are the same turbo.

Have a dealer do the recall and replace whatever they break while doing it. And then replace the new cat with a pipe before the bolts rust up.

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

In the 603s, the cat is part of the downpipe. Ideally you'd find a way to reclaim the original downpipe from MB. Good luck with that.

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

DieselLover4EVR, what year is your 300D?

The 1985 300D (W123) was manufactured with a "trap oxidizer." It had to be replaced every 30,000 miles (under warranty). A few years later, Mercedes created the "trap catalyst" to replace the "trap oxidizer." It is a permanent replacement, no more 30,000 mile changes. This is also a warranty item.

The 1987 300D (W124) also came with a trap oxidizer. A few years later, Mercedes redesigned the entire exhaust system, replacing the trap ox with a pipe and placing a catalyzer downstream of the turbo, under the chassis. This recall is still in effect and is free to the owner. I had my '87 done at the beginning of the year. They replaced the entire exhaust system free, all the way out to the tailpipe. Because my turbo was damaged (they said), they also replaced it, also for free.

In any case, what the dealer said is over-conservative baloney. Using vegetable oil as a fuel will not harm the trap ox or trap cat or whatever you have in whichever year you have.

In the 1985 300D (W123) it is possible to find a Federal 1984 or 1985 donor car and swap its entire exhaust system into a California car. There has also been much discussion on this forum about fabricating a pipe to simply replace the trap cat but no one offers such a thing yet, as far as I know.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I DITTO on getting rid of Trap and all the junk tht is on the Ca models.
I had nothing but trouble with the trap on espicially at the higher
altitudes like up near valle, Co. had to have the wife out to help push.
My Indy old me to change it over to like an 83. the change was like getting out of a VW and getting into a Corvette. I also had a mpg increase also.
don`t know about wvo or bio pluging things up, don`t use it.
Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Well, I just happened to look at this thread and my eyes got a lot bigger. I have the car that everyone is talking about. Ca 300SD with emissions up the wazu

So what I gather, my vehicle can be dropped off at the dealer for:
1. Removal of the Trap OX
2. Putting in a new exhaust
3. Maybe a new turbo if its found to be damaged

ALL FOR FREE?!?

I'm pretty sure I have that big silver cylinder in my engine bay but do I just call them up or what? Are there any other recalls out there.?

Thanks

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Rick & Michele in California
1985 300SD Turbo Deisel
300,000+ miles

1963 Mercury Meteor Stationwagon
1959 Montgomery Ward Silver Pigeon Scooter & matching bicycle
1974 IH Scout 4x4

For a Calif 85 I believe they fit a replacement canister in the same place. I'm not sure if they do it once or as many times as needed for life. I've never heard of anyone actually getting a new turbo or exhaust in a 617 but it should be part of the deal if necessary.

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

I just called the dealer with my info. Basically the PO brought the car in for the recall in '96, dealer put a new one in and then had it replaced in '97. Dealer gave him a 12month/year warranty for it (don'tt know why) and that was the end of that. They just replaced the OX in the same place with the newer style. At least I know its not the older style and it was done at 231,000 miles. It now has 295,000 so for 10 years he put on about 6300 miles a year on it.

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Rick & Michele in California
1985 300SD Turbo Deisel
300,000+ miles

1963 Mercury Meteor Stationwagon
1959 Montgomery Ward Silver Pigeon Scooter & matching bicycle
1974 IH Scout 4x4