Had the starter replaced yesterday. Mechanic said oil got in the starter fried it and I'm losing alot of oil. He seems to think most of it is coming from the rear main and front crank? I'm losing about a quart every thousand.

How much should leaks like this cost to repair? Is it time to sell the car while it still runs well?

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1982 MB 300D-T
Veg Power Two tank conversion

VERY expensive and difficult. The first two steps in the MB service manual for renewing the rear main seal...

1: Remove engine.
2: Remove crankshaft.

I'm not joking.

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Sell it while you can.

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'79 300SD
'82 Chevy Chevette diesel

please be sure your chain isnt being yanked. a leaky rear seal would not get the starter....oil doesnt travel up and forward. front seal, turbo drais, oil seperater drain , leaky valve cover, .....all feasible , all fixable. Please seek the opinion of someone who works on these.

My god, that's not a task I'd want to get stuck with.

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1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D
Automatic, A/C, Power Sunroof, Power Right Side Mirror
231K Miles FOR SALE MAKE OFFER

force, i knew the engine had to be pulled for the rear. i don't think the rear is that bad, but dude scared me. i've had a hell of a time with the car the last three weeks. compression seems good, but i've been losing enough oil that it's concerning me now.

rick, thanks for the backup. i did notice that the valve cover gasket area has been leaking so that could be the source of most of my woes. i haven't checked the turbo drains and no idea how to check the front seal.

i'll take it to a different mechanic to get an assessment. more thoughts. experience?

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1982 MB 300D-T
Veg Power Two tank conversion

Check the turbo drain pipe where it enters the oil pan. Mine started leaking several weeks ago, and i went from 2500 miles/qt to 500 mi/qt. And because of the engine fan, and airflow through the radiator, oil leaking from this location will cover the whole underside of the engine/front suspension. I did a temperary fix by coating the whole grommet where the tube enters the oil pan with RTV after cleaning and drying it completely. So far, 2000 miles, and no more leaks.

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Mike
1983 Mercedes-Benz 300SD 270K
1960 Ford F250 62K
1990 Mazda Miata 156k

The thing is Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.

What would be considered a reasonable amount of oil leakage on a 24 year old diesel? Mine has required regular topping off between oil changes, but then I'm used to never having to add oil between changes on my other cars.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I let mine leak until the spots I leave get too embarassing. This is with the understanding that I check to make sure it is only a nuisance leak and not something vital like an oil line. I am at around a qt/1000. also keep watch on your idle oil pressure. mine has always hot idles just below 2 bar. if it gets lower than that i forgot to add the qt

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

NO NO NO! RTV is DEATH! Seriously, if a little chunk breaks off it can plug the oil jets that cool the bottoms of the pistons, then your piston will expand and seize and your engine is destroyed.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

The upper oil pan is the only place it should be used on the engine.

How does it get through the oil filter to the jet? Even the ones made from cotton gin waste that includes bug bits, twigs & dirt shold stop a piece of RTV

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

that sounds like the ticket. that's got to be where all that oil came from. my oil distribution under the car is exactly like you said. the engine and tranny seem tight and i don't think it's losing much from the rear main. i may just keep the thing yet. or i might try to keep on the lookout for an E300.....

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1982 MB 300D-T
Veg Power Two tank conversion

I just had my front seal replaced for $227.50 labor plus $18.50 for the seal.

I also had the valve cover gasket replaced.

Which is good because my starter went as well.

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1982 240D automatic
Odometer quit at 307K...about 325K now

waiting on a mechanic to look at it and diagnose all of them for me. but i'll try to get under the car tomorrow and confirm.

herring, how much is the book time where you had your work done? what is involved in the front seal? do you have any leaks left or did that cure them?

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1982 MB 300D-T
Veg Power Two tank conversion