81 300SD, Got my Hands Dirty - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

imagesinthewind · #1 03-13-2008, 10:03 PM

We've had the 81 for about 1000 miles now.
Since it's a greasecar I've been lucky enough to only use about
1/3 tank of diesel in that 1000 miles. The rest on WVO from my fryer.

Anyway, I've been doing things little by little to get it in better
running shape. Fixed the drivers seat so you're not leaning into
the door while you drive, changed out wheels, fixed the hood latch (not really
but I can now open the hood easier) and adjusted the ALDA bolt to get rid of the black smoke.

Today I tackled the banjo bolt and ALDA line. I removed the bolt (without losing the washers) and cleaned it, then took off the line and cleaned it. The line was gunkier than the bolt! Nasty. So now I have turbo back. It was a slug before that.

An while I was in the neighborhood, I adjusted the Bowden cable to it shifts when it's supposed to. MUCH better now!

We were going to leave the car at the bar to be used by delivery drivers but I'm there 4-5 days a week at 70mi round trip. That's 280 to 350 miles per week so we decided that the better thing to do was for me to drive the car to the bar when I'm going up there.
I use my car when I'm driving short (no use for the grease) distances. Keeps her happy.

So, I got to get my hands dirty today and the DH thinks I'm a genius.
He knows about you all and the help you give me. He appreciates you, too.

Thanks, as usual I owe you all pizza and beer if you visit!

rrgrassi · #2 03-14-2008, 12:50 AM

Excellent! You are doing great!

barry123400 · #3 03-14-2008, 02:09 AM

If I show my wife your threads I wonder if she will consider repairing our cars? She confiscated the lawn tractors years ago as she thought I did not cut the grass enough. I never even launched a complaint. Thats just the kind of guy I am. :

Anyways you appear to be doing really well so far and it is reasonable to expect it to continue. I am also hoping you might still spring for the transmission video.
Think of all the units you could rebuild between pizzas. This is only slightly tongue in cheek. I am really suprised one of our members has not mastered the mercedes automatics yet or perhaps hides the fact they have. .Still the general knowledge of them on site is increasing a little at a time.

imagesinthewind · #4 03-16-2008, 01:51 AM

Did front brakes today. Just pads so it wasn't hard.
Little by little. . .

Still need a backseat.

hangit · #5 03-16-2008, 02:17 PM

Ginny;

Just wondering how you learned all the mechanic stuff? Does your DH assist you when an extra hand is needed? The 3 girls in my house, (wife and 2 daughters) usually won't get their hands dirty!

John

imagesinthewind · #6 03-16-2008, 05:59 PM

I adore getting my hands dirty.
I'd be a mechanic if I was granted the choice of doing anything
I want.
Now, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not a cropped hair kind of girl.
Long aubrun hair, blue eyes and big boobs. I make great tips when
i bartend.
I learned about cars when i was young. I lived in the middle of nowhere Ohio with
no neigbors for 1/4 on each side but a couple boys who were restoring a Super Bee
across the 'street' (gravel road.)
So I hung there and learned about cars.
Then in my early 20s my husband found a Fiat Spider convertable that he just HAD to have. No brakes, the electrical was spotty and the top was in need of replacement.
So I worked on that for a few weeks. It was the car that I was working on in TX when I got so bitten up by fireants (while taking brake calipers off a junker at the pick n pull) that I was rushed to the hospital. Junk yard gave me the calipers for free and they rode in the ambulance with me. Fun story.

But that was a really long time ago and gas engines. Last time I did brakes was on the Fiat. It think that was 1987. But some things never change and brakes are easy. And the way I've learned about diesels and the vaccuum system and MB is right on this forum. Until last week I had no idea what a Bowden cable was/is.

DH does help when I need an extra pair of hands. He told me yesterday that he was proud of me. He tells the guys at work about me, the cars and still loves telling the tranny story. We went to a party last night and everyone knew me.

As an aside, always remember to TIGHTEN the lug nuts on the wheels. . .another story.

hangit · #7 03-16-2008, 06:06 PM

Great story. I learned most of my wrenching from my brother who attended the Auto/Diesel college in Nashville and this forum, mostly the forum. This is a great group of helpful people.

If I ever get to Colorado, I will be cashing in on the pizza and beer offer. Sounds like I'll have to have plenty of tip money!

John

imagesinthewind · #8 03-16-2008, 06:33 PM

I don't bartend anymore, but you can give all the tips you want to my
pretty bartenders.
I can't handle the bartending side anymore. I'm too much of a mom.
What if I serve someone and they drive and hurt themselves or someone else?
I couldn't live with the guilt. So I let others do that, with a watchful eye.
I will override the bartenders who will overserve a person who has had too much.

http://dailycamera.com/news/2008/jan/19/mccaslin-intersection-closed-three-dead/

All three were very drunk and estimated speed was 105 mph.

This happened RIGHT outside our bar, but they weren't drinking at our place. Thankfully.
It was enough to shake some sense into our bartenders.

BUT I do make the best pizza in the universe!

barry123400 · #9 03-16-2008, 07:05 PM

I hope it is not or sounds too insulting. I will always think of you as one of the guys though and read your threads. I am enjoying watching your self confidence on mechanical things grow as well.
It will not be too long until you can teach a simple guy like me the best method to approach a problem you have had experience with. I just hope you never feel outnumbered.
I personally know that feeling with one wife and four daughters and no sons.

I would also like to see more women involved on this site as time goes on.
Your gendre in my opinion suffers worse abuse than even us at service garages in my opinion. No it is not really an opinion but a fact upon reflection. I have seen the better halfs bills on work on her car years ago. Plus our daughters experiences currently and over the years. So the incentive for women to participate is there as well.

hangit · #10 03-16-2008, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

I hope it is not or sounds too insulting. I will always think of you as one of the guys though and read your threads. I am enjoying watching your self confidence on mechanical things grow as well.
It will not be too long until you can teach a simple guy like me the best method to approach a problem you have had experience with. I just hope you never feel outnumbered.
I personally know that feeling with one wife and four daughters and no sons.

I would also like to see more women involved on thios site as time goes on.
Your gendre in my opinion suffers worse abuse than even us at service garages in my opinion. No it is not really an opinion but a fact upon reflection. I have seen the better halfs bills on work on her car years ago. Plus our daughters experiences currently and over the years. So the incentive for women to participate is there as well.

Ditto! Ginny you are one of the "guys"!

John

imagesinthewind · #11 03-16-2008, 07:30 PM

I'm glad to be one of the guys.
I just hope to someday be able to give as much on this site as I've taken
so far. You all rock.
I'm glad that I have at least some knowledge of my car. It's harder to take
advantage of me that way.
My kids will all have at least the knowledge of how and engine works, the
ability to diagnose a problem at least enough to know what part of the car
is causing the problem.
My oldest son and I are going to be working on the FL car when it gets and
decides to stay warm. The oldest daughter will at least watch so she has
some knowledge, she's less likely to get her hands dirty.

And hopefully I'll pass on the love of older MBs to them so they can share in
the fun. New cars suck when it comes to driveway wrenching. Too many computerized
things.