If you flush out the old dot 3 fluid is it ok to use dot 4 blue in the w123 brake and clutch systems?

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

The lastest:
-Plastic wrap trick worked great ... popped on a new brake hose today and minimal fluid spillage resulted. Thanks.
-I got one brake caliper bolt loose thanks to PB Blaster and a really big hammer. The top one won't move for love nor money. I doused it with PB Blaster, and just for good measure, sprayed some PB Blaster in my face as well. I'm beating the life out of my socket wrench to no avail (I tried a 6pt socket, no luck there, either). I think I can fit an impact wrench on it ... any harm in resorting to that? If it'll fit back there it seems an easy out. If not, should I try heating the bolt? I'm a little worried about torching the area, although since I'm replacing the caliper maybe it wouldn't matter.
-I love spring. It was 50 degrees out today and sunny and it felt like paradise compared to what we've had. Then I had to go to work. Have I ever mentioned I hate my job?

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Impact away. I have a short handled sledge that I use in cases like this....a box end and big hammer!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You probably won't get the impact wrench in there.

The solution is as follows:

Hopefully, you have a breaker bar............a bar that where you can attach a socket that doesn't have the ratcheting capability.

Put the socket on the breaker bar and get another person to hold the socket on the cap screw.

Then get a three or four foot piece of pipe and extend the length of the breaker bar.

If you're doing the left wheel, extend the pipe out the front of the vehicle and pull up on the pipe.

if you're doing the right wheel, you can try to extend the bar out the front of the vehicle and push down on it...........but, you are limited by your own body weight. Success is more difficult in this case. Extending the bar to the rear of the vehicle to enable you to pull up on the bar is depending on the angle of the flats of the cap screw. Sometimes it works..........sometimes it doesn't.

if you don't have the resources for Brian's suggestion, consider striking the caliper bolts directly on their heads. (directly along the axis of their length)

not enough to damage suspension components, but at least enough to drive a nail into really hard wood.

If it doesn't work, put a box wrench on it and apply torque as you do it.

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x2 on what Brian said . . . it all about purchase and leverage

probably wouldn't hurt to put some heat to it beforehand . . . let it cool off some and then go at it . . . it will come sooner or later if you cycle through the PB, heat and using the breaker bar w/ extension.

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'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles
'79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold)
'83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer)
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"Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman

I've got a 1/2" Harbor Freight torque wrench and I have a piece of 3" pvc pipe, about 3 feet long. The pvc fits over the handle of the torque wrench to give you extra leverage, and is thick enough to work like a piece of iron tubing but is much lighter. Of course we don't have the salt/rust to work against us like yall do.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Don't be a wimp. A real man uses 2" iron pipe, 4' length.

Thanks ... hopefully my dad left the breaker bar where I can find it. Unfortunately this is the left wheel, so I'm limited to what I can squat-lift (not much). I do have a perfect pipe for such an endeavor, though, that fits right over the end of the breaker bar.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Actually, the left wheel is preferable. You can lift significantly more than what you can put down on top of the pipe with about 1/2 your weight (55 lb. in your case.)

I would be afraid of breaking pvc. I have a 3/4 or 1" piece of conduit that I keep on my 1/2" breaker bar at all times. Its about a foot long and I had to drive it on there with a large hammer. I never have to strain.

Its very light and does not slip around.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I have a Craftsman 1/2" drive ratchet with a round handle, which my 2-foot by 1" diameter tubular jack-handle fits perfectly.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

How many times has Sears replaced the ratchet?

This model only once. I'm not sure exactly how the first one broke, but I probably put a 4-foot piece of pipe on it to loosen one of those huge FWD axle-nuts. That first ratchet didn't fit my jack-handle, but it's replacement fits pefectly. With only a 2-foot extension, it's worked reliably for several years now, loosening normal-size bolts (like caliper bolts) while taking considerable strain off my arms & muscles!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

That was my point.

A ratchet is not designed to take that load and the teeth are damaged by it.

Sure, Sears will replace it, but if everybody behaves in similar fashion...........sooner or later Sears has to put a stop to it.