Hi,

I've been enjoying this forum for the last year and found it a fantastic resource for fixing it up my 300D. Since I bought my car, I've used this forum to do a fair bit of work, fixing the delivery valve fuel leaks, solving vacuum related shifting issues, putting in new glow plugs, tensioner pulley, engine mounts, shifter bushings, front and rear flex discs, center bearing, various cosmetic things. Its got 196k miles on it and is driving fantastic with great AC and I just bought the manual pressure wastegate to remove my EGR.

On the weekend I hit something, a pile of bricks and wood, that were likely setup for bmx jumping. I swerved at the last minute but it hit the underside of my car. I saw a kid takeoff on his bike when I hit it which is why I suspect this. If he had left the ramp on it, I surely could have caught some air in my 300D and it would have been a spectacular jump.

The end result is there is a hole punched in my oil pan. It also damaged some of the plastic under the bumper. I stopped when the oil pressure light came on and limped home leaving an oil trail to my house was less than a mile and thankfully down hill. I am really surprised at how brittle this oil pan must be, perhaps due to age.

I am looking for any guidance about replacing the oil pan. I have not been able to find a DIY or much information on this forum so I am worried. A new pan is ~$360 and I have found a good used one for $250, however, I would like any opinions as to whether this is a DIY job or not. Does the engine need to come out to get the new oil pan installed?

I imagined having this car for many more years but would rather not drop $2000 (a sight unseen estimate by a local indy) into it to get it back to a driveable state .

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. In particular, if anyone has done this job on a W124 300D 602 engine, I would greatly appreciate any photos or DIY suggestions for this undertaking.

Thanks,

Rod

no help here, except, bummer!!!

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

I think it is possible to replace the pan without pulling the engine, but it will need to be raised up a bit in the engine compartment with an engine crane.

It cracked because it is cast aluminum....not designed to take out piles of bricks and wood.

I'd fix it, its not that big of a deal. By "limped home" you mean you turned off the engine right? That light is oil "level" not oil pressure. Was the pressure gauge still acting normally?

Where are you located? I'd buy the car if you don't want to fix it.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Thanks for that info. I don't have an engine crane, or garage for that matter.

When the oil light went on I turned off the engine, actually to get out and check what I hit. By limped home I meant coasted downhill and around the corner with the engine off, pushing it the last 100ft or so to my driveway. The oil light went on. I don't remember seeing what the oil pressure was at.

I may sell it if I can't find a shop to do it for ~$1k.

I might try to patch it and keep it. A colleague at work told me about some high temperature epoxy for aluminum, Labmetal. Any ideas whether patching cast aluminum is possible?

Thanks
Rod

You can patch a small crack, but I wouldn't depend on it to keep your engine from dying an expensive and unexpected death if the patch failed. Another option might be having it welded, again it depends on the size and type of damage.

The 6-cylinder version does need to be lifted from its mounts for the pan to be removed, likely your 5-cylinder does also but I'd wait for someone who is sure.

It is a DIY job for many of us, and partially because the price of a new one installed is most of the value of the car when finished. Check with your insurance as it might be covered.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Not covered under my insurance sadly. I'll check into welding as an option, thanks that's a great idea.

Cheers.

x2. An oil pan is not subject to any mechanical stress (well, except when you hit a pile of bricks) and therefore does not succumb to metal fatigue. A 30 year old oil pan is exactly the same strength as an identical one that's brand new.
Eh?? You don't have comprehensive coverage then? This is no different than hitting a deer or any other foreign object in the road, and is definitely covered under any comprehensive policy.

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'98 E300 turbodiesel

You will want to look at gsxr's oilpan replacement Odyssey:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=109058&highlight=oil+pan

I don't actually know it it's possible with the engine in the chassis...
http://mb.auto.pl/wis/w124/CD01/Engine/602_603/01-7500hz.pdf

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'84 300SD sold
124.128