Part Identification please.. 300SD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MeinGreaseCar · #1 10-05-2009, 07:09 AM

Ok, what to do when I'm too dumb to know what part is leaking....

Come here and beg for mercy and accept the chuckles.

Got a leak in the '85 300SD. It's leaking a clear fluid. It's from the small radiator looking thing in front of the radiatior. That appears to be something associated with the A/C.

It's colorless fluid.

For once a repair that is out of season. Not much use for the AC for the next few months.

Thanks for your assistance. Once I have the right name, I'm sure there's a ton of tips, tricks, and teardown photos on here... I'm just lacking the WTH it is to start my research!

Thanks

JP

turbobenz · #2 10-05-2009, 07:54 AM

Its your ac condensor leaking compressor oil and with refrigerant. new condensor (or if its just the fitting new o ring), ac flush, new drier, charge.

The ac's oil charge is the only clear oil i know of in these cars

MeinGreaseCar · #3 10-05-2009, 08:30 AM

Appears to be leaking 4 or 5 inches up into the fins. not from any fitting I can see.

Thanks

JP

LNGfish · #4 10-05-2009, 08:57 AM

New evaporator then.

tangofox007 · #5 10-05-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LNGfish

New evaporator then.

That would be an interesting approach to fixing a condenser leak. I am going to take a long shot and bet that it won't work. I will even offer 100:1 odds!!!

Phil · #6 10-05-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

That would be an interesting approach to fixing a condenser leak. I am going to take a long shot and bet that it won't work. I will even offer 100:1 odds!!!

I was wondering how long it was going to take for someone to jump on that

pawoSD · #7 10-05-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbobenz

The ac's oil charge is the only clear oil i know of in these cars

New Power Steering fluid (at least from valvoline) is completely clear....

I agree on the diagnosis, but there are other clear liquids in the car. Washer fluid tank too, if it just has water in it.

whunter · #8 10-05-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbobenz

Its your ac condensor leaking compressor oil and with refrigerant. new condensor (or if its just the fitting new o ring), ac flush, new drier, charge.

The ac's oil charge is the only clear oil i know of in these cars

I agree with this diagnosis.

Condenser
MB# 126 830 27 20

A/C Receiver Drier
MB# 126 830 03 83

Have a great day.

MeinGreaseCar · #9 10-05-2009, 08:53 PM

as it's getting very cold up north here, I won't fix it till spring.

Is the reciever dryer an every time thing? I know I replaced it last summer when I switched to 134a.

Two years in a row I had lost my freon..I gave up and switched to the cheap stuff. Wouldn't you know.. the 134 survived last winter just fine.

JP

hey_allen · #10 10-06-2009, 01:48 AM

You might want to take a look at it regardless of the weather, as most of our cars use the AC to dry the air for defrosting, not to mention the problems that will occur in the rest of the AC system if it gets ambient air with some moisture into the system.
(Corrosion due to the reaction with the oil, to start with.)

If the receiver dryer has already been replaced during the change to 134, it's probably fine, but if the system is left uncharged and leaking, it'll absorb all the moisture it can, and then the mentioned problems with moisture in the system start.

MeinGreaseCar · #11 10-06-2009, 08:54 AM

due to an unrelated issue...

My indy bypassed the CCU to get my AC to work. For some reason he could get the AC compressor to come on by jumping it.. but could not make it come on via the CCU. So a few years ago he bypassed it and made me a small switch to turn on the compressor. It worked great, as I removed my ashtray anyway and installed a fuel temp gauge there next to the AC switch (i have a 30 amp inline heater, as well as a 6 amp band heater on the filter) it lets me run B100 for an extra couple months.

SO.... I was running every winter without using the AC to dry the air. Never seemed like much of an issue. We'll see when the budget allows me to fix the AC.

Thanks much

JP