I made a pressure bleeder for my 85SD

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/bleeder/index.htm

and my reservoir leaks where the switch floats come through the top. I can only use the bleeder as a convenient way to add fluid, not to pressurize the system. Are the caps over the floats supposed to be a tight seal? All Ive looked at in the yard are don't seem to seal and most are cracked.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I use a promotive pressure bleader. Nothing is supposed to leak.

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

I always had to buy new caps whenever I pressure bled, the old ones were always too worn to hold the fluid in.

The rubber caps tend to harden and crack with age but are rarely replaced because most folks don't use pressure bleeders and so never notice the problem. I had the same leak problem you describe when bleeding my '87 300D Turbo (W124, OM603). One of the caps had been chewed by a rodent! I replaced both. Cracked caps also allow moisture to get in and contaminate the brake fluid more quickly than would ordinarily be the case so it's a good idea to replace the caps every few years.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

I keep a spare set of uncracked caps around because, like Jermey said, nobody cares unless you use a pressure bleeder.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

im having exactly the same problem out of one of the caps,i ordered new caps and hope that takes care of it,fluid was leaking big time .

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95 e320,87 sdl,79 300sd