This morning went to tighten some obviously loose oil pan bolts. One of them broke off leaving the bolt shaft buried. Is there a way to remove the broken off shaft without removing the oil pan? Thanks! (1984 300DT)

Almost certainly you will have to pull the oil pan. Those are small bolts, so I would say your best bet would be to get a pair of vice grips on the stud. Or cut a slot for a screwdriver. Tough to use an easy-out on such a small bolt. Tighten to 30 ft.lbs.

__________________
1981 300TD 310k miles
1970 280sel 172k miles
1966 230 Fintail 162k miles

"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand basket?"

One broken bolt not enough?

I think he said the shaft was buried... thus no way to cut slots or grab with vice grips...
I would suggest using a punch to center punch the bolt...
and choose a LEFT HANDED DRILL to carefully drill very close to the size of the minor diameter ( I think it is called..) IE, do not drill out any threads....
what small amount of metal is left typically is easy to extract... or the whole thing may back out as you drill... this is what happens on the plates holding the door strikers most of the time...
I would not ever use the typical ' easy out '.... and few machinists use them either... the can make the situation even worse... as they are higher strength metal to later try to drill if they break off.. but what typically happens is that they bugger up the threads on the starting end of the hole... so even getting in later with a tap to clean and restore the thread you need to reinstall a new bolt....

__________________
1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=156207&highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

OK, will pull the oil pan. In the meantime, will it hurt anything to drive the car as is?

If you don't wont to mess with it, I would suggest this. Clean the place to perfection with brake clean. Drive it around a bit, for a week or two. See if it is leaking any. If it stays dry and clean I would patch it with a nice little dab of the 2 part JB Weld. There is really not any load with one bolt head missing, and that JB willl pack into that hole and hold like steel.

__________________
Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

I assumed once the gasket and pan was off, the bolt would no longer be buried.

The torque spec I posted was from the Haynes manual (page 58). Seemed high to me, but there it is. Maybe they mean the upper pan.

Reverse drill is a good idea if it is indeed buried. Some heat would also be a good idea.

__________________
1981 300TD 310k miles
1970 280sel 172k miles
1966 230 Fintail 162k miles

"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand basket?"

30 ft lbs for the oil drain bolt maybe? Definitey too high for the oil pan bolts.

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

ya... more like 3 or 4 foot pounds. usually small bolts like that are torqued to 40 or so INCH pounds...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thanks for the input(s), I'm going to watch it and see if a leak develops, if no leaks, I'm thinking I"ll just leave it for now.

If you get a wire brush on the pan and the block/upper pan and get some brake spray on there, the ULTRA blue RTV will hold back any oil seepage.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to check it in a few days to see if it is leaking.

Exactly.

6mm oil pan bolts tighten to 10Nm, that's 7.37 ft lbs. NOT 30 ft lbs.

8mm oil pan bolts tighten to 25Nm, that's 18.4 ft lbs. NOT 30 ft lbs.


If no leaks, I would leave it forever.

__________________
Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

The Haynes manual does list the oil pan bolts at 30 ft lbs. Those with no experience or feel of general torque values for a given size nut ar bolt this could spell disaster.

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Sorry for the bad info. It's what I get for being lazy and referring to Haynes which is what I had on hand.

The FSM CD says 9-11 nm.

__________________
1981 300TD 310k miles
1970 280sel 172k miles
1966 230 Fintail 162k miles

"Where are we going? And why am I in this hand basket?"