Shaking down my 76 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

alabbasi · #1 03-13-2011, 10:38 PM

All, I've recently gotten my 76 300D on the road after about 6 months of having it sit at my house.

There are a couple of things that came up during it's shake down.

1) I replaced the calipers with a set of rebuilt ones. The rebuilt ones have the hose fittings on top of the caliper, unlike the ones that were originally on the car which had them in the center of the caliper. Now the brake hoses are too short. The hoses had 123 part numbers. Is it possible to get longer hoses?

2) Even though I replaced the pads, calipers and brake hoses and bled the system. the brake light on the dash remains on. How can I turn this off?

3) I keep blowing the rear tail light There seems to be a bad connection there. Is this a common problem or should I start chasing wires?

4) Today, the car started running rough, there was a pile of crap in the clear filter. I am not sure what the deal was because it had ran so well before. I had already replaced the main filter last summer (when I bought the car and I had not driven it since). I replaced the clear filter with another one and it got dirty pretty much right away. The dirt is black. Is this a common issue and how can I keep the fuel system clean?

Many thanks

dude99 · #2 03-13-2011, 11:58 PM

Break lines: Although I've never done it I have no doubt that having a linger set made up would be a fairly cheap thing to have done

Dirty Filter: Sounds like you have algae in your tank. Best way to get rid of it is to remove the tank and throughly clean it out as well as flush the lines out. There are chemicals (the name of which evades me at the moment) that will kill the algae but you'll have to keep replacing the pre filter as all the dead algae floats through

Brake light: Did you drain the brake fluid reservoir? If you did you probably have to reset the sensor. If memory serves you just have to press it down.

alabbasi · #3 03-14-2011, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude99

Break lines: Although I've never done it I have no doubt that having a linger set made up would be a fairly cheap thing to have done

Thanks, I actually had to break the hard line and bend a new one up today because the line was seized onto the old hose. Not a bad job and cost only $5 at O'Rielly's. Only problem is that line goes into a bracket so it can't be any longer then it is today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude99

Dirty Filter: Sounds like you have algae in your tank. Best way to get rid of it is to remove the tank and throughly clean it out as well as flush the lines out. There are chemicals (the name of which evades me at the moment) that will kill the algae but you'll have to keep replacing the pre filter as all the dead algae floats through

A friend suggested the same thing, I can take down the tank, but i'd rather not as I want to drive this car (I've been driving my 6.9 daily recently and it's starting to hurt). I'll search the forum for the chemicals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude99

Brake light: Did you drain the brake fluid reservoir? If you did you probably have to reset the sensor. If memory serves you just have to press it down.

Thanks! I'll try it!

tomscat1 · #4 03-14-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

All, I've recently gotten my 76 300D on the road after about 6 months of having it sit at my house.

There are a couple of things that came up during it's shake down.

1) I replaced the calipers with a set of rebuilt ones. The rebuilt ones have the hose fittings on top of the caliper, unlike the ones that were originally on the car which had them in the center of the caliper. Now the brake hoses are too short. The hoses had 123 part numbers. Is it possible to get longer hoses?

2) Even though I replaced the pads, calipers and brake hoses and bled the system. the brake light on the dash remains on. How can I turn this off?

3) I keep blowing the rear tail light There seems to be a bad connection there. Is this a common problem or should I start chasing wires?

4) Today, the car started running rough, there was a pile of crap in the clear filter. I am not sure what the deal was because it had ran so well before. I had already replaced the main filter last summer (when I bought the car and I had not driven it since). I replaced the clear filter with another one and it got dirty pretty much right away. The dirt is black. Is this a common issue and how can I keep the fuel system clean?

Many thanks

4). Diesel fuel that sits for extended periods oftentimes sees a build up of algae in the tank. There are treatments you can buy to get rid of it.... I am tempted to suggest in this case that you drain the fuel tank and flush it with clean fuel. It has been along time but, if memory serves, there may be a filter or screen at the tank drain that can be cleaned or replaced.

I would flush that tank, clean whatever filter is there, and add fresh fuel. Stock a couple of fuel filters (both) and see if you have any improvement. They do sell various biocides for this.
I am sure others have advice for you. I have never had a problem, but I have used my 1975 300D regularly over the past 12 years or so. The problem arises from lack of use/fresh fuel, etc. I believe. Good luck ... It is fixable. I can't help you with the other issues. Hope this helps.

Lycoming-8 · #5 03-14-2011, 12:09 AM

Concerning the brake lines.... I am wondering if the bleeder points are at the top of the calipers as they are currently installed. If not they are each on the wrong side of the car, and that may solve the hose length problem?!?

alabbasi · #6 03-14-2011, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomscat1

4)I would flush that tank, clean whatever filter is there, and add fresh fuel. Stock a couple of fuel filters (both) and see if you have any improvement. They do sell various biocides for this.

Thanks, that's not a difficult job on a W115. I've done it a few times on W114's and W109's. There is a filter screen at the bottom of the tank that you can unscrew. A little brake clean should clean it out.

Lycoming-8 - The caliepers are mounted correctly with the bleeder lines on top. They bold up properly also, but the fitting that takes the brake hose is now on top instead of in the centre of the caliper, This means that the hose now h as to go down, through the ring and then back up in an S shape to fit properly.

Although it bolts up, it's basically the wrong caliper. But I don't want to send it back as it bolts right up.

Stretch · #7 03-14-2011, 04:07 AM

For the calipers - do they have the same piston diameter as the old ones?

alabbasi · #8 03-14-2011, 05:33 AM

Yep, pads are the same. Just the the location of the fitting is different.

JiveTurkey · #9 03-14-2011, 06:32 AM

BioKleen is what you're looking for Al, you can get it at advance autoparts though and its cheap. Use the "shock therapy" treatment on the back of the bottle.

Any luck with that 114 fuel pump?

frankengrant · #10 03-14-2011, 06:48 AM

Biobor is another commonly available fungi treatment, easily found at most boating stores, such as west marine.

I recommend a treatment of biobor followed with 1oz of startron with each fillup. The starton is an enzyme based treatment, more is not better, only a waste of your money because enzymes are not used up in the reactions which they catalyze.

alabbasi · #11 03-14-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiveTurkey

BioKleen is what you're looking for Al, you can get it at advance autoparts though and its cheap. Use the "shock therapy" treatment on the back of the bottle.

Any luck with that 114 fuel pump?

Holy cow! I completely forgot about the fuel pump! It's still sitting in that box unopened. Email me your address and i'll ship it.

gastropodus · #12 03-14-2011, 04:08 PM

Startron is the other chemical that you put in your tank to kill the microbial population, though purportedly it takes a while to fully clean things out. There are separate gas and diesel versions, and a tank cleaner version that works in both gas and diesel applications.

Startron

Kurt

panZZer · #13 03-14-2011, 04:14 PM

For shaking it Down I would suggest the new rack dampener bolt