This job is much more difficult with the engine in the car. Especially if the car is on the ground and the car is on ramps or on jack stands. You have NO leverage to speak of and there are lots of components to work around. Much of them are very sharp and spaces are very tight (Unless you remove the manifolds and alternator).

Not sure about others. But, on my 85 there is an A/C bracket right next to the "lower" turbo drain tube. This makes if VERY difficult to even access the "lower" drain tube. Especially in the manner shown the video above.

Thanks for posting the video! This at least shows how the tube "snaps in" and how the grommet slides down. Did you actually get the grommet all the way in? It is a tight fit. I'm curious to see if it leaks.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

IIRC, I used a large spark plug socket, with the rubber insert, and an extension from above. One good tap with a rubber mallet and it seated just fine, with engine in-car.

One thing I would add, use silicone grease on both the grommet and o-rings to get a leak proof seal.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

yep, top grommet went in completely, no issue.

snookwhaler, I tried to push this in per the FSM from the top. It just wouldnt go in without peeling off the lower oring. I had a plastic pipe cap and a 1 " pipe so I was getting good force on it but the top lip on the grommet would peel off the oring every time.

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

I have to do this job this weekend. This post is a godsend!! I love this forum!!

Now, show me that again with the rest of the car attached. - or, in other words, How long does it take when you include getting all the real world stuff out of the way?

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"Knowing is not enough, we must apply.
Willing is not enough, we must do." Goethe

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1951 Chevy 3100

2003 Indian Chief Roadmaster

1983 GMC 1 ton Dually

1982 Chevy 1 ton Dually, service body (sold)

'90 GMC Suburban 6.2 "SS Veg-Burban"
(single tank WVO\diesel conversion) SOLD

'81 300D ~ Mama's car...my job (now my car)(but still my job) SOLD

'83 300sd ~ rescue car SOLD

2005 Ford Taurus (Mama's new car)(NOT my job!)

There is no reason to remove anything but the drain tube itself. Two bolts at the turbo, push down on the top tube and lean it out. The only hard part is actually pulling the bottom portion out of the drain pan but two clove hitches on the tube and judicious prying from above and it pops out. Clean, lubricate the tube for the grommet to slide on, install the o-rings and set the lower tube in place. Put a large spark plug socket,with extension,over the top of the tube (what else would you need a spark plug socket for?) and pop it with a mallet. Put the top portion of the drain tube in place, push it all the way down and lean it into place. Install the gasket, install the two bolts and once everything is tightened up, push the grommet into place.

Seriously, the original instructions in the FSM must have had a "translation" issue as it makes this job ten times harder than necessary. I believe it is one of the easier tasks I've had to do on this engine. Should take about 30 min. including hand cleaner.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

I struggled with this till the light came on and I understood you need to slide the rubber grommet on top of the oil pan up the tube a little then the tube is easily removed. With the grommet pushed down I couldn't prise it out from above nor push it out from below.

I went home last night took off the two bolts at the Turbo wedged my arm in and shoved down a couple of times the pipe went into the pan just enough to swing the top tube out of the way. that part took about fifteen minutes. I left the rest for tonite as I do not have the o-rings and grommet yet, but picking those up at the dealer today. Hopefully I will have it finished tonight. Having gotten this far I cannot see where I will have too many complications in completing the job. I think people are really over complicating this proceedure.

This was the part that gave me a bit of trouble. I had to pry the tube upward and pick away at the grommet until I was able to pull it out. The grommet was hard and started to crumble away as i picked at it. When I got the tube out I notice the o-ring at the bottom was all but gone!!. This was a catastrophe waiting to happen, I lost almost 4 quarts of oil in 60 miles!!
Now I did find the easiest way to get the two bolts out of the top tube is using a 1/4 inch wratchet standing on the side of the car looking straight down at the turbo; using my right hand I was able to get between the turbo and the manifold, there was just enough room on top to use the fingers on my left hand to guide the socket onto the bolts. Once the bolts were out I was able to get enough of a grip on the tube to force it down into the pan. It did not bottom out but it did go in far enough to slip the top tube off. Now I was having problems getting the top tube completely out of the way until i moved to the front of the car and pulled the tube toward the front of the car and it then dropped out onto the ground. Really going back through it, getting the tube out of the pan took about 25 minutes not the fifteen minutes i thought.

I plan to give this a try in the next couple days on a friends car. We got an oil pan gasket too (just in case).

Thanks again for posting this and the reply! It is a pain in the butt taking videos and taking pictures doing tutorials, etc... Camera in one hand and working with the other. You know what I mean.

This guys car is an 85 too, so it is a PITA with the A/C bracket and some other obstacles down there. Hopefully that stupid grommet is not stuck in there too bad.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Just take your time. Look at the job from every angle. You will see its not that bad. This may sound silly but dont raise the front end up too high. You may find yourself alternating from underneath the car to inside the engine compartment pretty often.

the AC line bracket is 2 bolts from the bottom if it gives you too much trouble. I dropped my engine in the car this weekend. I was very happily hooking things up when I remembered I wanted to switch over my block heater too. Oh well. Im in Fla and I doubt I will drive this home to Ohio in the winter. Would have been a cake job with the engine out.

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

Well, I managed to do this job again on a different car today with no real problems. There was NO WAY to remove the lower tube without removing the oil pan on this one. Only added 20 minutes to the job. I'm glad I got the oil pan gasket ahead of time. Using a regular hammer and socket would not do it. I actually had to pound the thing out with a socket and small "sledge hammer). After that, it was a breeze.

I do like this method of installing the lower tube and grommet MUCH BETTER than the other. Installing the upper and lower tubes in the manner mentioned in this post makes it REALLY easy. I was surprised how easy it was. Still a PITA because of the tight spaces though.

Again... Thanks for posting this.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Excellent video... I would have been done in 30 minutes if my grommet on the oil pan hadn't fallen into the hole and caused me to remove the oil pan... and if the Haus of Autos in AZ had sent me the correct gasket for the upper hose. Note to self next time just order from Phil.

LOL. it's kind of creepy hearing the heavy breathing. Would have been good to talk about what you were doing, or overlay music.

Thanks for sharing as it helps others that have yet to perform this task.


Having done this already on my OM617, I can say it is a royal PIA in the car. I did not follow the FSM as the method did not work for me. It was also suggested to destroy the lower tube to remove and thus install a new one, I was able to do the job without damage to anything. I had the lower pan off to clean and replace the gasket.

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83 300TD (need rear wiper assembly dead or alive)
84 300SD Daily driver
85 300TD almost 400k miles and driven daily.
98 E300D *sold
86 300SDL *sold and made flawless 10 hour journey to new home.