Got an '83 300SD and what appears to be motor oil in my coolant reservoir. NOT GOOD I have always been told.
However, it appears reddish or wierd/off color than spent motor oil. I put one tiny drop into the hot coolant overflow/fill tank and it did not appear nearly the same as the other oil droplets.
??

Not SURE it's motor oil, what else could it be? There is not much in there barely enough to notice but it is definitely there.

I even emptied that little tank, washed it all out and refilled w/fresh coolant and they came back. (small amt of oil droplets).

If it's motor oil, do I necessarily have a head gasket getting ready to go on me?
When I say reddish, its not the same color as tranny fluid, its just an 'off' color lets call it.

Thanks

Try to pin down exactly what it is. If it has a reddish tint it may be treanmission fluid. There is a transmission cooler built into the bottom section of the radiator that could possibly be leaking.

__________________
Jim

pull your transmission dipstick...
what color is the fluid in there? pink or frothy... drain your transmission and replace your radiator asap!
I've heard that several types of block sealers will leave a reddish residue in the coolant. how long have you had the car?
what color is the antifreeze in your car?

__________________
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!

If the reservoir's got slimy chunks in it it's probably block sealer, in my experience.

Hi Folks,
No slimy chunks. Color is actually grey now. VERY fine film on top of the coolant. I just re-filled the coolant res w/clean Green antifreeze.
I don't see any more actual drops, but the coolant appears to be slowly getting ever so slightly dirty/greyish.

I have only had the car for a year, it was sitting idle for about a year prior to getting it.

I'll check the tranny fluid.
Thanks

Green is the wrong coolant, you want to start with Zerex G-05 or Mercedes, it definately needs diesel coolant.

Dirty / grayish sounds like exhaust, which would lead one to believe that the head is cracked between the combustion chamber and the cooling passages.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

You should consider flushing out that green coolant and putting in either Zerex g-05 or the MB branded coolant. That green stuff is probably eating away that radiator.

Edit: Darn babymog, beat me to the post by 3 seconds

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

And how would The Penguin react to that?

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Hmm. OK, didn't realize the green was not good. Run it in my cummins no probs after 5 yrs.?
Not sure if this relates, but now I have no heat/circulation getting to the heater core lines. ?
Large diam hoses are HOT but smaller ones are not. Engine temps according to dash gauge reads normal temp's.
The circulation pump is running, I can hear it.
Does this sound like a thermostat issue? or water pump?
Or what?
Thanks.

It's not "diesel" coolant per se. The Cummins was fine on green. The metallic composition of these specific Mercedes diesel blocks or heads (not sure which) is what demands the "special" antifreeze.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

If it is, it would be because it's old, not because it's green.

Coolant is only recommended on these cars for like two years at most...
you can check your coolant ( whatever color ) with a VOM...( as per the FSM )...
it can tell you if your coolant is eating away at something fairly useful to have...like the heater core....
LOL

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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

Probably not what you meant to say.

Did you check the state of your transmission fluid? If it's a pink milkshake, the transmission cooler is leaking into the radiator.
I've never been convinced by the 'green coolant is bad' group. Cast iron seems like cast iron to me.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

It's not so much a case of good versus bad. More like good versus better. A lot like conventional oil isn't bad; synthetic is just better.