300TD Back On The Road...Finally - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Graplr · #1 05-23-2012, 03:47 PM

So I bought my 79 300TD from The Swede last fall. I parked it in the garage and have been going through and taking care of all the things that needed attention. I finally got it back on the road and have been driving it.

Here is the list of things I've done- (Probably forgetting some things, I'll have to check my notebook)

-AL129X alternator upgrade and all new wiring to the starer and battery cables
-Brake fluid flush
-Rebuilt brake booster
-Power steering fluid flush and filter
-Oil and filter
-Valve adjustment
-Fixed all vacuum leaks in climate control system, replaced leaking defrost pod, replaced many rubber connectors
-Fixed all vacuum leaks in door locking system
-Replaced rear hatch door mechanism and lock (Key was stuck in old lock and frozen shut)
-Reconnected vacuum lines to rear hatch
-Adjusted shifting linkages, now it shifts properly
-New compressor pulley and belt (old one fell off). Amazingly the system was still charged and works great! (York compressor with r134a)
-Replaced shut off valve (old one was leaking oil and dripping at the ignition) and cleaned out contaminated vacuum lines
-Replaced rear right blinker bulb (wrong one was in and could barely see the bulb when the blinker was on)
-Air filter
-New collector plates with lifetime tabs!
-Reattached cruise control and it works!

Still to do
-Replace dash (cracked badly)
-Fix oil pressure gauge (I have oil pressure but the gauge seems to stick)
-Address the bumpers (chrome was painted black by PO before The Swede- Either replace them with used or have mine redone as the black is wearing off the front)
-Brakes need to be addressed. I have a wobble in the front right upon hard braking. Likely rotor but will replace pads and rotors all around.
-If wobble isn't fixed by brakes replace front end components and alignment
-Replace fuel door pod (old one leaked- golf tee in vacuum line for now)
-Rear hatch unlocks with others but does not lock via vacuum system. Reinvestigate vacuum pod alignment and linkage
-Possibly have sunroof repainted (fell out on freeway and really scratched up by PO before The Swede)

It has been fun working on it over the past few months but even more fun getting it back on the road and driving it.

Now I need to fix the AC in my wife's E430 (but she has been driving the E320 so I hear no complaints from her now!)

The Swede · #2 05-23-2012, 04:00 PM

Wow, very nice. Glad it's getting the attention it deserves.

I figured the A/C should be good. It blasted cold not too long ago.

Did the humming/droning noise go away after adjusting the valves?

IIRC, there's another CC amp in that box of extras.

suginami · #3 05-23-2012, 07:10 PM

That's a nice list of items your worked on.

Good job!

gatorblue92 · #4 05-24-2012, 08:36 AM

The sunroof fell out??? How did that happen?

The Swede · #5 05-24-2012, 09:53 AM

It "flipped off" on the interstate. PO was driving it back from the paint shop, apparently it wasn't secured.

Graplr · #6 05-24-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

Wow, very nice. Glad it's getting the attention it deserves.

I figured the A/C should be good. It blasted cold not too long ago.

Did the humming/droning noise go away after adjusting the valves?

IIRC, there's another CC amp in that box of extras.

The noise is there. I can't tell where it is coming from but I am wondering if it is the front right. I guess it could be the air intake/manifold area (engine), or hopefully just the brakes. I am going to put new rotors and pads on and we'll see if it makes a difference.

There is another climate control amp in the box. I have a cruise amp and actuator (same style) from the 116 I parted a few years back but it appears I won't need to swap them. The cruise is working, the cable and vacuum lines were disconnected. I just reconnected them and it works. I need to tighten the cable at the linkage.

Took it on a 50 some mile drive for work last night. When I got back I noticed the front right blinker bulb was hanging out. Looks like the whole blinker assembly is gone.

I had taken it off because the bulb wasn't working. I think the bulb just fell out off the assembly as when I put it back together it was working. I must not have tightened it down enough.

Looks like I need a blinker assembly added to the list of too do.

Graplr · #7 05-24-2012, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

That's a nice list of items your worked on.

Good job!

Thanks. I've had fun, just some more things to go.

andrewjtx · #8 05-24-2012, 12:16 PM

If you need a new sunroof door from a wagon, let me know. I have one and can ship at moment's notice.

Graplr · #9 05-24-2012, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewjtx

If you need a new sunroof door from a wagon, let me know. I have one and can ship at moment's notice.

The sunroof is fine, it is just all scratched up. So unless you have a perfectly painted one in Colorado Beige, I don't think it would be worth it to buy a used one versus taking mine out to get repainted.

andrewjtx · #10 05-24-2012, 03:04 PM

It's amazing that it flew off the car and isn't demolished...

Graplr · #11 05-25-2012, 05:07 PM

I guess I need to add one more thing to the to do list- Fix SLS. The fluid was low (leak I assumed) but the car was sitting low ALL the time. I was worried it was a bad pump $$

$$ So I put fluid in and nothing happened. Still worried it was a bad pump. Decided to look under rear.....I saw the valve lever arm hanging freely down. Houston, I think we found the problem. I swung the arm up and up (slowly) went the car. Along with pinpointing the leak to the valve or course (PM to Andrew aka Biodiesel300TD for a new oring kit).

So, I guess I am missing the bolt that connects the valve lever arm to SLS height adjusting rod. Does anyone know if there is anything special about this bolt? Can I just use any old bolt?

Also, I ordered new pads and rotors all around. Hopefully they get here in short order.

Thanks!

draglink · #12 05-25-2012, 05:17 PM

Sounds like progress...are you a fellow member of the cheap wagon club?

Graplr · #13 05-25-2012, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by draglink

Sounds like progress...are you a fellow member of the cheap wagon club?

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I am not. This one has too nice of a body and interior and was in running condition so I came in too high.

Graplr · #14 05-27-2012, 08:17 PM

So after crawling back under the wagon, I noticed the bolt on the lever arm is still there. There is a ball joint on the end that connects to the height rod. Then there is a plastic cap that was in the height rod.

Does the ball go into this plastic cap? It wasn't very secure when I put it in, it almost seems like something is missing. So for no I just zip tied the arm to the height rod. I'll reinvestigate it when I rebuild the SLS valve after my o-ring kit arrives.

Graplr · #15 06-22-2012, 09:17 AM

New calipers, pads, sensors, rotors, soft hoses and DOT4 fluid all around. It stops like new with no more shuddering. It does pull a bit to the left upon hard breaking. The front left caliper was loaded and thus has different pads than the right. I'm wondering if this is the reason. The left did seem "tighter" than the right and I am assuming after prolonged brake usage this will go away.

No more rear end sag. Both ends of the "rod" on the SLS valve became disconnected at different times. I zip tied it into place temporarily and added some fluid. The rear end now sits where it is supposed to. I do have a slow leak from the valve and will rebuild it at some point (I have the oring kit).

The hot idle is rough and it smokes pretty good at stoplights so I'm assuming the injectors are shot. Ideally I would find a turbo drivetrain to swap in but that may be a pipe-dream so I probably should go ahead and get new nozzles or injectors.

Still want to put a new dash in. Otherwise the interior is in pretty good shape.

I added an aux 12v plug. I just plugged it into the harness for the ashtray and ran the wires to in between the center console and the driver's seat. I'll have to make it a bit more permanent sometime.

Also, I fixed the locking issue on the rear hatch. The linkage had too much play in it and thus when the vacuum pod tried to lock it, it would just slip by. The unlocking worked well though. A twist tie securely put in place fixed the issue and now the rear hatch locks/unlocks as it should with the driver's door lock.

New front left blinker assembly installed for the "lost" old one. Something odd I noticed though is this blinker at this location (all others work as should) will not work when the headlights are on. I noticed there is some sort of "spliced" electrical connector here. The wiring appears correct but I'm wondering if the socket itself is incorrect. I'll get another correct harness and splice it in.