Fair service prices?

[littlehandegan]

Called my local shop - 1985 300d

Oil change - 80
Valve adjustment - 100
Fuel filter and purge - 90
Transmission service - 150

Does this seem all seem fair?

Anything else I should have done to get her ready for daily use. I intend on doing the rear end fluid, air filter and clean the banjo myself.

[sleepstar]

each one of those is about an hour of labor with minimal to no parts.. so yes.. seems fair

[shertex]

My guess is that oil change includes the oil and the filter....in which case it's 1/2 hr. plus oil and filter, which is certainly reasonable and customary.

[Zacharias]

Sure seems like they are pretty fair, if that's a Mercedes-familiar indy, not a Joe's Handy Garage.

I assume by transmission service, you mean a fluid and screen change, not a flush. Stay away from a flush like the plague.

One thing I don't get: if you plan to do the rear end gear oil and Banjo cleaning yourself, why are you paying someone else to do an oil change and fuel filter/purge? That sort of puzzles me.

By the way, if the car runs fine I would not bother with the purge. It isn't something I would automatically do, to put a car on the road. Just my opinion tho.

[Diesel911]

Originally Posted by littlehandegan

Called my local shop - 1985 300d

Oil change - 80
Valve adjustment - 100
Fuel filter and purge - 90
Transmission service - 150

Does this seem all seem fair?

Anything else I should have done to get her ready for daily use. I intend on doing the rear end fluid, air filter and clean the banjo myself.

I don't think the Oil Change and the Transmission Service (notice they try to make a Filter and Fluid change sound like more) is too much.

The Valve ajustment is the most resonable one.

If the Purge includes the Chemical it seems like a good deal.

[barry12345]

Over four hundred with tax etc for what you may do yourself in an afternoon for perhaps a hundred or a little more? All those jobs are pretty straightforward.

[littlehandegan]

I have decided to do all of it myself and ordered parts

I will let them handle the trans. and the valve adjustment

ALSO

I intend on replacing my old fule injector return lines, and order 3 feet of it.

What is the process in doing this?

Do I just slip them off, and slip the new ones on?

[charmalu]

Valve adjustment, $100. you can buy the valve adjustment wrenches for that price, and one adjustment they are paid for. or you can bend your own.

What ever the hourly shop rate is per hr, is about what it will cost you.

Here is a link to Diesel Giant`s valva adj procedure.
Mercedes Diesel Valve Adjustment Procedure

He has others,, but I was reading the one for draining the Transmission and he didn`t drain the Torque Converter, and recommended a trans flush. for get about doing that.

Servicing the trans is easy. there is a drain plug in the pan, and the Torque Converter has a drain plug. there is a sort of grate under the bell Housing, using a large screw driver through the grill you can rotate the TC around to line up the drain plug. drain the TC into a pan, and when through dripping, replace the copper washer and snug the plug down, doesn`t take much. I don`t have the inch lbs or what ever it is to torque it.

Then drain the trans pan, same thing, remove the plug. when it is through remove the 6 bolts and lower down the pan. remove the 2 phillip screws and remove the filter, and install the new filter. wash out the pan, I use brake spray cleaner to totally blow out the residue after I wash it in a pan of gas, or your favorite solvent. do not wipe it out with a rag, MB warn against this as it will leave lint.

Replace the new gasket and replace the 6 bolts/screws. tighten to the torque setting, some one will have them and post them. do not over tighten the pan or it can cause it to leak.

Then add the ATF, looking your owners manual, it should have the abount, around 6qts.

Fuel filter, remove the 24mm bolt, or loosen and unscrew the filter. don`t tip it as it is full of fuel. lower it down and remove. place it in a container to drain. refill the new one with Diesel Purge, or I use ATF. something out of a clean un opened bottle, or if you know your diesel fuel can is clean and no, dirt water etc... use it. the center bolt on your85 has 2 "O" rings for the seal. If they look flat or old etc... replace them. Auto Zone has an assortment of "O" rings in a case for $8. the size is in there.
slip the filter in place and screw the bolt into it, and tighten. you do not need a washer under the bolt head.

There is a Pre-filter down by the rear side of the Injection pump. 2 hose clamps and a phillip screw driver, and slip it off and install the new one.

The rubber fuel line is 5/16". If it looks old and cracked, good time to replace it.

Oil change is pretty straight forward. Place drain pan under engine, remove drain plug, and let drain for and hr or over night or______ fill in blanks. remove the 2 13mm nuts on top of filter housing, lift out lid, remove rubber "O" ring. wipe the out the groove where the "O" ring lives and replace it with the new one from the filter box. lift out old filter, have a small pan to stick under filter as it is lifted out. wipe off the top edge of the filter housing. insert new filter and drop in the tube/pipe down in the center of the new filter, replace the 2 13mm nuts. do not over tighten or you will strip out the studs in the housing. I hold the wratchet by the head and tighten that way.

There is 2 small "O" Rings on the pipe in the filter lid. They need to be replaced if old hard and cracked. the Auto Zone kit will have these in it.

When draining the Differential, be sure to remove the fill plug first before draining. If you drain it and can`t get the fill plug out.................

The return lines are easy. pull off the old lines, and push on the new ones. do not use a knife or razor blade knife to cut the hose off the injector nipples, you do not not want knick the nipples and maybe cause a leak. If a piece of hose breaks off and stays on the nipple. I use a pair of needle none or pair of pliers, and squeeze the side of the hose and pull it off w/o catching the nipple.

The end injector with the plug, you can remove the plug and reuse it.

This is all DIY stuff.

Where are you located?


Charlie

[barry12345]

Originally Posted by charmalu

Valve adjustment, $100. you can buy the valve adjustment wrenches for that price, and one adjustment they are paid for. or you can bend your own.

What ever the hourly shop rate is per hr, is about what it will cost you.

Here is a link to Diesel Giant`s valva adj procedure.
Mercedes Diesel Valve Adjustment Procedure

He has others,, but I was reading the one for draining the Transmission and he didn`t drain the Torque Converter, and recommended a trans flush. for get about doing that.

Servicing the trans is easy. there is a drain plug in the pan, and the Torque Converter has a drain plug. there is a sort of grate under the bell Housing, using a large screw driver through the grill you can rotate the TC around to line up the drain plug. drain the TC into a pan, and when through dripping, replace the copper washer and snug the plug down, doesn`t take much. I don`t have the inch lbs or what ever it is to torque it.

Then drain the trans pan, same thing, remove the plug. when it is through remove the 6 bolts and lower down the pan. remove the 2 phillip screws and remove the filter, and install the new filter. wash out the pan, I use brake spray cleaner to totally blow out the residue after I wash it in a pan of gas, or your favorite solvent. do not wipe it out with a rag, MB warn against this as it will leave lint.

Replace the new gasket and replace the 6 bolts/screws. tighten to the torque setting, some one will have them and post them. do not over tighten the pan or it can cause it to leak.

Then add the ATF, looking your owners manual, it should have the abount, around 6qts.

Fuel filter, remove the 24mm bolt, or loosen and unscrew the filter. don`t tip it as it is full of fuel. lower it down and remove. place it in a container to drain. refill the new one with Diesel Purge, or I use ATF. something out of a clean un opened bottle, or if you know your diesel fuel can is clean and no, dirt water etc... use it. the center bolt on your85 has 2 "O" rings for the seal. If they look flat or old etc... replace them. Auto Zone has an assortment of "O" rings in a case for $8. the size is in there.
slip the filter in place and screw the bolt into it, and tighten. you do not need a washer under the bolt head.

There is a Pre-filter down by the rear side of the Injection pump. 2 hose clamps and a phillip screw driver, and slip it off and install the new one.

The rubber fuel line is 5/16". If it looks old and cracked, good time to replace it.

Oil change is pretty straight forward. Place drain pan under engine, remove drain plug, and let drain for and hr or over night or______ fill in blanks. remove the 2 13mm nuts on top of filter housing, lift out lid, remove rubber "O" ring. wipe the out the groove where the "O" ring lives and replace it with the new one from the filter box. lift out old filter, have a small pan to stick under filter as it is lifted out. wipe off the top edge of the filter housing. insert new filter and drop in the tube/pipe down in the center of the new filter, replace the 2 13mm nuts. do not over tighten or you will strip out the studs in the housing. I hold the wratchet by the head and tighten that way.

There is 2 small "O" Rings on the pipe in the filter lid. They need to be replaced if old hard and cracked. the Auto Zone kit will have these in it.

When draining the Differential, be sure to remove the fill plug first before draining. If you drain it and can`t get the fill plug out.................

The return lines are easy. pull off the old lines, and push on the new ones. do not use a knife or razor blade knife to cut the hose off the injector nipples, you do not not want knick the nipples and maybe cause a leak. If a piece of hose breaks off and stays on the nipple. I use a pair of needle none or pair of pliers, and squeeze the side of the hose and pull it off w/o catching the nipple.

The end injector with the plug, you can remove the plug and reuse it.

This is all DIY stuff.

Where are you located?


Charlie

Requirement is to at least check the valve clearances every fifteen thousand miles. So if you are going to run some real miles on this car. Far more sensible to do the valves yourself.

Only the first time like a lot of things in life seems to present some challenge. Once you do it once you probably would never consider paying someone else 100.00 to do it. Plus you can tell your grandchildren someday that in ancient times you adjusted the valve clearances on a car.

Really though a person should do this proceedure at least once. At 100.00 a crack it adds up over time. As proceedures go it is not really even hard. The wrenches are resalable in the future as well.

Simple equation is if you do not make 100.00 per hour after taxes and costs inccurred by working. How many hours do you have to work really to pay that amount. These cars are old enough financially they only make sense if we do many things ourselves. Also the bonus is you both learn and increase your self confidence plus save money. There is not really too much if any downside in the last sentance.

[Mölyapina]

Originally Posted by charmalu

Valve adjustment, $100. you can buy the valve adjustment wrenches for that price, and one adjustment they are paid for. or you can bend your own.

What ever the hourly shop rate is per hr, is about what it will cost you.

Here is a link to Diesel Giant`s valva adj procedure.
Mercedes Diesel Valve Adjustment Procedure

He has others,, but I was reading the one for draining the Transmission and he didn`t drain the Torque Converter, and recommended a trans flush. for get about doing that.

So I talked with Roy (whunter) about the valve adjustment, and he said that he disagrees with Dieselgiant on where to turn the camshaft. Mercedes-Benz says to turn the lobe so that the long end is facing (the tip of the "egg", as it were) is pointing to the oil tube, where Dieselgiant has you point the "tip" straight up. Roy says that this makes a difference during northern cold starts, so I would do it the factory way.

Always turn at the crank bolt (easy for me to say, my radiator is out...).

[Mölyapina]

Originally Posted by charmalu

Valve adjustment, $100. you can buy the valve adjustment wrenches for that price, and one adjustment they are paid for. or you can bend your own.

What ever the hourly shop rate is per hr, is about what it will cost you.

Here is a link to Diesel Giant`s valva adj procedure.
Mercedes Diesel Valve Adjustment Procedure

He has others,, but I was reading the one for draining the Transmission and he didn`t drain the Torque Converter, and recommended a trans flush. for get about doing that.

So I talked with Roy (whunter) about the valve adjustment a while back, and he said that he disagrees with Dieselgiant on where to turn the camshaft. Mercedes-Benz says to turn the lobe above the valve being adjusted so that the long end is facing (the tip of the "egg", as it were) is pointing to the oil tube, where Dieselgiant has you point the "tip" straight up. Roy says that you can tell the difference during northern cold starts, so I would do it the factory way.

Always turn at the crank bolt (easy for me to say, my radiator is out...).

[vstech]

Originally Posted by littlehandegan

Called my local shop - 1985 300d

Oil change - 80
Valve adjustment - 100
Fuel filter and purge - 90
Transmission service - 150

Does this seem all seem fair?

Anything else I should have done to get her ready for daily use. I intend on doing the rear end fluid, air filter and clean the banjo myself.

Oil change Dino/fram-$46 parts Syn/fram $60 parts
valve adjustment... gasket-$12, time...
Fuel filter (S) there are two, $12, purge chemical $16
transmission service: $16 filter/gasket... $36ish ATF

[benhogan]

sounds pretty fair.

[vstech]

as for the valve adjustment, the wrenches are cheap to build, and or rent/purchase, and the feeler gauges are super easy to find and use.
I set the motor where the cam is right for 1/2 of the valves, then rotate 90° and set the rest. takes about 20 minutes.

[Stevo]

Originally Posted by vstech

as for the valve adjustment, the wrenches are cheap to build, and or rent/purchase, and the feeler gauges are super easy to find and use.
I set the motor where the cam is right for 1/2 of the valves, then rotate 90° and set the rest. takes about 20 minutes.

John, When you rotate the engine do you use the steering pump bolt? The crank bolt seems a major pain to get at or I'm doing it wrong.