My 87 didn't need any major repairs this year, thank goodness

-It did get New Tires and an alignment
-New Registration (every 2 years in Oregon)
-Rear brake pads
-Windshield (small crack turned big over the summer)
-Wiper
-2 oil changes (so far, Its getting another for Christmas)
-New Paint (I thought about going with used paint to cut cost but then changed my mind)
-New radiator and fan clutch
-Door seals

EDIT::::: New MB Battery

Im sure there are a few little things I am forgetting

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Live simply so others can simply live



07 E350 sport Wife's Daily
01 E320 sport My Daily
00 C230 Kompressor Our back up (new Arrival)

87 300D Turbo my Daily for 8 yrs. Selling to neighbor

82 GMC Jimmy (K5) 6.2 Diesel (my Wheeler)
73 Roadrunner 340ci My very first car, still own it

My year was spent steadily reversing the last owner's "improvements" and thirty years worth of age on the rubber components. Runs great, always has, but the worn out front end parts had to go. Plenty of fluid changes and vacuum troubleshooting took up most of my spare time. Once I get the flex plates done, it'll have everything of immediate importance done.

The last car I bought was a Savana van. In the first three months of ownership, it was into the mechanic's place a dozen times and had cost me some thousands. The Mercedes is twenty-five years older and runs like a champ. I'm sorry, but the domestic automakers just have a long way to go.

Nothing major this year. Just plenty of preventative maintenance. I keep a spreadsheet:

01/4/13 - Replaced injector return lines with Tygon
01/13/13 - Replaced all fuses with copper ones
02/16/13 - Replaced a broken throttle linkage and lubed the rest with ATF

6 months of driving...an oil change in there somewhere...

08/17/2013 -

• replaced motor mounts a second time in a year due to biodiesel leak from primer pump on to driver's side mount
• replaced primer pump
• replaced rear sway bar links
• replaced transmission mount

10/13/13 -

• Fixed clock by soldering on new capacitors
• Fixed odometer
• Replaced all fuel lines under the car
• Changed diff fluid
• Air filter
• Oil change

11/10/13 -

• Tested all the vacuum systems except for the climate control pods
• Replaced all fuel lines under the hood
• Replaced driver's door check strap

11/15/13 -

• Replaced door lock vacuum master switch
• Replaced trunk lock vacuum actuator

11/27/13 -

• Replaced vacuum line to cruise control potentiometer
• Replaced passenger side door check strap

11/28/13 -More vacuum testing, this time of door lock actuators
12/1/13 -

• Replaced bad front passenger side window regulator with good barely used one
• Pulled the front driver's side regulator for cleaning and greasing, re-installed

12/9/13

• Replaced two upper diaphragms on passenger front door lock regulator
• More vacuum testing, found a slow leak in gas door lock actuator
• Replaced the seals on oil and fuel cap
• Replaced a bunch of "X" and "Y" vacuum connectors while doing testing

12/14/13

• Cleaned and greased diaphragm on gas door lock actuator hoping it would stop slow leak
• Pulled and bent driver's rear regulator back in to shape
• Replaced early glow plug system fuse box
• Cleaned up grounds under the hood

12/22/13

• Cleaned up battery terminals with wire brush
• Went through the car and cleaned all light sockets except for fog lights, and all plugs in the lighting system, replaced all bulbs
• Replaced fuel filler neck seal

So my to-do list keeps getting shorter. More might get done before the end of the year. My to do list for end of this year, and early next year, is:

Flex-discs and other driveshaft items
Short hose under thermostat, and the thermostat itself while it's open
Rear suspension rubber parts, shocks
Replace the gas door lock actuator
Fix my early style engine shock mount bracket
Rear, and maybe front, window seals
Under battery rust repair
And some other odds and ends...

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1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

http://i.imgur.com/LslW733.jpg

The Baja Arizona Oil Burners Send a message if you'd like to join the fun
Left to Right - UberWasser, Iridium, Stuttgart-->Seattle,, mannys9130

Visit the W123 page on iFixit for over 70 helpful DIY guides!

After going to the Mercedes-Benz museum this summer in Stuttgart I decided to come home and buy a 1982 Mercedes 240D. After a month or two it became my daily driver.

Completed:
-All filters replaced (fuel, air, transmission, oil, P/S)
-Changed oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid
-Differential oil changed
-Valve adjustment (a few times)
-Transmission and motor mounts
-Flushed coolant system
-Replaced antennas mast
-Replaced A/C drier, compressor, expansion valve and recharged with EnviroSafe
-Replaced primer pump and return lines
-Replaced glow plugs and reamed holes
-Replaced shift linkage bushing
-Replaced injector nozzles
-Replaced rear window seal
-Repaired rusted exhaust pipe
-Fixed central locking system
-Replaced shut off valve
-Rebuild front ends suspension completely minus new springs
-Had windows tinted
-Re-cushioned back to rear seat as horse hair was deteriorated
-Removed front passenger fender to fix rust
-Removed sunroof tray to fix rust
-Replaced oil pan gasket
-Replaced manifold gasket
-Fixed odometer
-Got all power windows operable
-Replaced rubber brake lines and flushed brake system
(I may be forgetting something)

Trips taken in the 240D:
-Drove up to DC then to the Benzfest in PA.

Awards won:
-Highest Millage vehicle (around 333,000) at the Benzfest.) (Now near 336,000)

Not much to report about my 190DT
Tore the interior and dash out and I am sorting through things.

ugh... I think, between the 85SD blowing it's VP, the 87 dumping it's radiator 3 times, then the REPLACEMENT 83 failing to hold it's oil, the replacement 87 lasting 7K then dumping it's head... ... ugh... I'd need to pull all the threads I've opened this year...
TONS!

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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!

Mine goes years without needing anything but scheduled maintenance. Other years it gets needy. This has been a needy one. Highlights:

LR wheel bearings
Brake master cylinder
Clutch master cylinder
Coolant reservoir
Water pump
Starter
Voltage regulator, battery, and headlights

I also got rearended and had to fix that, along with having the whole car painted. I'm still having clutch issues (I think it's the slave this time), and I have a new small coolant leak that I haven't located yet.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I feel like if I had saved all the worn out parts that I replaced on the 1985 300TD of mine
I could of built another car, then I could sale it on Craigslist to an unsuspecting buyer. And recouped some of my money. LOL

Nothing too major on my 240D.

I replaced the injectors with some nice used ones from greazzer and upgraded to the pencil glow plugs. It was one of the more trouble free years in recent memory. I didn't even have any issues or do much of any mechanical work on my 280E either.

85 300tdt- replaced the front suspension. Replaced master cylinder. No real issues with car, put about 14k on it over the year. Lost vac a couple weeks ago. Have not really spent anytime looking at issue.

99 E320 Wagon. Still going. Wife put about 15k on it this year. Front seal in trans is leaking and we have to add a couple quarts of fluid every couple months. Found a much cheaper fluid. Head liner has fallen. blower works 80% of the time. replaced pass tie rod, but I think driver is going out now. Cracked the windshield. Light has gone out in the climate control, Drivers seat will not move back with normal switch, will with memory. Don't dare use sunroof cause half the time thou can not get it to close again. Will be spending a lot of time on it once I'm done with the 87.

87 300D- has it's own threads. Too much to really list again.

95 Rover, have not done anything too it as far as the swap, still sitting.

96 Rover, replaced the head gaskets, radiator water pump, thermostat an o2 sensor. Not really driving it.

94 E320 parted out for the 87.

99 Safari Van, replaced wheel bearings, brakes. Needs tie rods and still has a rear end noise I need to figure out. Things made it 268k so how can you complain about that...

85 Chieftain, bunch of little stuff, sold for what I had in it after using it for a year.


Goal for this year, get down to 4 cars that are fully working so my wife and I each have a spare.

Sold my 83 300D, it's engine is now in an Astro van. My 85 300D's rear defroster glass was smashed by a downed tree during Sandy. Waited a long time for the insurance, ended up till next spring before I got to it. Did the job myself instead of getting a botched job paying the "pros". The 85 runs and sounds great, everything works afaik including the AC. But the engine in the 83 that I sold with more than twice the miles of the 85 sounds better.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

It's been quite a year for me...

1987 300TD:
- Installed keyless entry system
- Greazzer rebuilt injectors
- Replaced drivers side seat backrest cover, the existing one had a huge rip in it
- New fuel cap
- Cleaned all contacts in fuse box with brass polish
- rebuilt front suspension, new ball joints, LCA bushings, tie rods
- New front brake pads and rotors
- Repaired cruise control - someone had monkeyed with the amplifier connector and rolled two wires, and the actuator feedback pot was dirty
- Replaced accelerator control cable
- Replaced washer fluid and coolant level sensors
- Sent Becker stereo out for refurb and add aux input
- Replaced oil pressure sensor - leaking
- Replaced heater hoses in left rear corner of engine bay, engine oil leaked on the hoses from bad sensor
- Replumbed vacuum lines under the hood
- Oil change
- Rewired tailgate - rear defroster wire had broken in the harness
- Rebuilt fuel preheater control valve and replaced the rubber fuel hoses between tank lines, preheater, control valve
- Replaced the 3 rubber fuel hoses between filter and IP

- And the big one:
Starting last August, and continuing to the present time, my wagon has been at vstech's for what started as a simple flex disk replacement and rear suspension rebuild. The car had a growl going down the highway and the rear end was starting to feel rather floaty.

It has morphed into needing a new differential (the old one was growling) courtesy of the 93 parts car.
Replaced all rear suspension links, subframe bushings, differential mount bushings
Replaced driveshaft center bearing
Replaced transmission mount
Replaced rear wheel bearings (twice, I'll let vstech share the ugly details on that one)
Replaeced rear brake shield plates
Replaced rear axles from 93 parts car (my CVs were shot)
Relplaced rear parking brake shoes (old ones looked original and fell apart when taking apart the wheel assemblies)
Replaced rubber brake hoses on all 4 corners and bleed brakes

Between my constant work trips, John's father passing, and the unpredictable weather, it has taken almost 5 months to get the car right.

My son starts back to school (Clemson) after New Years (and the Orange Bowl) and I am hoping he can take the wagon back with him. He ended up driving my CR-V the whole first semester and he can't wait to get the wagon back.

1998 E300DT
Bought the car in March
Replaced MAF sensor
Replaced washer fluid sensor
New fuel cap
Added Parrot Bluetooth system to replace legacy analog Motorola built in phone system
Greazzer rebuilt injectors
Replaced #2 injection hard line (cracked due to no support)
New hard line clips and spacers
New Cabin air filters
Oil/Filter change
New return lines
Fixed front brakes where the PO had used anti-seez on the caliper bolts
New valve cover gasket and injector well o-rings
New fuel lines w/o-rings
Replaced rear passenger side window mechanism
Multiple light bulbs replaced
Need to replace shutoff valve o-ring, I have the part, just need to find time to do it

2008 ML320 CDI
New purchase in July
Not much done so far but needs a service soon and new tires

It's been a pretty busy year for me!

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Blew an engine and replaced it with one that performs better than the old one ever did.

Found the popping noise that had been driving me mad this past year.

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'81 300SD

I always wanted a Mercedes Diesel. I took a chance in Dec '12 and bought a '98 E300TD with 267k from Florida on eBay. It's been my daily driver for a year, and now has 285k miles. I've totally enjoyed driving the car, the smooth quiet ride, solid feel, and great diesel fuel economy. I did have to do a lot of maintenance items over the year:

- Glow plugs (one went bad, so I replaced all)
- All fuel lines, and return lines
- Shut off valve o-ring
- Injector pump o-rings, and crush washers
- Air filter
- Cabin air filter
- 2 oil and filter changes, Mobil 1, 0W-40
- Belt tensioner shock, pulley, spring, and belt
- Front wheel bearings
- Shocks, front and rear
- Brake pads, front
- 2 fuel filter changes
- Fuel pre-filter and o-ring
- Transmission fluid and filter
- Alternator
- Thermostat and new housing
- Central door locking vacuum pump (used from eBay)
- Brake light switch
- Mass air flow sensor
- Steering column rubber boot (made the cabin much more quiet)
- Battery
- Diesel purge
- Vacuum Pressure Converter

All the above work was DIY in my driveway with the exception of the transmission fluid and filter which I had done at a transmission shop. I definitely enjoy working on this car, and I have been surprised how easy it is to work on. The engineering and quality that goes into these cars is truely amazing. Definitely no regrets with the car.

The Snail (1983 300sd) had quite a year. Passenger door replaced, bottom rusted. Rear windshield replaced(getting smokey), trunk gasket too. Buddy owns an independent shop and he replaced suspension parts, shocks, tranny mounts, engine shocks, clutch fan. Fuel tank was replaced, baffles all broken and bad algae. New MB Tex front seat covers, dash hard plastic cover. New Michelins.

Overall, she's like a new car now and only this group could understand spending 10k redoing a 5k car. I gave the car to my late little brother a number of years back, he's gone now and I have to keep the car forever.

Howdy, My year was interesting and not what I expected:
Replaced the fuel line at gas tank
Replaced low pressure line on power steering
Changed the oil
Replaced the locking steering column part (not the key lock itself)
Had so much more planned to work on 2014 but on 4 November 2013 my 82 W123 300D gave her life for mine. She performed as she was designed to do and I walked away from that t-bone accident but she was sent to the junk yard to become parts for other W123 lovers.
So as I start into 2014 I have an 80 W123 300D being worked on by my loving son and she should be ready to come home in the spring, as which time can go back to scheduling the necessary maintenance that will be done with love to keep her on the road. =)

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80 300D
84 300CD
82 300D - t-boned 4 Nov 2013
01 Jeep Wrangler
09 Smart