What supplies do you carry? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

OM617YOTA · #1 06-05-2014, 04:02 PM

What diesel-specific supplies do you folks carry in your vehicles that might be uncommon or hard to come by at your average auto parts store? If you're venturing into the back country, this might be even more important.

My list, off the top of my head, without checking the toolbox:

Fuel filters, fuel filters, fuel filters. My primary filter went from new to clogged in less than 100 miles once, a bad tank of fuel could easily leave a person stranded in the back country.

Cetane boost/Anti Gel - Cold weather use, or in case of bad fuel year round.

Engine oil/ATF - Emergency fuel, or to add lubricity in case of suspected poor lubricity fuel.

Glow plug relay/controller

Spare glow plug or two - I changed all my plugs at once and tossed the ones that were still good in the toolbox

Test light or multi meter

Tools to change all the above

This is my first diesel and I am FAR from experienced with them. What am I missing, oh diesel gurus? I didn't mention jumper cables or a jack and a spare as those should be carried in any vehicle.

BillGrissom · #2 06-05-2014, 04:14 PM

I wouldn't say "diesel-specific", but more "W123-specific". In all my cars, I carry spare fan belts and coolant hoses, usually old ones that are still fine, oil, ATF, water or coolant (especially Evans water-less for some cars), tools, jumper cables, and small jumper wires and relay bypass jumpers.

In my gas cars, I carry more electrical stuff, like a spark tester. In my 60's cars, I carry the original points distributor, and a simple carburetor or spare fuel controller. I have only needed a tow a few times - timing belt tore up, serpentine pulley failed, crash. I have had most road problems with my modern (and complicated) gas cars.

Junkman · #3 06-05-2014, 04:15 PM

Always fuel filters, 2-stroke oil, ATF, HF volt meter. That's it around home. A decent set of hang tools when traveling.

dkr · #4 06-05-2014, 04:17 PM

spare tire and lug wrench

tow strap

alternator belt

ratcheting straps

fuses

tire repair kit

On my car, I also put tire pressure sensors on all the tires. When the tire pressure is >= 30psi, they show green. If they are <30 psi, they turn red. It's like a mini TPMS. Whenever I fuel up, I just walk around the car and look for green on all the tires.

Dkr.

uberwasser · #5 06-05-2014, 04:24 PM

I try and carry as little as possible, by doing as much preventative maintenance as I can.

That said, there are a few items that can and do fail without warning, sometimes despite being fairly new. Or, items that can fail due to outside factors (fuel). So the fuel filters, for example, make sense.

The only things I'd consider adding to your list:

A voltage regulator.

12" of injector return line.

I'd probably skip carrying the glow system stuff. These cars can start with one dead plug. Unless you live someplace really cold. Can't relate to that here...

And if your relay is dead you can always carry some wire instead to run a jumper from your battery to the strip fuse to manually glow them.

As for the fuel issues, I carry some two stroke oil in the trunk and add some to the tank if I'm filling up with D2. Preventative, again. But normally I'm filling up with biodiesel from a place I know. It runs great, so I don't stress it then.

Stretch · #6 06-05-2014, 05:18 PM

I just take my breakdown membership card and these days because telephone boxes don't even exist (let alone just not work or smell of piss) I have resorted to one of those mobile telephones...

Ritchie · #7 06-05-2014, 06:42 PM

copper washer seals
MB relays
MB gas cap
SLS fluid
MB fuses
funnel
trench coat
flashlights

DDAY · #8 06-06-2014, 08:38 AM

I carry a piece of pipe for a handle extension on the MB lug wrench, the MB tool kit, cell phone, AAA membership card, credit cards, and a large supply of cash.

I keep the maintenance up to date. In 30 years of driving MB cars, I have been stranded four times: lost a connecting rod bearing in a 240D, lost a front wheel bearing on a E320 at only 25,000 miles, spilled soda pop into the console shifter on an E320, and had a stuck front caliper on a 300SD which made a lot of smoke. AAA hauled all of these home for me and my cell phone was very useful. Supplies for road side repairs would not have helped.

JB3 · #9 06-06-2014, 08:43 AM

I wear my "diesel black gold" ensemble to the club daily. This includes my leather jacket, fake skater shoes, custom package enhancing too tight pants, and i combine it with an asinine "seen it all" vacant expression that keeps the ladies swooning.

Diesel Black Gold

or were we talking about diesel vehicle supplies?

Injector return line, a fuel filter or two, and some basic hand tools

strelnik · #10 06-06-2014, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB3

I wear my "diesel black gold" ensemble to the club daily. This includes my leather jacket, fake skater shoes, custom package enhancing too tight pants, and i combine it with an asinine "seen it all" vacant expression that keeps the ladies swooning.

Diesel Black Gold

or were we talking about diesel vehicle supplies?

Injector return line, a fuel filter or two, and some basic hand tools

Since I live in the Detroit area, a folding stock AK-47 and 400 rds of ammo in ten each 40 round mags. Trauma plate type 3 is already sewn into the rear portion of both front seats and the trunk portion of the rear seats.

I like whunter's set-up, he has a sawed-off rocket-propelled grenade on the side of the car, driver's side front door, with push button on steering wheel.

funola · #11 06-06-2014, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDAY

I carry a piece of pipe for a handle extension on the MB lug wrench, the MB tool kit, cell phone, AAA membership card, credit cards, and a large supply of cash.

I keep the maintenance up to date. In 30 years of driving MB cars, I have been stranded four times: lost a connecting rod bearing in a 240D, lost a front wheel bearing on a E320 at only 25,000 miles, spilled soda pop into the console shifter on an E320, and had a stuck front caliper on a 300SD which made a lot of smoke. AAA hauled all of these home for me and my cell phone was very useful. Supplies for road side repairs would not have helped.

How did "spilled soda pop into the console shifter on an E320" result in a tow?

Simpler=Better · #12 06-06-2014, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

Since I live in the Detroit area, a folding stock AK-47 and 400 rds of ammo in ten each 40 round mags. Trauma plate type 3 is already sewn into the rear portion of both front seats and the trunk portion of the rear seats.

I like whunter's set-up, he has a sawed-off rocket-propelled grenade on the side of the car, driver's side front door, with push button on steering wheel.

But knowning whunter it's a polished mahogany pushbutton with the wiring carefully tucked away and it looks stock, right?

All cars:
Breaker bar to fit serpentine
Socket to fit lugs
spare belt
spare lugs
Good jack
Tow strap
FLASHLIGHT
KNIFE OR TIN SNIPS
Zip ties

oil/trans/etc.
Drinking water
It all fits in a milk crate or similar..

In a diesel:
+filters
+gloves
+simple green
+paper towels
+ether [flame suit on]
+cetan booster/ antigel

In my tractor:
earplugs
big crescent wrench
ether
bungee cords

It doesn't hurt to throw together a $25 junky toolkit either, one you won't miss if it walks away:
crescent wrench
vice grips
needlenose vise grips
+ - screwdrivers
mechanic's wire
knife
flashlight
zip ties
gorilla tape
^with that kit you can do a radiator hose, filter change, crimp a blown brake line, hack together electrical system,

pawoSD · #13 06-06-2014, 09:29 AM

In the 300SD I have:

-Standard MB toolkit
-Standard MB Spare
-Spare fuses in the holder in the fusebox
-about 12" of injector return line in the glove box
-1 qt of oil, 1 qt of p/s fluid, 1qt of trans fluid, a jug with some mixed coolant all in trunk
-tow strap/chains for pulling out other cars in winter....did that a few times. The SD is a tank.

In 120k+ of driving my SD I've never needed anything but some oil during a real long trip at high speed, and a couple fuses....I overmaintain...so a breakdown is pretty unlikely.

In my 420SEL I carry 1qt of oil, and a voltage regulator, + MB standard toolkit.

In my 190d I carry MB toolkit...and some oil.

I've never needed to work on any of the other current cars roadside or away from home other than changing a wheel once on my wife's car.

I did have to replace the distributor rotor on my wife's previous 300E at a gas station a mile from my house because the rotor's resistor went bad and it wouldn't run....turned it off to fuel, fueled....crank....no go. Pushed it across the lot to a parking spot and walked home. Went to NAPA and got rotor. Fixed. Drove home.

vstech · #14 06-06-2014, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simpler=Better

But knowning whunter it's a polished mahogany pushbutton with the wiring carefully tucked away and it looks stock, right?

My bet is it's either Burlwood, or Zebrano... mahogany would not look stock...

as for the stuff to carry, filters, belts, tools for the above. some #10 wire to bypass the GPR, rainx

jay_bob · #15 06-06-2014, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

How did "spilled soda pop into the console shifter on an E320" result in a tow?

W210s have an electronically controlled transmission. The gear selector is a hybrid, it has both a mechanical lever to the transmission and an electrical switch.

If you spill liquid in the console it shorts out the electrical switch and so the transmission does not know what gear it's in.

The shorting also can damage the actual transmission computer in the black box under the hood.