I've got some long overdue updates. Been dealing with rusted, seized, or corroded everything, which as you probably know increases the actual work time by about 3 times what you estimate.

After trying (and failing) to source parts in the US, I finally bought a big box of parts from a 206D enthusiast in the UK, including all the wheel cylinders, the clutch slave cylinder, and a variety of suspension bushings + ball joints. I used my time off over Thanksgiving to install the front cylinders and start on the rears. It took quite a lot of effort to get the stuck rear driver's side drum off, but got it off eventually and discovered the culprit was a broken brake shoe. I'll need to buy a new one, but at least the wheel isn't locked up any more!


I've finished stripping out the old camper interior and wiring. Discovered a useful access panel for the fuel tank sending unit under the carpet, along with a few pounds of nuts and acorns from a previous furry tenant.


One issue I've been confused by is the clutch. It's stuck disengaged, which means I can't get the van moving under it's own power. Since the hydraulic lines were empty when we got it, I'm thinking the clutch slave cylinder may be stuck. But reading through the operator's manual again, it instructs you to "lock the throw-out lever in the clutch housing". So now I'm thinking the PO might've done this before the van was parked. I need to take a closer look with the front wheels off again -- it's a pretty hard to access area.

I've owned a 307d and a 409d van but those are quite different than the 206d. I didn't realize they made these into the late 70's. I met a guy in France with one (a class C conversion). He liked it but said the steering parts required frequent renewal. I bought MB van parts from Euro Auto Parts in the UK about 10 years ago. Patrick was the export guy and he set me up with everything I wanted. That engine is the same as the engine in a 220d sedan I believe. There were lots of those 206d campers in Europe at one time. There was a company in Indiana which produced a Class C motorhome on that chassis for a while. One couple put lots of miles on theirs over many years and its in some kind of museum in Florida if memory serves me correctly. If that owner is still alive, he'd be the guy to talk to about those vehicles since he owned it for so many years.

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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

More than you'll ever want to know about Mercedes vans:

The history of the Mercedes-Benz vans | Mercedes 500SEC.com

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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

Hi all! I've got some updates from the past few months:

- new clutch slave cylinder and hydraulic lines installed
- dropped and discarded leaky aux fuel tank, and redid fuel lines to OEM tank
- went through radiator hoses and replaced old ones
- assorted rust grinding + converting
- new tires on the rear after one blew out

I started the van this weekend for the first time since fixing the fuel tank and replacing the clutch slave cylinder + lines. Fired up just fine with some fresh diesel in the not-leaking tank. I then rolled down the driveway a bit to test out the brakes (they work pretty good for not being adjusted yet), but after all my work fixing the clutch actuation I still couldn't get it moving under it's own power -- I let out the clutch while in gear and nothing happened. So I was pretty bummed that evening, not knowing which of many things could still be wrong with the clutch or transmission. But the next morning, I put the front up on jackstands to get the drive wheels off the ground, hoping to see if I could shift through the gears and see some wheel rotation. It worked! I was able to shift through all gears, including reverse. I tried getting a video to demonstrate, but I accidentally was in picture mode instead (whoops).

So it seems to me just that the clutch is grabbing enough to spin the wheels when there's no load, but not grabbing enough to drive the vehicle.

I'm thinking it's one of three things now:
- clutch release fork needs adjustment; currently not engaging enough
- clutch friction surface is worn out and slipping
- pressure plate springs got weaker from sitting compressed for 10 years

I'm going to try adjusting the release fork first, since the other two mean dropping the transmission.

bonus video of me rolling down the driveway to test out the brakes, turn sound on for engine clattering: http://bit.ly/2ulTagc

Still having issues with the clutch actuation on the van. I compared the old slave cylinder rod with the new one, and the old one was about 1/8" shorter. I replaced the new rod with the old one, and it seemed like it fixed it -- the clutch wasn't slipping when I turned the wheels by hand.

BUT, the throw out bearing still isn't returning back to it's resting position off of the clutch release fingers after you let up off the clutch pedal, so the clutch plate is slipping against the flywheel. However, I can reach in there and push the clutch release fork back a mm or two, and then the clutch plate grips. So it seems like something in the hydraulic line is the problem. I might not've bleed the whole thing well enough? The slave cylinder isn't compressing enough for some reason. Seems like a lot of people have similar problems with bleeding the clutch system on 240Ds, too.

the clutch slave cylinder looks like this so there's no confusion:

That picture makes it look like you can adjust the arm that the clutch receiver cylinder pushes on.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Hi all,

I've not posted any updates for a while -- I had been finishing up grad school and then moved across the country, but we still have the Hanomag!

Recently, I completed what was felt like a big challenge, and a first for me:



I pulled out the engine and transmission in order to get to the clutch and pressure plate. I got some advice that it's easier to pull and have it out of the vehicle instead of removing only the transmission and have to deal with reinstalling it laying on your back.

The whole assembly slides out the front. I made a holding fixture out of some scrap wood to try and simplify the process:



I'm separating the engine and transmission to check out what's going on with my slipping clutch. Hopefully, just the clutch plates need replacing. While the engine is out, I figure I'll go through and replace any cracked rubber lines (I see at least one on the intake), rebuild the vacuum pump, and adjust the valves. Any other jobs you'd recommend on this OM615?

Separated the engine and transmission to check out the pressure plate and clutch:


I noticed the pressure plate was very crooked. When we got the bus, the clutch was stuck open, so I was thinking maybe some of the spring was seized in its compressed state. But then I looked a little closer, hey what’s that shiny thing in there? Is that… a ball bearing? Two ball bearings??



They were stuck between the spring fingers and the pressure plate housing. I futzed around with some clamps until I had everything fully compressed and then shook the balls out like one of those maze puzzle cubes that people put five dollar bills inside for joke birthday presents. Now where did they come from?

Transmission spins fine, and all the gears work. The throwout bearing is undamaged, too. I don't see anywhere else they could have come from in the transmission. Maybe they got there on accident while when the PO replaced the clutch or did other work in the area? It seems to me like they've been stuck in the pressure plate springs since we purchased it, and would explain all the clutch engagement problems I've been having!

Now to wait on new parts to arrive from Europe

Balls from an old failed throwout bearing?

Maybe! But the current one is undamaged.

how is the pilot bearing?

__________________
Von
Fairport, NY
1973 Unimog 416 Doka
1980 Unimog 416 Doka
1981 Unimog 416 Doka
1984 Euro 280CE w/diesel conversion
1985 300TD Estate wagon
(I really need to stop buying these things!)
http://vonsmog.com

It spins fine, but I haven't taken the flywheel off (since I don't have the right sockets yet) to fully inspect it.

Wow, that is an odd one! As I read along, I was thinking that you needed to replace the clutch disc. Glad you figured that out. Now to discover the source.


How does the pilot shaft / bearing in the transmission look?

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

It's listed as a needle bearing in the parts diagrams, so I don't think that could be the source.

In the meantime, I've adjusted the valves and cleaned up the valve cover before replacing it. The cams were in great shape! And the valve adjustment wasn't nearly as difficult as I had expected -- but I'm glad I shelled out for some bent wrenches. I've also been removing and cleaning up the engine accessories. The water pump + housing looks OK -- some scale on the inside that should come off with a citrus flush. The vacuum pump is the old style used in the W110, and I can't find a source for diaphragm repair kits that isn't <$150 shipped -- yikes! I might see if a junkyard 240d vacuum pump fits to make future repairs easier. Since this bus is so bare-bones, the only thing using vacuum from the pump is the brake booster. The shut of valve on the fuel pump looks like it uses vacuum from the intake manifold instead of the pump. Is this true for the other diesels, too?

For the vacuum pump =>

Search for 000-586-41-43-M36 on the pelican (parts) site and see if that's going to work for you at 14 USD it might just be worth the gamble. Disclaimer - I'm not sure this is the correct part - buy with caution

Don't forget to fit a new gasket between the pump and the engine block - very important!

#####

As for the clutch trouble:- Take it to bits - examine the flywheel very very carefully for blue coloured "hot spots" and cracks - if in doubt take it to a machine shop (with experience) and see what they've got to say.

Mark flywheel position before removal (if you do need to remove it) just in case there's no positive positioning (I don't think there is)

Before even thinking about fitting a new clutch buy a clutch alignment tool if you don't already have one

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!