Where is that #$%#$% banjo bolt
 

I'm looking for it to clean. I can't seem to locate it based on searches describing its location.

Could really use a DIY - Clean your Banjo Bolt article about now.

What else should I clean/check after I've found it?

Bill,

thanks again. as usual :)

I found the bolt. I pulled it out and it looks clean as a whistle...I really expected it to be somewhat dirty :confused:

I blew thru the hose but that was with the other end UN-attached to the switch. I'll pull it out and try again.

....the turbo is definately felt. If this is the case, is this a GO/NO-GO indication as to whether the switch-over valve is good or bad?

Thanks Bill...sounds good.

I'm just sitting back now and waiting on that water pump to arrive tomorrow.

....eyeballing that starter and wondering if I want to tackle it myself.

silly me thought I'd get a head start on the having the starter replaced by buying it myself and bringing it in to the shop so there'd be less chance of a delay in the shop getting the part.
I just found out that they don't install customer purchased parts. So, now I've gotta either find a place to do it or do it myself. Really shot myself in the foot on that one :(

Amen!!!

I grew up in the late 70's/early 80's working in the family business which was an Automotive Recycling and Dismantling Yard (Junkyard!) but we only had 1 MB and it was an early 70's model... always wondered why we didn't get more of 'em! Now, I travel around 4 counties in Florida in my Sales Management role. I used to drive a late model Chev. Tahoe but at 15 mpg and all the miles I drive, I didn't want to waste my boat tow vehicle and pay a small fortune in gasoline bills!

A friend bought a 1983 240D which I thought silly at first especially given how underpowered it is..... but once I drove it on the highway, I was hooked on the 'ol diesel and it was a good, clean car!

So I looked for about 2-3 months for a 300D Turbo and finally found her..... with my junkyard dog background, I crave to work on her.... to the point of ridicule from friends and family!! They think I am obsessed and i guess I am but once a gearhead, I guess always a gearhead. It is therapy for me to work on her and I relish the thought of having now done a front brake job, water pump, motor mounts, odometer repair, fuel tank screen replacement, instrument cluster housing replacement, complete disassembly of the seats to clean and refit with stuffing, numerous oil changes, filter changes, a little rust patching/bondo on the rocker panels, oil pan gasket replacement, coolant hoses replacement, etc. It is just plain 'ol fun for me and if anybody else doesn't like it, well that's their problem isn't it?! I really get a chuckle out of my peers at my company who drive Lexus, Lincoln's, BMW's, etc. that are new (with huge payments I might add). My car is paid for and I can fix most things that would go wrong with it if anything does go wrong. They can say neither!!!

Back to the task at hand; before cleaning the banjo, it shifted great except for that slight slip between 2nd and 3rd gear.... now that I've cleaned it, it shifts hard in all gears..... with a delay sometimes shifting to that last gear.... but hard when it does in fact do it. I will tinker more this next weekend based upon these posts..... I don't think my tranny is at fault here and as a matter of fact, I think my a/c vent problem is the culprit for all of it.. will check this weekend and post what I find....

Is this just too fun or what? I've had the car for about 16 months now and I absolutely love driving it, working on it and talking about it... I have observed that many posting questions and other info on this site show profiles that place them in their 20's or early 30's... I just turned 40 last year and it is much fun to have this forum to share our mutual interest in these ol' gals!! As I said, it's therapy for me and i hope for all of you that read this too!

JMH,

Dittos for the reasons why you got the Benz. Now you know why there were so few of them in your dismatling yard!

I will save $1600/yr in fuel costs over using my truck as a commute vehicle, the car will pay for itself in two years.

You might want to check all the vacuum lines near the switchover valve on your firewall. Hard shifts and funky A/C behavior both point to a vacuum leak possibly caused by a line knocked loose.

:(

I accidentally dropped one of the two washers of the banjo bolt. What effect will it have? Should I immediately replace it?

If so, where should I get this washer?
Would any washer do? What is the size?

...
Thanks,
-Holson-