DreamBoat Ongoing restoration of a 300TD Daily driver

[rjz5400]

So I am a LONG time lurker and a sometimes poster here. I have been looking and looking at other wagon restoration threads and there are few w123 ones on here. So I might as well toss mine out there.

We had a terrible experience with my wife's "grown up car" a 2004 jetta TDI that had more problems and less maintenance than we thought when she bought it. Anyway sort of in a rush we found this wagon on CL met the guy where it was parked at the airport, test drove it to his house, and bought it on the spot! It has a little (HA) rust in the usual places but luckily almost none of it is visible at all, meaning when I repair it no-one can see how sloppy my work was and as long as it is sound it will be an improvement.

I haven't taken many pics of the work so far as most of it has been very boring regular common fixes but I will try to document the more challenging ones as they come up.

We have had it a couple of months maybe and just returned from trips to central VA (5 hours) and central Florida (12 hours) where we met a nice 300d owner who gave me his plastic hub cap because I was so excited to see it!!! He had a tire separate and beat up the wheel well and didn't need any help changing the tire so we got back on the highway....

anyway here it is








Wheel before cleaning,


Wheel after cleaning


She want to have the "color match " wheels so i am in no rush to resurface the bunts ATM

Work done so far
Removed all Battery cables (including block ground) and cleaned, dielec. greased and replaced
Fuel Level Sender cleaned and wire repaired (now the reserve light stays on?)
Throttle checked, full load screw adjusted
Bowden cable tightened
All instrument lights work (except the lighted window switch)
New stereo with bluetooth and usb/aux
Clock Repaired!!!! Always wanted a working clock $4 at radio shack...Capacitors
Taillight covers cleaned and bulb holders tightened and greased
Reverse lights replaced with autozone fog lights (VERY bright, recommend)
Switches refurbished for rear window controls
Parking Brake Adjusted
Rack Dampener bolt Maxed out (any way to put a new spring in there? )
License plate light covers cleaned (wife got pulled over)
Air cleaner tightened
Engine bay degreasing begun
All drains and hinge pockets cleaned and flushed
Diesel Purge Brand Flush
Anti Algae treatment applied initial dose plus maintenance dosing (Startron)
ALDA Banjo bolt and line cleaned and reinstalled

New Parts Installed:
Trans Vacuum Levers for 3/2 valve (MBZ)
Transmission cooler lines, with springs (Conti)
Air Filter (Mann)
Battery (Napa Gold?)
Primary, clear fuel filter



and the box of parts will be empty before too long.

[Dslpwr4ever]

Congrats on the new project I just bought a TD the other day. Looking forward to seeing your progress.


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[Stretch]

Nice one - well done for replacing those transmission cooler hoses

[rjz5400]

Thanks! for both.
Actually, stretch, While it was good preventative maintenance to replace the Original Hoses (stamped 82 ) I think the main culprit for the leaks was the power steering pump return hose, which was too messy a job to do in my parents nice garage. A small disappointment but they are so cheap and easy to fix I am not that upset about it, Trannys are expensive.

Ill be swapping that hose out next, after draining all the fluid and replacing the filter of course. Official replacement hose is the big one visible in the parts photo.

[citationtech]

I like that color. I think the wagons look best in funky MB colors.

[toomany MBZ]

Yeah, love the color.

No way, I'm aware of to replace the Rack Damper bolt/pin spring, get a "gold" one.

You can bypass the erg stuff if you'd like.

Next time you're in central VA, let me know.

[rjz5400]

Thanks for thhe complements, I have been slowly amasing info for the body and outside work, I plan on retoring the paint and rplacing the various rubber and plastic peices to get a tight factory fit on the trim. But alas I have some rust to repair and some very minor body work also before i get out the touch up paint and the buffing wheel.

Egr line is plugged and rest will soon go.


I planned to take that as a challenge TooManyMBZ (I wouldn't want to spend 35$ on a 2.12 spring in a 32.82 bolt). But I do understand the new gold ones have a "better" or heavier spring. Maybe ill bite the bullet and then play with the old one, unless i find one at a junkyard to gut first, my understanding is there is little risk anyway. It is just s smoothing and comfort feature as I understand it.

[toomany MBZ]

lol, I hear ya, we're all ears as to an easy/cheap fix.

If successful, by all means, post it.

I considered black headlight doors on the SD, went with white instead.

[rjz5400]

Yea I Like it! gotta do something when the get "Crazey" if i had some euro clear turns I would be all over it!!
It is possible i may end up with that 300sd again actually. Funny story, I sold it (due to an annoying list of problems i didn't want to tackle) and it changed hands again and now is back for sale for cheap!! the motor always ran well so I am temped to go check it out as a beater with an eye on keeping the turbo 617 for a swap someday.


Dreamboat update, started up fine in our unseasonable low teens temperature, not as quickly as I would have liked but OK enough I feel fine with the wife 4 season driving it as is. 12' F I think with two attempts, one glow cycle each try.

[rjz5400]

Boring update, I got out the multimeter and texted the GP all were fine. I also tightened the alt belts as they were squeaking and a little loose. Also discovered a broken air cleaner mount. Ahhhhh

Anyway back to the regularly scheduled program.

[rjz5400]

The wagon has been all over recently and in rdu we had some cold



Today I went ahead and installed the SACHS German shocks in the front, came with new rubbers and double nuts for the top. The bottom came with new bolt BUT the shoulders on the bottom mount were too durn tall for a wrench to clear. Ehhrhrhrhrhrhe very frustrating. Went through all my tools and was considering putting it off until I was back at my welder to make a speciality deal but anyway..... Here are the pics.

Next up suspension wise will be basically everything on the rear hyro suspension: gathering all the parts and materials so I can knock it out all at once.

See the solution in the cut out pieces in the last photo. Don't worry I'll be checking on my modified shocks to be sure they don't deform, or tear from the cuts I made.









You can the the difference in the side by side

[rjz5400]

The wagon has been all over recently and in rdu we had some cold



Today I went ahead and installed the SACHS German shocks in the front, came with new rubbers and double nuts for the top. The bottom came with new bolt BUT the shoulders on the bottom mount were too durn tall for a wrench to clear. Ehhrhrhrhrhrhe very frustrating. Went through all my tools and was considering putting it off until I was back at my welder to make a speciality deal but anyway..... Here are the pics.

Next up suspension wise will be basically everything on the rear hyro suspension: gathering all the parts and materials so I can knock it out all at once.

See the solution in the cut out pieces in the last photo. Don't worry I'll be checking on my modified shocks to be sure they don't deform, or tear from the cuts I made.









You can the the difference in the side by side
Oh no pics but I did clean out the rear washer res. and the lines but when I got it all drained and refilled with test water it came out of the hatch!! I have a leak somewhere between the roof and the nozzle. Any ideas?? Also what is the best way to clean the mold and goo out of the tank, it is pretty stuck in there.

[rjz5400]

well regular boring maintenance but here are the pics, PS fluid flushed and changed, new return hose for PS, new primer pump, and return spring stretched.

Also I am planning to rehab the SLS and although I have found a few articles about the High pressure hose, I haven't found any real ID info about the LOW pressure hose. It is the braided supply hose that feeds the pump from the res. I suspect the pump on the head is leaking oil into the system and it isn't pumping the SLS fluid either.

Anyway any tips on a good hose for that would be appreciated.

PICS

[rjz5400]

Well another weekend another couple of items out of the parts box.

See the pictures, man it was tough getting everything lined back up like the shocks and MM. I replaced almost all the drivetrain rubber, I haven't gotten to the carrier mount and bearing yet. I want to take my time and be sure to line it up again so i don't get a rattle.

I also noticed the oil leaks haven't repaired themselves so ill need to move some of that up the list.














The last pic is of the original exhaust, snapped at a crack in the flex (by resting the diff on it when changing the rear diff mount. The replacement down-pipe, from a 79 300sd, was longer. so i had to cut it and weld the down-pipe to the flex and then weld the flange mercedes connection to the bottom as the replacement had a slip fit clamp on type. No after picture as we have all seen bad welds before.
mission accomplished and job done







Well mostly done, one shock EXPLODED fluid and the shaft unscrewed somehow!!! so one shock went back on and the search for a replacement set continues....

[rjz5400]

ALso I picked up these off the same 79 300sd. JUst to keep around. ANd possibly instal a pyro, and maybe water meth injection, boost gauge ect ect.... and eventually swap in to replace the manifolds and gaskets when i get around to cleaning the intake and head.