My "restoration" of my mom's 84 300SD - what was done - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bodyart27 · #1 11-23-2003, 10:04 AM

After reading Daimler300CD's post on his expenses I thought I post at least a list of the things I have done since I aquired my mom's 84 300SD. Overall the car was very well maintained up until the last few years as my mom was ready to make her first new car purchase in 18 years. For example a "quickie" / cheap A/C recharge and compressor last summer cost me an entire new A/C system this year. You just can't cut corners on these cars without regretting it. Thank god for some great independents that can correct these things - http://www.nineeleven.com/

At this point I'm comfortable that all the major mechanical issues have been addressed. I have some slight leaking on two injectors (not the hoses) that I'm still researching the best way to tackle. It bugs me more than I'm sure most owners (my clean engine!). I have some minor grabbyness with the front brakes (it's actually getting better the more I drive the car - probably just sat too long). I might address this next year with front wheel bearings, pads, rotors, new lines and sensors (you can tell, I don't like anything unaddressed when I tackle a job).

Besides the A/C work (and the vacuum pump and an oil return line that was tackled at the same trip to my favorite Dallas Independent, nine-eleven), I've done everything myself...

Services at 181,000 (I get the car)

Oil and Filter, new oil cap
Fuel Pre-Filter and Fuel Filter
Transmission service (fluid and filter)
Radiator flush, new upper and lower hoses and thermostat
Air filter, bracket and mounts, clean air filter housing
Motor mounts
Rear sway bar links
Rear brake lines and replace/bleed brake fluid
Power steering fluid and filter
Exhaust hangers
Passenger wiper arm
Diesel Purge (2 Cans)
Alternator Voltage Regulator (KAE)
Improved fuel hand pump (Bosch)
Improved valve cover breather tube
**************.com dash light upgrade, new rheostat, and clean gauges
New Fuel Sender
Hooked back up cigarette lighter and ashtray bulb and “octopus” light for center dash
Detailed engine (and some undercarriage)
front flex disk for good measure
rear motor / transmission mount
fix leaking rear diff (synthetic gear oil) & new diff mount
Leatherique Rear Seats (re-stitch one area)
Diesel Doctor (Fuel Treatment)
Rear window lift (nylon glide broken) driver’s side
Lubro Moly Diesel High Test (BioBar) (Fuel Treatment)
**New A/C Blower
**Rebuilt CCU (Climate Control Unit)
**Alignment

(**Major A/C Repair by Nine Eleven, oil return line from air assembly into pan, new vacuum pump)

182K

5 new Michelin tires (X-Ones) (the 5th is the spare)
Hella H4 Head Lights

183K

5 glow plugs (reamed holes)
Replace braided fuel lines between injectors
Serviced sunroof – cleaned, greased, new cable
New heater block cable
Replaced Air Assembly Bracket again
New fuel pre-filter
Another valve cover breather tube

183.9K

valve clearance, valve cover gasket
Replace oil pan
Oil change / filter
Lubro Moly Diesel High Test (BioBar) (Fuel Treatment)
4 new belts
transmission cooler lines
new radiator (my bad – I broke the original Behr)
new lower expansion tank hose

To be done

Wheel Bearings / front brakes
Leather Interior (when I win the lottery - sheesh - it's about $2K!)

I have to give credit to "the acadamy" (haha), this forum for all it's help, thomaspin's site, my parts discount at Park Place in Dallas (via membership w/ MB club of america!), Lance at Dick's Auto Parts in Dallas (my other parts hook-up), Nine-Eleven (independent in Dallas), **************.com, and my girlfriend for letting me spend endless weekends wrenching on "UBeR BLU."

tgh93 · #2 11-23-2003, 11:25 AM

Keep up the good work. The engine compartment looks great.

86560SEL · #3 11-23-2003, 11:44 PM

If you do not mind sharing the information- how did you get that engine compartment that clean? It looks like new.

nhodges · #4 11-24-2003, 02:57 AM

Inquiring DIYers want to know

bodyart27 · #5 11-24-2003, 10:59 AM

I wrote this article for the nissan guys quite a few years ago, but it covers the basics on engine detailing (and some good tips)...

http://www.se-r.net/car_info/clean/detail_engine.html

some things to remember:

* avoid castrol super clean - it eats aluminum

* warm but not a real hot engine due

* careful of your vacuum lines (or know where everything plugs in)

Some more engine shots:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=79278

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=79692

Dana B. · #6 11-24-2003, 11:25 AM

Very nice write-up. And great results. I used to detail MB's as a kid, for the dealer and on the side for Palm Springs celebrities (Stephanie Powers' chocolate brown 280SE 3.5 convertable comes to mind). You've got the process down.

Note: Beware of new engine degreasers such as Simple Green. I recently used a knock-off product and permanently stained the aluminum oil pan of my VW TDI.

While such products as Armor-All attract dust, spraying the engine bay after cleaning -- and rigorously wiping it down afterward -- really makes it pop.

Any suggestions on how to remove what appears to be yellowed baked-on Cosmolene deposits on my MB 300D 2.5?

Again, good work. Thanks for the tips.

bodyart27 · #7 11-24-2003, 01:55 PM

Cosmoline

\Cos"mo*line\ (k?z"m?-l?n), n. [Prob. fr. cosmetic + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) A substance obtained from the residues of the distillation of petroleum, essentially the same as vaseline, but of somewhat stiffer consistency, and consisting of a mixture of the higher paraffines; a kind of petroleum jelly.

I've never come across that so I'm not sure how to tackle it...

My general rule of thumb is start mild with cleaners and build up the firepower as needed and test on non-visible parts of the car (high end being Castrol Super Clean and Brake Cleaner, mild being windex!)

Dana B. · #8 11-24-2003, 07:15 PM

When I worked for MB in the mid '70s, all cars -- and engines -- shipped from overseas were covered in a protective coating of cosmoline, which was routinely removed with a mild solvent during dealer prep. I think that's what's baked onto my engine.

vstech · #9 05-24-2007, 12:42 PM

good info for getting that engine bay in tip top shape!
John

rrgrassi · #10 05-24-2007, 02:49 PM

Looks great. All you need now is the w126 Euro's

1983/300CD · #11 05-24-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dana B.

When I worked for MB in the mid '70s, all cars -- and engines -- shipped from overseas were covered in a protective coating of cosmoline, which was routinely removed with a mild solvent during dealer prep. I think that's what's baked onto my engine.

I've found some of that yellowing crud in my engine bay too.
Have you found anything that works to remove it?
I've scrubbed with warm water and cleaner, but that's a lot of work.

pmari · #12 05-26-2007, 12:22 AM

Aluminum - Is it safe to use Simple Green?
Simple Green products have been successfully and safely used on aircraft, automotive, industrial and consumer aluminum items for over 20 years. However, caution and common sense must be used: Aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green/Crystal Simple Green residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.