Finally! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

N8Scafe · #1 03-25-2004, 11:40 AM

Well I finally got the old 240 running again yesterday. Got the starter in, refilled the transmission with 20W oil per the owner's manual instructions (that stuff is hard to find by the way, and when I originally drained it, it had ATF in it. Would this have been a problem ever?), gave it a little pre-glow cranking as suggested by many on this board, and once the glow plugs were ready, the thing started like a champ. It doesn't have plates on it at the moment so I only drove it down the street and back to make sure the transmission and clutch worked fine. The thing drives and shifts better than I remember, so that was a bonus.

Anyway, I spent the rest of the day detailing that bad boy inside and out, got it back on my insurance, and I'm getting it registered again today. I'm so excited it's like I have a new car. It's great.

Thanks again to all who helped me diagnose and fix the problem. Hopefully all I will have to post in here for a while will be regarding more nit-picky things that I have left to fix. Another cool thing is that now I can drive it in to have the dealer finish my high mileage badge paperwork. Whoo! lol All right, I'm done for now. Man, I can't wait to get off work today to get the plates and take that thing for a real spin...

I will get some pics up of the interior and exterior soon. I know I love to see pics of everybody's cars on here, and now that I've gotten it a bit cleaned up and operational, I feel like sharing.

Wasuchi · #2 03-25-2004, 11:48 AM

I've heard that ATF has about the same viscosity as 20W...... don't know if that's true or not. If it didn't have a bunch of crud in it when you drained it I doubt any damage is done.

Rick Miley · #3 03-25-2004, 12:41 PM

Fantastic. Glad you got it back together. As for the transmission lube, there is a lengthy discussion about that here.

N8Scafe · #4 03-25-2004, 01:28 PM

I find it interesting that no one in that entire thread uses 20W oil in their trannies. I had to call an oil distributor here called Cowboy Oil to get my hands on some, but I got it. I tell you what, maybe it was my imagination, but for that short test drive, it shifted better than I think it ever has.

What a pain in the ass it was to get that oil in there though. I've got to rig up some kind of funnel/tubing getup to put the oil in in the future. I was on my back under the car with a turkey baster... lol

Whatever, it got the job done. By the way, I'm not using 20W-50 like someone in that thread posted. Straight 20W is what I've got. Trying to be a good boy and going by the book for once in my life.

P.E.Haiges · #5 03-25-2004, 04:19 PM

N8Scafe,

Use a squeeze bottle to put oil in the transmission or differential if you don't have a pump. Something like a dish detergent bottle works fine. You probably have one in the house someplace.

P E H

N8Scafe · #6 03-25-2004, 04:20 PM

Excellent idea, PEH. I'm generally one who doesn't see the obvious solution to things like that. That would have probably worked great, and I would have been done a lot faster. Ah well, live and learn.

P.E.Haiges · #7 03-25-2004, 04:53 PM

N8Scafe,

I forgot to tell you to use a squeeze bottle with a squirt type cap, again like the ones on a dish detergent bottle.

I was going to New Orleans one time in my old 220D and the CV joint want bad. Because the same thing happened the year before and I had to have an axle sent to me and pay a shop to replace it, I threw a spare axle in the trunk. When I knew I had to replace the axle and decided to do it myself, I stopped on the way and bought a bottle of, you guessed it, dish detergent knowing I would need the bottle to refil the differential.

In the Army, we to called that field expedients.

P E H

coachgeo · #8 03-25-2004, 08:37 PM

Probably all cheapo auto part stores now cary pumps that screw onto your oil bottle. Only a couple of bucks.