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  #1  
Old 06-12-2011, 03:35 PM
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Angry When it rains it pours

This is more of a vent than anything. Last week I was driving down (300E) to see my gf and the coolant hose from the head to the monovalve spring a leak. It was about 95-100*F out so it overheated very quickly. I replaced the hose and now the thing isn't running right...its misfiring when I step on the gas and stalls as soon as you put it in gear. I still haven't determined if there is any head damage, the oil pressure is good and there aren't signs of oil in coolant and vice versa.

So I've been driving my 300SD around quite a bit and just yesterday thinking "damn, this thing runs great". Today I fill it up with diesel ($70 ) and as soon as I pull away, CLUNK. I thought I hit something so I stopped and ran around to the other side to check on everything. Nothing seems suspect...I get back in the car and shift it into D...nothing....Double check D...NOTHING. So now I have 2 MBs out of commission and no money to repair them. The thing that gets me is that I repaired the B2 piston 2-3 years ago when I bought the car so it should NOT have failed. I'm almost ready to take out a loan and buy a Honda. I don't have time, space (live in apartment) or money to deal with these anymore

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Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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  #2  
Old 06-12-2011, 03:59 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,611
I am sorry to hear of your difficulties. Don't give up though. You may have two down at the moment but when you get them fixed you might have a good long run without trouble.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #3  
Old 06-12-2011, 04:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth View Post
I am sorry to hear of your difficulties. Don't give up though. You may have two down at the moment but when you get them fixed you might have a good long run without trouble.
This may be true but I've had a bit of a reality check. I use to be able to work on these cars but I'm not sure I can for quite some time. I live in an apartment and the only place to park is the lot out back, so I can't have it up on jackstands or anything or it will break the lease. I got lucky with the 300E where I could limp it back to my GF's house (I am praying that I can solve the misfire issue, seems fuel related, but could be from loss of compression), but the 300SD I will have to bring to a shop. It actually broke in the lot of a gas station-garage but they seem like one of those jiffy-lube type places so I'm not sure I'd trust them replacing a B2 piston. They'll probably want to drop the transmission and will be going by luck and feel rather than experience. I'll probably AAA tow it to the local MB shop or some gracious friends' driveway. Luckily it was within walking distance of my place. The thing about this situation that really angers me is that I replaced the B2 recently, it shouldn't have busted. I even redid all the seals (including the trobulesome bushing), cleaned valve body, etc. This is the last thing I would have expected to fail, now I am redoing my own work at great expense. Even my bike is out of commission until Tuesday when new pedals come in lol
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Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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  #4  
Old 06-12-2011, 05:05 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 18,350
Sorry to hear about the multiple failures. I hate it when all the cars break at once. The Landcruiser was down with a bad radiator a few weeks ago and I get in my daughter's 84SD to drive to the parts store and the ignition switch failed with the steering wheel locked. I work on mine in the street, so I feel your pain.
Do you have reverse? If you don't have reverse, it's not the B2 piston (I think). If you do have reverse, you may be able to drive it backwards in the middle of the night to a location where you could work on it and replace the B2 piston. If it's not the B2 it could be a broken flex disc, broken axle, spline backed out of the yoke on the back of the transmission or broken ears on the front shaft.
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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
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  #5  
Old 06-12-2011, 05:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Sorry to hear about the multiple failures. I hate it when all the cars break at once. The Landcruiser was down with a bad radiator a few weeks ago and I get in my daughter's 84SD to drive to the parts store and the ignition switch failed with the steering wheel locked. I work on mine in the street, so I feel your pain.
Do you have reverse? If you don't have reverse, it's not the B2 piston (I think). If you do have reverse, you may be able to drive it backwards in the middle of the night to a location where you could work on it and replace the B2 piston. If it's not the B2 it could be a broken flex disc, broken axle, spline backed out of the yoke on the back of the transmission or broken ears on the front shaft.
I have reverse luckily, I was able to back it into a parking spot and leave it. All the symptoms point to a B2 failure. When I shift it into drive there is no noise, no change in RPMs, when I rev it, it sounds like its just in neutral--i.e. no hydraulic pressure building and switching it to drive, but no leaks anywhere. None of the other shifter positions work either, just reverse, park still puts the detent in place and stops the car from moving. I am just pissed that I replaced that thing already and piled about 30k on it since, never had a hint of failure. I am scared to what the shop is going to charge to replace it, I can always have AAA haul the car back a mile down the road, or since its downhill I might just push it out and glide right into my apt complex lot, then reverse it back to my area.
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Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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  #6  
Old 06-12-2011, 06:01 PM
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Location: Cicero, Hamilton County, Indiana about 30 miles north of downtown Indianapolis
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It does seem to come in bunches. Son's car, a 97 T Bird, was having electronic ignition problems and was in the shop. He was using our 94 Towne Car. Good old car, great ride, good performer, great heat and AC - well the boy hit the brakes hard on his way to work and blew out the line going to the rear brakes. Very rusty, kind of like it possessed extra protein just to grow rust. Fuel lines right by it were growing the same variety of red hair. Estimate to repair was more then the car was worth. Then two days later the fan bracket bearings go out on the 300E. Dog gone it, when will it stop. Well, we stripped the Lincoln, took off those new Bridgestones and a couple other items and drove it to "Pull a Part". It took about a quart of DOT 3 for every two miles. I think I used five quarts getting her to downtown Indy P & P. They paid me $512.00 and it had 199,960 miles or very close to that. Not bad for a big car that I bought in 97 for $8000.00. It always did burn oil, and except for 3 sets of tires, an occassional brake job, ball joints and rear airbags, it was a tireless, friendly and comfortable car. Well, then I didn't have a car with AC and that does get the Dear Wife on edge a little. So youngest daughter had a fine 2003 Jaguar with a 2.5 V6 with DOHC, AWD and 116,000 miles and just waiting for me. It did need tires for those beautiful 17" wheels and I got a new set of Michelins for it. I still think the ride could be better so this week it is getting a new set of OEM shock/struts in front and Bilstein rear shocks. It is a beautiful car, but so small after the Lincoln. Even the W123 in the garage is considerably bigger.
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Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!
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  #7  
Old 06-12-2011, 08:43 PM
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This is why I don't drive old cars anymore, go buy a Civic, you can get one for $180 a month and will never have to wrench again. Think of all the free time you will have!
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  #8  
Old 06-12-2011, 09:05 PM
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Sorry about your luck. Hopefully you at least have a decent pair of shoes.

I think I'm gonna sell my benz soon. It's been a great car, but it's nice not to have to think about the reliability/expense of your car at all. I"ve had a honda and a lexus and I think I'm gonna go back. In the future, I'll have another older benz, but that'll probably be when I have a garage along with another car.
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  #9  
Old 06-12-2011, 09:13 PM
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I spent the evening talking it over with my (wise) parents and gf and I seriously think I am going to do it...get rid of the 300E, even as much as I like it. I'll pick up a 5-10 year old Miata for under 10k and keep the 300SD as a more practical ride when I need it. (assuming this is just the B2 and doesn't need a new tranny). I've had my eyes on a Miata for years and was planning on doing this at the end of the summer but I'm not sure time will permit. Problem is selling the 300E for a somewhat acceptable price and/or getting a decent trade-in deal for it. Odometer has stopped working accurately and I need to get the VIN straightened out (thanks DMV, for not responding to my emails...) or find someone who doesn't care. Its in extraordinarily good condition and hate to part I've just realized I don't have the space to work on 2 cars at once, and having 2 20+ year old DD's is not the best choice, not to mention 2 cars that are purposefully identical (4 door sedans). Might as well keep tthe diesel though as it costs almost nothing.
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Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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  #10  
Old 06-12-2011, 09:32 PM
Registered Hack
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
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there are businesses popping up these days where you can rent garage space by the hour / daily.

Might be worth a gander.

Also a car payment is not cheaper, just less sweat. Don't delude yourself.
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  #11  
Old 06-12-2011, 09:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jt20 View Post
there are businesses popping up these days where you can rent garage space by the hour / daily.

Might be worth a gander.

Also a car payment is not cheaper, just less sweat. Don't delude yourself.
I know its not any cheaper, just much less headache. For example, I am going to spend the next 5 days desperately trying to find a place to do my B2 piston for under $400, and/or someone's driveway within AAA towing distance. All this when I am trying to figure out how I am going to pay for my next semester of classes and dealing with moving in a couple weeks to another place (actually the difference between where I am now and my next place would be about the same as a car payment, so very doable). To top it all off, I was planning on cat/house-sitting and making a number of business meetings next week up in Hartford, 250mi away. Its just been a wake up call that I need a dead-reliable car. I can still have my diesel fun, but need a super reliable backup. Luckily I can work wherever there is a secure internet connection but still need to go to school. I can walk a mile to the train station and hit the school from the new place, but whether or not I get a new car the 300E just doesn't seem to make sense in the picture.
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Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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  #12  
Old 06-12-2011, 09:48 PM
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School and work are more important than old cars. You can always go back to the hobby when things stabilize and you have a better storage solution.
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  #13  
Old 06-12-2011, 10:11 PM
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I'm with "the dude".

You need more 'Bridges' and less 'Costanza' in your life... time to change that avatar and drink some Kava.

Sounds like the reliable backup is the way to go. Best luck.
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  #14  
Old 06-13-2011, 02:27 AM
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I'm thinking an cherry early 80's 240D with a 4spd manual trans would be a good backup car. As an aside, a good used Saturn is cheap, reliable and not bad on gas either.
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  #15  
Old 06-13-2011, 02:20 PM
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Well my 300SD is supposed to be the backup car but right now I'm getting royally *&^%ed in the wallet. Looks like a tow is going to be close to $200, just placed a $200+ order on here (I don't feel bad about that) and I'm waiting on labor quotes from three local shops. I can almost guarantee they will all want to drop the transmission out to repair the B2 and charge several hundred more.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
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