trap-ox recall help please (300SDL) Atlanta

[djugurba]

Hello all.
I bought that '87 300SDL that was up on the boards here for a few days. I'll put some pictures up soon. Has a few areas for improvement, but was a really good deal. As Jim had mentioned in the post, it has the Trap-oxidizer still in place, even with 274k miles. So, I'd like to get the obligatory freebie fix. I did a search and got a lot of info on this, but not the HOW?

So,
Those of you who've been through this, have you had to provide any documentation to the dealer? Or did you simply call and have them run the vin number? I've tried looking up the recall and cant find the actual recall document- anyone have it?

Then, has anyone had a particularly good experience with an MB dealer in Atlanta that I might bother with this job?

Any help with this will be greatly appreciated!
Kevin

[lietuviai]

I still have the letter notifiying the previous owner of my 300D to get the trap oxidizer changed and really all it says is to make an appointment with the service department at the MB dealer and they will make the "technical upgrade free of charge". I would think that contacting your local dealer might be your best bet.
Good luck!
~DJ

[vwbuge]

How do you know it is the original trap ox?

[lietuviai]

I don't think it'll matter since MB should upgrade it to an oxidation catalyst free of charge.

[speedy300Dturbo]

Picture's worth a thousand words!

[djugurba]

yep, that's the bad boy. the bloated creature on the Left in the above pictures looks remarkably like mine. Thanks for the 'after' shot... was curious what the replacement looked like!
cheers,
Kevin

[Ken300D]

If there's anything wrong with the turbo at all, they are supposed to replace it as part of the trap oxidizer recall - at least that's what I've read here. The idea is that the trap oxidizer tended to form chunks of carbon that dislodged and went into the turbo to get ground up.

So there's a good chance you are due a new turbo also. That should be worth almost as much as a part as you paid for the whole car.

Ken300D

[P.E.Haiges]

djug.....,

I would leave it the way it is until the turbo is destroyed. That way you will get a new turbo for sure at no cost.

The dealer might say the turbo is OK and if it breaks after the trap oxidizer is replaced, you will be stuck for the cost of replacing the turbo.

Or least ask the dealer if they will replace the turbo. If not, try another dealer. If none of them will replace the turbo, go back to paragraph one.

P E H

[Ken300D]

A handful of gravel should work nicely.

Disclaimer: I'm kidding.

Ken300D

Originally posted by Ken300D
A handful of gravel should work nicely.

A few "taps" on it with a heavy object should get things moving

[Rick Miley]

Go to the members page here and look up M.B.DOC. He's a 27 year dealer shop foreman in the Atlanta area, and also one of the moderators here.

[djugurba]

The trap has been on there since '87, for 278k miles. My thought was that it must have damaged the turbo by now... but I'll offer the suggestion to the trap with a nice pat on the back...

thanks again,
kevin

[gsxr]

When pulling the trap, the dealer is paid by MB another couple tenths of an hour to inspect the turbo impellers. If they are damaged, you get a free turbo. It wasn't common for this to happen, usually the trap has to start to come apart internally to cause this (won't happen from carbon chunks).

More information is in these three PDF documents:

http://www.meimann.com/docs/mercedes/trap_oxidizer1.pdf
http://www.meimann.com/docs/mercedes/trap_oxidizer2.pdf
http://www.meimann.com/docs/mercedes/trap_oxidizer3.pdf


BTW, you gain about 5hp and 1-2mpg with the trap removed - and that's compared to a new, good trap. The gains will be even better if your trap was plugged (supposed to be replaced every 30kmi).