My emissions saga has been interrupted... by the catastrophic failure of my viscous clutch bearing bracket. (A bowl of bearing and seal soup)
I had just gotten my new water temp sensor installed, oil change, and Techron. While getting ready to do the O2 sensor I noticed a flock of chickadees chiseling away under the hood.
I had been wondering what the red flakes of dust were that coated everything oily (and that’s a lot) in the engine compartment for some time. But now, with something loudly chirping in there, I noticed aluminum shavings, like a light snow, falling directly up from the water pump. It took me a while to see the fan pulley rubbing itself to bits against the crank pulley (held in place only by the Poly-V belt) but luckily I did so in the driveway and not the far end of East Kabibbel.

Took it off between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM (as we must act when opportunity presents itself, praised be to a break in the weather) and got to thinking. Since I have the fan and rotor off this might be a good time to do the front U seal as I seem to be on my way past the Mercedes approved barrier of 1qt./1,000 miles, in a hurry. Maybe I should tackle the valve seals as well and replace the rotor and cap for good measure.

My daily driver is going to take an unscheduled vacation, which I can handle. Actually feels like a relief to get some R&R for the old girl. I knew she needed it already, and now I know so even more.

Guess I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to: other items that don't require much in the way of part$, and my labor would be just a few wrenches away at this point.

Also my fear of valve seals is in search of some good threading to allay it.

Open to suggestions,
Marty

__________________
-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831799&postcount=13
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=831807&postcount=14