"...while I'm in there I might as well..." Hate those words. Cost me
a fortune.
Ben near Detroit.
On 4/8/2011 1:57 PM, Blaise Colasante wrote:
> Hi Ben, I've only done routine stuff under the hood so far. I've got
> the timing chain & new Monarch injectors to install. There are some
> vacuum issues that affect the door locks & occasionally engine shutoff
> to work through. Then engine & transmission pan gaskets, some hoses,
> injector return lines, PS & coolant flush etc unless one thing leads
> to another!!
> Blaise
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* bgiovan <bgiovan@cavtel.net>
> *To:* diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com
> *Sent:* Thu, April 7, 2011 9:07:12 PM
> *Subject:* RE: [diesel_mercedes] progress? report [2 Attachments]
>
> I feel ya Blaise. Hopefully the head and turbo will be back in the
> next day or so and I can start putting this thing back together. Have
> had the radiator redone, starter rebuilt, new water pump, rebuilt
> vacuum pump, new head (including prechambers) and rebuilt/rebalanced
> the turbo.
>
> Hopefully I can get it all back together too!
>
> Ben near Detroit
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:*diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
> diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com ] *On Behalf Of *Blaise Colasante
> *Sent:* Thursday, April 07, 2011 7:51 PM
> *To:* diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com
> *Subject:* [diesel_mercedes] progress? report
>
> Well, there's truth in the addage "There's nothing more expensive than
> a cheap Mercedes"!! A year ago I removed the rear windshield &
> replaced the seal to stop water getting into my trunk. I also replaced
> the trunk seal for good measure as it was showing evidence of yielding
> to the elements in the near term. A few months ago I started loosing
> power on slight inclines & discovered the dreaded black fuel fungus
> had taken up residence in my fuel tank. It was BAD so I decided to
> drop the fuel tank and get it boiled out at the radiator shop.
>
> While draining the tank I noticed fuel dripping from the left rear
> control arm. Fuel supply line was nearly rusted through where it goes
> over the control arm and had broken during efforts to remove the tank.
> The fuel return line & brake line were in similarly bad condition.
> Better to make this discovery in the driveway at home than anywhere
> else! I also had the opportunity to observe that the CV joint boots
> were badly torn, devoid of essential lubrication & also in need of
> replacement. Not knowing the condition of said CV joints I determined
> to order two new axles & replace the entire units. After the old axles
> were out I could inspect the CV joints to decide on their ultimate
> fate. Of course at that time the weather here in the NE was beginning
> its seasonal decline into winter which would put said projects on hold
> until spring as I have no indoor facilities to accomplish these efforts.
>
> At Christmas a friend with a two bay tractor trailer garage who uses
> one bay for his manufacturing business had me over to see his shop.
> Taking note that he has an entirely empty bay I asked if I could bring
> my ailing old 300D into the bay to do some repairs that would
> otherwise have to wait for warmer weather. We decided I could trade
> assistance to his business in trade for accomodations for the Mercedes.
>
> I plumbed a 1 gallon empty oil jug into the fuel system under the hood
> as a short distance fuel tank (since the fuel tank had not been
> reinstalled & the fuel lines had not been replaced) & drove the 3
> miles from home to the shop. In our spacious, heated & well lit
> accomodations the axles were readily removed and the fuel lines
> removed & duplicated (yes, I did use a bubble flare tool to make the
> connections for the master cylinder and the rear Tee connection). In
> removing the axles it was determined that it would be prudent to
> replace the axle seals in the differential. The pinion seal was also
> found wanting. Since I don't have the tools to remove the pinion shaft
> seal & check and reset the pinion shaft preload I decided to drop the
> rear and get it to a small independent Mercedes shop to accomplish this.
>
> I didn't feel secure under the car attempting to remove the
> differential while it was on jack stands so I built a set of
> stackable, interlocking wooden cribbing boxes to support the car and
> also several to put under the floor jack to raise the car about 20
> inches off the ground giving me more ample room to work and providing
> a rock solid, non-slip support for the car. In removing the four nuts
> securing the differential to the frame I needed an 18" cheater pipe on
> the 1/2" drive breaker bar to loosen them. When I thought all was
> going smoothly the seemed to get hard to turn again & then came out
> more easily. The exposed ends of the studs were so badly peened &
> rusted that I actually removed the studs from the differential case.
> New studs & nuts will replace them on reassembly.
>
> After removing the exhaust pipe as a unit and beginning to remove the
> drive shaft I discovered that my tool box lacked the 41mm & 46 mm
> wrenches to loosen the nuts that secure the front & rear drive shaft
> sections. Order from Ebay. The rubber of the drive shaft support
> bearing was almost completely disintegrated and the transmission
> support had many radial cracks in the rubber so these were ordered &
> that task added to the work order. Also noted the absence of both
> automatic transmission shift linkage bushings. Thankfully both flex
> discs were in excellent condition.
>
> While getting the rear wheels off to remove the axles I noticed that
> the left parking brake shoes had only a paper thin coating of brake
> material and on inspecting the right side I found only the badly
> rusted remains of the brake shoe minus any vestige of brake material.
> I added those to the outgoing order for rear wheel bearing/seal kits.
> I have removed the wheel hubs, seals & inner/outer bearing outer
> races. The bearings are in good condition at 250,000+ miles but since
> everything is apart and the crush washer needs to be replaced on
> reassembly it just made sense to replace the wheel bearings and
> install new grease. The hubs & the differential are going tomorrow to
> have work done at the shop and then reassembly begins!! Until then
> there are some sections of floor pan to replace, trunk wheel wells to
> patch and various other rusted nastiness to fix. I see a MIG welder in
> my future...I'm not happy pop riveting to repair body panels and even
> though I can stick weld thin metal with 1/16" 6013 rods the MIG makes
> it so much easier.
>
> The FSM that I downloaded with help from the group, the Peachparts
> forum DIY archive and questions answered here have been really helpful
> in getting this far. Thanks to all. Now, if I can just get it all back
> together!!!!
>
> Blaise
>
>
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