Raptelan's 1980 300SD

[Squiggle Dog]

Yes, as Joe said, just like engine oil, excess transmission fluid is very bad, and check with engine running in park with parking brake set and at operating temperature. I have heard to not use rags to wipe the dipstick as it can leave lint ,which is bad. I wipe it with my fingers. The manual recommends using a piece of leather.

[1980sdga]

Sorry, got the pic right:



The felt padding that goes in the ribs appears pretty good but the horsehair is GONE.  It seems like you'd need something pretty thick and tough to replace it.  Check out the rust on my springs   

My seat looked GREAT until I manipulated it and then it just went to sh!t    There is also some fabric on the rear of the seat bottom that you can't see when it's installed. You can poke your finger right through mine 

[Casey]

Yes, as Joe said, just like engine oil, excess transmission fluid is very bad, and check with engine running in park with parking brake set and at operating temperature. I have heard to not use rags to wipe the dipstick as it can leave lint ,which is bad. I wipe it with my fingers. The manual recommends using a piece of leather.

My parking brake doesn't work, but I can depress the pedal.  I measured it while off before.  I am careful about lint...a piece of leather is good advice though - I have some chamois sitting around that I should cut a piece off of.

[Casey]

As you probably know you check the level with the engine warm after a short drive so the transmission fluid is also at operating temperature.

I didn't really know - but I did check it after a (long) drive, and again after about an hour.  It was about the same both times.

Our cars just use regular Dexron II or III , red in color. No need to go fancy or spend extra money for synthetic, etc..., just buy a quality brand when topping off or servicing the auto box.

Hmm, maybe the clear stuff was only applicable for the newer trannys on the W124 then?  I remember I had to go to NAPA to get something that was really spendy, on the order of almost $15 a quart!

carpet piece is held by for screws and two plastic buttons

Got the 4 screws down.  Didn't see any plastic buttons.  Now that it's reinstalled there's a slight gap between the top of the carpet and the glove box.  I'll hunt for buttons tomorrow.

this duct is attached to the main a/c/heater box by two screws on the console side and behind it there is another plastic piece that is attached to the duct by 2 or 3 metal buttons and one screw on the RH corner of the passenger foot well, sort of behind the glove box. The external side of the duct is attached to the A pillar by a screw that is partially hidden by the footwell side panel.

I'm missing some screws apparently.  There was one or two into the center console and that was it.

the rear plastic piece is held also by a plastic button that goes into a plug on the passenger footwell, you can see it if you lift the carpet a little.

Yeah, that's there.  It's a horribly cheap part.  Guess it doesn't matter much.

[jbrasile]

Casey, just put the tranny in park, engine on, level ground and transmission at operating temp,that is the only way to get the correct level. The parking brake should be set as a safety measure but obviously it does not affect the fluid level check.

Tks,

Joe

[jbrasile]

Casey, all MB's up to some time in the early 2000's use regular transmission fluid, your old 300D falls into that time period so your local NAPA sales guy was just trying to make some extra $$$$....

Joe

[Squiggle Dog]

You can see the fabric material has dissolved in the picture of 1980sdga's seat. When you pull off the skins the padding strips won't want to stay in place. You might have to use spray adhesive to hold them in after replacing the thick padding slabs. The dissolved fabric is what keeps the padding strips in place and from falling out. Sometimes there is just enough left to reinstall, but usually the creases won't stay tucked in as it's the stitching through the canvas that holds down the creases.

I replaced the thick pads in a 1979 300SD I used to own. I used spray adhesive to hold in the padding strips. The lower seat half turned out okay, but the upper half was very wrinkly because the creases didn't have any fabric material to grab onto.

[Casey]

You can see the fabric material has dissolved in the picture of 1980sdga's seat. When you pull off the skins the padding strips won't want to stay in place. You might have to use spray adhesive to hold them in after replacing the thick padding slabs. The dissolved fabric is what keeps the padding strips in place and from falling out. Sometimes there is just enough left to reinstall, but usually the creases won't stay tucked in as it's the stitching through the canvas that holds down the creases.

My fabric is gone.  I gave 3 coworkers a ride to lunch the other day, and the seats look horribly flattened now, as I'm sure it tore out whatever fragments of cloth that remained.  Why do these back seats get so much moisture exposure?  Both of my back seat buckles are rusty and I can only guess that increased moisture back there is why that seat's disintegrated even though the front seats are in great shape...  This seems to be common to W116's in general.

[Squiggle Dog]

I'm pretty sure it's from the rear windshield seals leaking. The water gathers up in the padding under the parcel tray and the sound deadening padding behind the rear seat and the water vapors rust out the seat springs and dissolve the rest of the material. I had the same problem with my 1980 300SD. Someone replaced the back seat with a blue one from a W123 that was too small. I found a rusted and custom upholstered one for $12 at the wrecking yard, but I recently bought a nearly perfect one from Texas that I had shipped here through Greyhound. I'm working on acquiring some decent tan skins so I can make my custom two-tone brown and tan seat skins. I want to replace all of the weatherstripping on the body before I install that replacement rear seat and make my seats all pretty.

[1980sdga]

Yea, sadly rust must mean water got in at some point.

My car spent some time in Omaha, Nebraska before retiring to Miami So I attribute some of it to the salt. Maybe?

I know my car spent a lot of time up north.

[Casey]

My new vacuum hose arrived today, and I got it installed:



Took her for a test drive after installing that.  WOW!!  Acceleration like never before - it's a really zippy car now!  Must be the turbo actually kicking in.  Very happy with this...

I also completed removing the Motorola car phone kit, which mainly involved removing parts of the back seat and panel between the gas tank and trunk to get at the wires.  Scraped off the antenna connector with a drywall spackle tool.  Bye bye:

[Casey]

My fabric is gone.  I gave 3 coworkers a ride to lunch the other day, and the seats look horribly flattened now, as I'm sure it tore out whatever fragments of cloth that remained.  Why do these back seats get so much moisture exposure?  Both of my back seat buckles are rusty and I can only guess that increased moisture back there is why that seat's disintegrated even though the front seats are in great shape...  This seems to be common to W116's in general.

Beat on the seats and got massive amounts of disintegrated horsehair padding to fall out of the back seat while at a vacuum at a car wash.

Replaced voltage regulator on alternator.  Should have just left it alone.  Worked for a few hundred miles and then the alternator belts came off.  Tensioning bolt broke and when pried into place and tightened with belts in place, started making lots of noise and bits of metal coming out when the engine was started.

Had it towed to a Mercedes dealership where they proceeded to replace the alternator, pulleys, belts, etc.  Cost over $900.







Engine bay after a little cleaning:

[Squiggle Dog]

Over $900 for the alternator, belts, and labor? You poor thing! It looks good, though. And wow, you still have the battery shroud. Those are hard to find as they get thrown out rather early on. I was able to find one here at a wrecking yard.

[Casey]

Over $900 for the alternator, belts, and labor? You poor thing! It looks good, though. And wow, you still have the battery shroud. Those are hard to find as they get thrown out rather early on. I was able to find one here at a wrecking yard.

Yeah, that's a brand new battery, too.

Here's the part list:
* 007 154 45 02 - Alternator - $307
* 000 155 84 18 - Fan - $18
* 000 155 49 15 - Pulley - $155
* 006888 004012 - Woodruff - $3
* 617 150 02 72 - Tightening - $45
* 617 155 02 72 - Coupling - $11
* 004 997 39 92 - Set of V- - $16.90
* 004 997 99 92 - V-Belt - $14.03
* 004 997 93 92 - V-Belt - $13.88

[1980sdga]

Wow, $900.  BUT, you got OEM parts and a receipt from MB.   That's    I love the stars on the belts