Recent Feedback
I just bought a 1985 mercedes 300d (diesel), and the hose from the valve cover to the air filter was broken off. the car is smoking real bad and it never went above 45 mph. could this all be related? i guess the hose is also for the turbo. when i opened the air filter (its the one behind the right headlight) the filter was just caked with black soot. I am afraid that i made a bad decision to buy this car. what else should i look at? (right now i am waiting on the elbow to reconnect the hose, hopefully this will do it) i called a shop and the guy said to bring it in and do a major service, adjust valves replace all fluids and filters for $495 is that a good price and do you think that will work?
Optional Information: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D Diesel Already Tried: nothing?
Hi fejji, the hose at the valve cover will not fix the engine running. If the car has a top speed of only 45 mph I would replace the fuel filters and inspect the screen inside the fuel tank for algae contamination. The major service should include a valve adjustment, air filter and fuel filter replacement and an oil and filter change. If he's including additional fluids such as coolant, brake fluid and transmission fluid the price sounds very reasonable. You may want to wait on the major service and focus only on the performance issues. The wastegate hose to the turbo should also be checked but it won't affect the top speed. Let me know if you have any questions.
Marty
but would the hose at the valve cover fix the smoking issue? and can you tell me how to get to the fuel tank screen, does it need to be empty to do this? where is the westgate hose? can you suggest a good manual to buy for a do it yourself guide?
No, the hose won't fix smoking out the tailpipe. The fuel screen is attached to the hose at the bottom of the fuel tank. The tank will need to be drained first and then the screen unscrews from the bottom of the tank. It helps to have the special socket to loosen the screen with. The wastegate is attached to the turbo. The hose is the small 3/8 inch diameter hose that connects to the wategate. It needs to be checked for leakage. This website advertises Mercedes manuals. I've heard mixed reviews. You can usually find the genuine factory repair manuals on eBay.
Experience: Bosch Certified Master Tech. Over 35 years experience.
sorry to bother you again but what could the problem with the smoking be.
You're not a bother :-) What color is the smoke? Does it smoke all of the time?
brownish white smoke and yes it smokes all of the time.
Ok, white smoke can be coolant or unburnt fuel. If the cooling system appears ok and the car isn't overheating then I would repair the engine running first to see if your smoke diminishes. It probably would be a good idea to run some diesel fuel additive after you get the repairs done. Seafoam makes a nice product as well as Redline.
thanks so much for your time, what if it where black smoke what would that mean.
Black smoke is usually due to an overly rich mixture often associated with injection pump timing or a restricted air intake.