260E newbie help please

[DriftworksJames]

evening all
I'm the proud owner of a 107k mile F reg 260E (picking it up on Saturday)
I've owned plenty of cars before but this is my first Merc and I just want to make sure I'm doing things right
First up is replacing the knocking water pump and a quick service cos it's due one in the next few hundred miles. I'm fairly handy with a spanner but am unfamiliar with the Mercedes way so a couple of quick questions if I may:

Is the water pump a straight forward job to replace or is there anything I need to know about bleeding coolant etc?

What's the recommended oil to use and should I get the oil filter from the main dealer or am I ok with the KMS/G&S/Eurocarparts equivalent?

Do I need anything else for an oil change? sump washer etc?

thanks all

James

 

[Robby]

I have the same engine in my 2.6 190E I believe.

I use genuine oil filters from euro carparts, but not doubt a pattern one would also be fine. I just prefer to use genuine parts where the price difference is minimal. You will need a sump plug washer, some oil and a filter. Thats all.

Swapping the pump may require a fair bit of dismantling the front end - You may have to take the rad out, and I'm pretty sure you need to take the big belt off, so take some photos first so you can put it back on.

Nothing diffilcult about bleeding coolant, I just put 3 litres in the top hose then the rest in the bottle until it comes up to the full mark, turn the heater to hot, and start the engine. Keep topping up as necessary, put the cap on, and run it until the thermostat opens.

Nice car. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Hi James and welcome. I changed the pump on my 260E. Lots of dismantling required but doable. You may experience trouble undoing the bolts that hold the pump to the engine block. They are alen keys bolts and you need a looooooong alen key to remove them. Space is limited and I ended up taking an angle grinder to the said bolts and butchering them off for those that I had trouble with. Make sure that you have a set of new "O" rings for the water seal between the block and pump and go the extra mile and get some gasket gum. Photos of the way you remove the power steering resevour and ancillery bits round there are crucial. It is also a good opportunity to renew the thermostat while you are doing the job, but be careful as the cover for said thermostat is plastic and cracks easy. Make sure that you tighten up the tensioner securing bolt on the cyl head when re assembling as once everything is back together its impossible to get at. Hope this helps.

And 107K.......nearly run in



Ian

 

[DriftworksJames]

thanks guys, sounds like the water pump is a bigger job than I've anticipated, but nothing I can't handle myself, just need to set aside a bit more time for it

Anyone have any recommendations as to what oil I should use?

 

[Ian B Walker]

Anyone have any recommendations as to what oil I should use?

I use Millers XSS semi synth. Works well for me.

 

[mikemoss]

Just a thought about that water pump - when mine went on a 1987 230TE, I bought a cheapo job from EuroCarparts. Made in India, it was fine for a while, but then failed again. My advice, for what it's worth, is to make sure you get a genuine Merc part. They are often not that much more, and sometimes even less, than pattern parts.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Got mine from EuroCarParts, 18 months ago. Hasnt given me any grief so far (touch wood)

 

[DriftworksJames]

thanks again
I've got a German made water pump from KMS in Birmingham. Came to £81 inc vat and comes with a new O-ring kit