oil leak on my 300td

[jgs600]

hi guys well im now the proud owner of my first ever merc. drove home yesterday and was really happy. did notice quite a bad oil leak when i got home though. on further inspection it seems to be dribbling from the bottom rear of a large bolt that sticks out of the block. anyone help me out on this cheers. oh and where the best place to by parts, ie oil filter air filter and so on.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Welcome Glenn to the forum (i'm derek who you've been speaking to via email).

Eurocarparts is good, but also Mercedes themselves are quite reasonably priced for consumables.

 

[johnsco]

Welcome to the forum and to the fraternity of E300TD owners.
There are loads of useful threads and "How To"s on here for these cars.
This has been my university.

Regarding your oil leak ... I have an oil leak in exactly the same place.
It will get attended to when the weather improves a little.
But I'm not sure exactly what is leaking.

I'm going to clean the area thoroughly and then monitor it to see where it is coming from.
It's not serious, but there is the odd drip on the drive.

Does any one know what the large bolt is in the photo ?

Cheers.
Johnsco

 

[BlackC55]

That is the chain tensioner. There are two aluminuim seals on it. They do leak too.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks BlackC55.
I've had a look on Mrs J's E300TD.
No sign of leakage there.
But mine certainly needs a coat of looking-at.

 

[jgs600]

ok guys, unscrewed it gave it a clean and retightened it up. i dont think it was tight enough. Only one aluminium seal ring on it though... is this right......!
anyway it looks like its done the trick.... now just gotta get the dam sump plug off as someone has burred it and its in there solid.

 

[trapperjohn]

Welcome welcome. Good to see another 124er out there and on here.

 

[SilverSaloon]

now just gotta get the dam sump plug off as someone has burred it and its in there solid.

do it with the engine hot.

be careful as you really dont want it to snap off!

make sure you fit a new one (pennies) from a dealer and also the oil filter should come with a new copper seal.

cheers

Derek

 

[peapod]

dear JGS 600
Mine had exactly the same leak it is teh chain tensioner cap. Mine went on for months and I finally got the courage to dismantle it and put a new joint on it..

BUT rarther than release it I backed it off a touch and re-tightened it ! no leak since. One of the easiet jobs .

 

[Smiley]

As derek says be careful with the sump plug. The sump is made from aluminium so go easy with banging on under sized spanners or sockets. See if you can file some new good edges on to the plug and then get one of those self tightening spanners on it - preferably up on a ramp where you can get some leverage.

 

[spock500]

If plug is too stubborn can always use a Pela oil extractor, great investment

 

[jgs600]

ive had one for years and they are great, but mines got an air leak now and wont work....!

 

[peapod]

ive had one for years and they are great, but mines got an air leak now and wont work....!

Sealey make one it is magic, I also use it for the dishwasher sump - (draining the oil skim though a rag)

 

[johnsco]

I obtained the two aluminium washers for the chain tensioner oil leak.
They are only a few pence.
Looking at the diagram of the item, it looks quite complicated inside, with springs and bearings and all sorts of interesting small parts.

Can someone reassure me that there are no nasty surprises when you take it apart to replace the seals.

Part Nos are: N007603025400 and 007603027101

Thanks in advance.

 

[spock500]

There's no springs that pop out but when refitting make sure the washers are square with the surface of the bolt, all too easy to pinch them.

When removed test the tensioner by submersing in engine oil and pumping by hand a few times, should feel strong resistance as it acts a dampener in conjunction with being a tensioner.

Make sure the hole is free on the side of the bolt as pressurised by the engines oil pump.

 

[johnsco]

Many Thanks for your advice.
I can see, now, why the assembly is so complicated.
I had this horrible fear that I'd unscrew it to re-fit the seals, and that parts would fly out all over the place.

It wouldn't be the first time !!
Many years ago, I stripped a brake master cylinder.
As soon as I removed the retaining circlip, the internal spring was much stronger than I anticipated. All the internal components shot across the room, to my horror.

Thanks for your help.

 

[peapod]

Johnsco, I see your plan to change the washers.

However - I still think that backing it off and retorqueing it the best first course of action and lower risk first choice and it cured mine.

 

[peapod]

johnsco I still suggest that before dismantling you back it of and then retorque it you may solve it without dismantling

 

[johnsco]

Thanks Peapod.
I have the parts, but I will certainly try your recommendation.
I've no reason to believe that the internal parts in the tensioner / damper are not working OK.
The engine gets its regular oil changes, so I don't give it a chance to build up oil sludge or anything in the remote parts.
Thanks for your help.

 

[peapod]

Johnsco, thanks and good luck.