Hi everyone,
Thank you for all of your posts! I have learned so much. I usually don't post here myself, but I am in a new city (Olympia, WA) and don't have money or a mechanic now, and my 1982 300D apparently needs a new valve cover gasket, all new belts, and a tranny service. Would anyone be able to list the parts/tools I will need to fix these issues myself? How many belts are there and what are they all for? (Not counting seat belts...) Could I destroy my car attempting these repairs on my own? If I can find a generic mechanically minded person to help, how much different are these repairs on an old diesel Mercedes than on a typical gasser Ford or Chevy? Do I need a specialty Mercedes mechanic to affect these repairs or are they pretty standard for anyone who works on cars? I know Sears Auto won't do them. I need to collect all the parts and tools required for these jobs if anyone could make a list this would be incredibly helpful. Also, I am fairly small and weak. Does any of this require me to be a hulky brute? Thank you so much!!!
Love

 

I don't know the exact tools needed, but a good set of basic hand tools should be all you need. A for belts needed any one with a basic knowledge of automobiles under the hood should be able to identify the belts needed just by looking at the components driven by belts. Having said that, it takes a little more knowledge to install said belts, any good automotive shop should be able to handle the job. As a side, I wouldn't let Sears work on a broken tricycle.