I bought my '87 300SDL in Florida with 91K miles on it a few months ago and drove it back to Dallas. Once I got back to Dallas, I took it the local Mercedes dealer and Ihad the entire car picked apart and I let them tell me what they recommended as far as service repairs. Then, I took the car and the list to this local German independent mechanic (he really knows diesels well & he's authentically German) and he told me what they were trying to screw me on, where they were idiots,and what actually needed repairing. Mechanically, he said it's one of the nicest 300SDL's he's ever seen. All of what needed to be done was typical maintenance items for this car.He then recommemded a local bodyshop to me so that I could have anyexterior blemishes repaired. The interior already came perfect as it was always garaged and pretty much a one owner car.

The car is nowinshowroomnew condition and runs very strong. I love the car and bought it so that I would have a sedan. I love the diesel Mercedes sedans from theeighties. Growing upwe had an '87 MB 300TD Wagon and all of the sounds and smells of the diesel take me back to my extreme youth.

The only two things that concern me about the car are the creaking noises I hear from the front end and the fear of overheating the engine and the potential damage that can cause.Also, not sure if I should add any diesel fuel additives to thefuel tank. If so,how often and what type??

 

Best additvive to a diesel engine is kerosene its even in the owners manual it says u can run as much as 70% diesel 30% kero in the summer and 50%/50% in the winterbut when i had my 300sdl i just added it in the winter and only about 5gal/tank and since ur in Texas (little warmer than Maryland) just add a gallon per tank it keeps the diesel from gelling in the cold and a few other postives (my dad was a truck driver and they do it all the time)

 

hi
in the ukmost fuel suppliers put addatives in there fuel,my c220cdi auto 2002 gets a shot of millers diesel plus every fill. itnow has 124000mls+mobil 1 0x40 fully synth and regular oil filter change, so i think it keeps the injectors/hp pump,lubricated and clean,

 

Is there anything I can add to the fuel tank to "flush" the fuel system, injectors, etc. without having to do the complicated "Diesel Flush" process on DieselGiant's web site? (juice bottle, reroute fuel lines, etc.) or is that what cetane boosters are for?

It's my first diesel ever...

 

Go buy a bottle of Diesel Kleen at Wal-Mart. It's a grey containernear the oil areaand is about $6. Then if you want to try something new and complicated later, try doing a diesel purge and run the car off Diesel Kleen for a few minutes.

 

Kero is best toflush your injectors, you can even fill the tank with it and run it. If your car is running ok then dont worry.