Hello,
I recently bougt an 86 300E. I've always worked on my own cars; but am a little intimidated. Any suggestions on replacing the waterpump?
Also, the car has a pretty pronounced metal-on-metal squeak when turning right.
Any help will be very much appreciated

 

It is much easier to replace the water pump with the radiator out. You have to drain the coolent to replace the pump, so after the coolent stops draining remove the radiator hoses, the fan and clutch, the radiator shroud and the radiator. Everything will be much easier to reach after that and it will take much less time than you think to remove all of this.

Before going any further with the pump removal place a piece of 1/8th plywood over the A/C condenser as if you bump into it with a wrench or whatever and punch a hole in it you will be out about $800 before you are through. A small sheet of plywood is much cheaper.

There is far more to it than this, of course, but this will get you started. I would not do this job without the manual. You can pick one up at www.performanceproducts.com that will go into much greater detail than I can here. They are also a great place to buy the water pump from.

One last thing: Since you have them off you should replace the radiator hoses.

Sammy

 

I found a shop manual at manualsunlimited.com for $23. It's on a CD.

 

Thanks guys.