97 C280 water pump replacement
 

New to Mercedes Benz and this is my first posting.
The car is a 97 C280 with 145K. Noticed a coolant drop (emptying the expansion tank and leaving a small puddle of coolant at a sort of "cup" beneath the water pump). This happened twice, about 8 months apart! The leak stopped itself for 8 months! Is that normal?
Will replace the water pump before it happens a third time. Do I need any special tools? Should I replace the thermostat at the same time? Are there any good sources for manuals?
In browsing the net, it appears that I need to swing the power steering pump out of way and that I need to remove the following to gain access: fan shroud, belt, hoses, belt tensioner, water pump pulley. Did I miss anything?
Are there any tricky issues?
I am a relatively competent DIY'er, but all my experiences have been with Saab's, for which I have a first rate Bentley manual. Now, without any manual, I feel uneasy, to tell the truth, I feel naked.
The DIY'er has no clothes on!
Thanks in advance.

hey zfmac. my 97 c280 benz is leaking into the exact same place under the water pump. did u ever resolve this? where was ur leaking from, was it just the seal or did the water pump need to be replaced?