Not bad news - helpful news, tow it to a trusted mechanic, drop the oil pan and clean it out, change the oil and filter BEFORE you try to start it -- I'd say you dodged a bullet. Not terribly expensive at all. Good Luck, we are ALL cheering for you and that car.
This was one of the first videos that I watched when I learned I was getting the Kenji Benz. I was very happy to get this information and it may well have been the tipping point for me to decide to ship my car across the country from California for Pierre to bring it back to life after being parked since 1994.
Ha ha ha, my normie friends already think I'm weird the Mercedes Benz obsession merely confirmed it. Thanks Pierre good topic as so many of these older Benz sit for years while the owners procrastinate on the car's future.
Great! Might do an appendix sometime on vacuum systems on say W116 and W123’s. Rare car but my friend Will bought a long (15 years) 450SEL 6.9. The woes included, tah dah, rusty fuel talk and it turned out a stuck injector. After replacing the tank he towed the car to a very (supposedly) reputable Dallas Mercedes shop. My father-in-law, the 45-year certified MB tech, cautioned Will to have all the injectors pulled and inspected. The Dallas guys dismissed that suggestion, fired up the car, the stuck injector flooded the compression chamber until it could no longer hold the pressure. Bam, break crankshaft etc. You did a great service with this video, Pierre.
My 1972 220 had clutch and brake failures due to hardened O-rings. Before I bought her, she sat for five or six years. I bought her in 1996 with 79,000km on the odo.
Great channel - I really enjoy these videos, Starting to get an '81 280SL up and running that hasn't been driven since 2002. Cleaned tank, strainer, new pump, accumulator, filter, plugs, injectors, wires, distributor, bleed the brake lines, etc. Now waiting for the fuel distributor and Warm Up Regulator to return from being rebuilt.... I was planning on getting it started before changing the oil-glad I saw this video first:)
Great summary of some serious issues. The only car that really sits in an indefinite period of time is my '93 600. The reason it sits so long is because its always under repair and in the shop. But I still love the car. I wonder if there is an S/M club for Mercedes 600 enthusiasts? Maybe I should contact MBCA to get the whip snapped.
Great video, super practical advice. The tank on my 80 300SD was replaced due to rust (100,000 mile car); I just replaced the tank in my 70 280SE (only 46,000 miles, but a Michigan car) last year with the JP Dansk replacement. CAUTION: Though well made and a good price, it needs some "finessing" to fit properly on the mounting studs, AND it has a "permanent" screen in the bottom, glued or welded into place (don't like that). My recommended additive to defend against ethanol: No-Rosion combustion optimizer. All of the old cars start right up after 6 months of Michigan winter hibernation, and the carbs in my 66 Cadillac and 39 Cadillac stay clean, and serviceable, have not had to replace a fuel pump in anything in over ten years.
A 20,000 mile Mercedes that was two years old had serious dry rot of everything rubber. It must have been stored in a hot, metal shed in the desert. Everything made of rubber had to be replaced before the car was four years old.
As usual great topic. I am not sure if the video applies to owners like me with gas engine cars as I have a 200 w123 Mercedes 1984 model. I always learn something new here, thanks as always......ALI
there is a reason in Romania we call them mergedes[merge=goes],[des=often].By the way I love your reviews.I own a Mercedes 300 d 1991 OM 602 2.5 turbo.I bypassed the fuel thermostat because it was leaking and it took some time to get a new part.Should I install the new one [now I have it,and I am replacing the injector nozzles-monark and glow plugs-monark,anyway].The car worked perfect for 6000 miles without the fuel thermostat.But it was summer...Thank you.All the best
Hey Pierre, speaking of cars sitting, have you watched that British chap and his channel called furiousdriving where he tries to start a barn find w123 230e m102 engine and having fuel distributor issues, only to have the car miraculously start on its own like there was no problem.
Yeah but here we are 2 years later and because the thing is so rusty he's never driven the car. I'd wager big bucks that no matter what he does it will never drive. Starting and idling is easy, running under load properly is a whole new ball game.
Are there specific rules or recommendations for storing your diesel during the winter? I keep mine in a temp controlled garage on a trickle charger and run stanadyne through the fuel tank on fill ups. I’ve not had issues yet but was wondering if I should add something more to the winter storage procedure?
When I bought my 1990 300D I had all sort of power loss issues. Turned out to be a clogged tank strainer filled with algae. Now 2 years later the small fuel strainer (under hood) constantly gets clogged and I have to change it every month. I`ll try these anti algae additives, if they wont help, i`ll pressure wash the tank. Do you have to take the tank off or can you pressure wash through the drain hole?
Changed oil before '86 W126 went into a 4 year storage. Drove for 100 miles and changed it again. Amazing how it looked like new and after 100 miles looked much darker. Mainly concerned about cam lobe lube portholes getting clogged. What's my best approach? Thanks!
Nice video! Can be used as a reminder to us (owners) that we shouldn't leave our cars parked forever. I guess it's time to check my garaged W140! :D PS: please fix the typo in the name of this video: "to long".
I have a 97 Mercedes-Benz E 300 D it was my grandmothers car he bought it back in 97 brand new he passed away last year and the car only has 163 miles on it I live in a Illinois where it snows I don’t have plans on driving in the winter I want to store it and only drive it in the spring summer and fall couple of days a week Not many but he’s going to set up for the winter will that be OK try to keep the miles down on it and winter from eating away at the car What do you recommend?
Hello, I have a w123 230e 1982. It cranks but doesn't start. It's been sitting since 2010. Power from ignition gets to the coil but not to the distributer. How can I solve this problem?
what about a C250 2012 that has sat for almost 2 years. I had the battery charged and had it running for 30 mins. then attempted again and it wouldnt start. I'm hoping the cost isnt too much :/
is the rotting cooling system a problem on 3L m103 as well? if so how do i prevent cooling system from rotting out while the car sits and is getting slowly repaired ?
I'd say lubrication - but I'm, not a trained mechanic just a gut on the internet. I will say that I did subscribe to Pierre / Thomas on Patreon (for a very reasonable amount) and Pierre answered my question right away - your results may vary but I don't think so.
if you drive on vegatable oil never store the car wenn the feul pump filled with vegatable oil the pump wil seize. If you have a diesel drain the tank filt it up with vegatable oil en all the rust come loose en algi also buy a much bigger pre filter the will get full, many times If you feul line gets cloged put a 5 liter diesel can put it under the hood an take the feul from this tank, and swapp the feulline and the return line. The return feul wil press any dirt back to the tank Now Pierre make us an video on how to store our mercedes diesel and petrol feul injection and caberator
@@Moital1 Yeah, I definitely will have to do a sitting x years video. It's a 1977 300D. One of the very first W123s ever made and it was built in December 1976. My dad bought it about 30 years ago and then stopped using it do to a hard starting problem. I think it's a clogged tank strainer.
Pretty sure my normi friends KNOW that I am weird. It is amusing to see reactions when they find out some of the auto material I watch. My wife is very supportive 👍 and even did the Facebook follow for me since I don't know how..... It's just for the kids.
Wow it's all true What about running black diesel will that stop the algie from growing? I blend farm diesel with used 5w/30 when ever we get a sky-high fuel price event ..and then after the events over the diesel gets parked for a long time with motor oil diesel mix in the tank. While I enjoy my gasoline cars running them on nearby non ethanol fuel.ican get then when we get a high price fuel even its back to the diesel Off road oil mix
81 300D in storage since ‘09. I don’t want to watch this video but I’m ready for the bad news
Not bad news - helpful news, tow it to a trusted mechanic, drop the oil pan and clean it out, change the oil and filter BEFORE you try to start it -- I'd say you dodged a bullet. Not terribly expensive at all.
Good Luck, we are ALL cheering for you and that car.
This is spot on. I am working on a r107 that has sat for 23 years.
This was one of the first videos that I watched when I learned I was getting the Kenji Benz. I was very happy to get this information and it may well have been the tipping point for me to decide to ship my car across the country from California for Pierre to bring it back to life after being parked since 1994.
Pierre we don't need any excuses to come here 😆
Before you park a diesel for long time put some pri-d fuel additive to prevent algae and preserve the fuel...
Ha ha ha, my normie friends already think I'm weird the Mercedes Benz obsession merely confirmed it. Thanks Pierre good topic as so many of these older Benz sit for years while the owners procrastinate on the car's future.
Great! Might do an appendix sometime on vacuum systems on say W116 and W123’s. Rare car but my friend Will bought a long (15 years) 450SEL 6.9. The woes included, tah dah, rusty fuel talk and it turned out a stuck injector. After replacing the tank he towed the car to a very (supposedly) reputable Dallas Mercedes shop. My father-in-law, the 45-year certified MB tech, cautioned Will to have all the injectors pulled and inspected. The Dallas guys dismissed that suggestion, fired up the car, the stuck injector flooded the compression chamber until it could no longer hold the pressure. Bam, break crankshaft etc.
You did a great service with this video, Pierre.
My 1972 220 had clutch and brake failures due to hardened O-rings. Before I bought her, she sat for five or six years. I bought her in 1996 with 79,000km on the odo.
Thanks!
Other thing that goes wrong if not used for a long time is the A/C. The seals dry up and the refrigerant leaks.
Great channel - I really enjoy these videos, Starting to get an '81 280SL up and running that hasn't been driven since 2002. Cleaned tank, strainer, new pump, accumulator, filter, plugs, injectors, wires, distributor, bleed the brake lines, etc. Now waiting for the fuel distributor and Warm Up Regulator to return from being rebuilt.... I was planning on getting it started before changing the oil-glad I saw this video first:)
I Love These Videos......Im Learning Tons. :)
Thanks for the good advice and hello from the UK.
Thanks brother,good content! Bob Belgium🇧🇪🚙
Easy fix, just drive them everyday (like me). 😄
Great video Pierre
Great summary of some serious issues. The only car that really sits in an indefinite period of time is my '93 600. The reason it sits so long is because its always under repair and in the shop. But I still love the car. I wonder if there is an S/M club for Mercedes 600 enthusiasts? Maybe I should contact MBCA to get the whip snapped.
Thanks pierre!
I’m a firm believer that cars need to be driven. My W-140 engine stumbles for a while if I haven’t driven it for over a month.
Great video, super practical advice. The tank on my 80 300SD was replaced due to rust (100,000 mile car); I just replaced the tank in my 70 280SE (only 46,000 miles, but a Michigan car) last year with the JP Dansk replacement. CAUTION: Though well made and a good price, it needs some "finessing" to fit properly on the mounting studs, AND it has a "permanent" screen in the bottom, glued or welded into place (don't like that). My recommended additive to defend against ethanol: No-Rosion combustion optimizer. All of the old cars start right up after 6 months of Michigan winter hibernation, and the carbs in my 66 Cadillac and 39 Cadillac stay clean, and serviceable, have not had to replace a fuel pump in anything in over ten years.
@C B just acquired 80 SD300 myself and was wondering if you might have an idea where to get a replacement fuel tank. Thanks in advance.
looking to build a w123 200. should i go for it?
Just Subscribed
Great video Pierre! Do you know of a source for NEW r107 fuel tanks??
A 20,000 mile Mercedes that was two years old had serious dry rot of everything rubber. It must have been stored in a hot, metal shed in the desert. Everything made of rubber had to be replaced before the car was four years old.
love it!
love it
As usual great topic. I am not sure if the video applies to owners like me with gas engine cars as I have a 200 w123 Mercedes 1984 model. I always learn something new here, thanks as always......ALI
Pierre any chance you could discuss the issue of bad wiring and grounding on classic Mercedes?
Flexiny has left the chat
How do you determine whether it's algie or just sludge? Thanks
My 240D has been sitting for five years. Looks like I'm trucked. Lol!
there is a reason in Romania we call them mergedes[merge=goes],[des=often].By the way I love your reviews.I own a Mercedes 300 d 1991 OM 602 2.5 turbo.I bypassed the fuel thermostat because it was leaking and it took some time to get a new part.Should I install the new one [now I have it,and I am replacing the injector nozzles-monark and glow plugs-monark,anyway].The car worked perfect for 6000 miles without the fuel thermostat.But it was summer...Thank you.All the best
Hey Pierre, speaking of cars sitting, have you watched that British chap and his channel called furiousdriving where he tries to start a barn find w123 230e m102 engine and having fuel distributor issues, only to have the car miraculously start on its own like there was no problem.
Yeah but here we are 2 years later and because the thing is so rusty he's never driven the car. I'd wager big bucks that no matter what he does it will never drive. Starting and idling is easy, running under load properly is a whole new ball game.
Are there specific rules or recommendations for storing your diesel during the winter? I keep mine in a temp controlled garage on a trickle charger and run stanadyne through the fuel tank on fill ups. I’ve not had issues yet but was wondering if I should add something more to the winter storage procedure?
When I bought my 1990 300D I had all sort of power loss issues. Turned out to be a clogged tank strainer filled with algae. Now 2 years later the small fuel strainer (under hood) constantly gets clogged and I have to change it every month. I`ll try these anti algae additives, if they wont help, i`ll pressure wash the tank. Do you have to take the tank off or can you pressure wash through the drain hole?
Mesikamoto, I think you'd better take the tank off, and wash it properly. I did the same with my W201, and now is perfectly fine!!
@@emiliorodrigues1924 thanks :)
Changed oil before '86 W126 went into a 4 year storage. Drove for 100 miles and changed it again. Amazing how it looked like new and after 100 miles looked much darker. Mainly concerned about cam lobe lube portholes getting clogged. What's my best approach? Thanks!
I would really love a check list to ready a 250s that hasn’t been cranked in 10-15 years…
I’ve a brand new petrol tank in my garage along with 2 fuel pumps my sheds full with new parts for our mercs ... (drives her mad )..🤣🇩🇪
R107 tank?
Esam Istanbouli 500sel tank also own a CL 500 and a r107 280
Merc500 what is the price of R107 fuel tank?
Merc500 how many liters it hold?
Esam Istanbouli I got it off eBay many years ago for £200 I always look out for cheap original parts
Nice video! Can be used as a reminder to us (owners) that we shouldn't leave our cars parked forever. I guess it's time to check my garaged W140! :D PS: please fix the typo in the name of this video: "to long".
I have a 97 Mercedes-Benz E 300 D it was my grandmothers car he bought it back in 97 brand new he passed away last year and the car only has 163 miles on it I live in a Illinois where it snows I don’t have plans on driving in the winter I want to store it and only drive it in the spring summer and fall couple of days a week Not many but he’s going to set up for the winter will that be OK try to keep the miles down on it and winter from eating away at the car What do you recommend?
had the restricted brake line -_- smoking wheel on the way home
Hello, I have a w123 230e 1982. It cranks but doesn't start. It's been sitting since 2010. Power from ignition gets to the coil but not to the distributer. How can I solve this problem?
What’s a minimum time before you start having issues ? I have a 2000 clk that I drive occasionally
what about a C250 2012 that has sat for almost 2 years. I had the battery charged and had it running for 30 mins. then attempted again and it wouldnt start. I'm hoping the cost isnt too much :/
What product do you use to coat your gas tanks after cleaning them out?
How long is too long? What is a recommended interval to move an older Benz before issues will likely occur?
is the rotting cooling system a problem on 3L m103 as well?
if so how do i prevent cooling system from rotting out while the car sits and is getting slowly repaired ?
During quarantine, just for two weeks of sitting, the ac blower motor got noisy.
I'd say lubrication - but I'm, not a trained mechanic just a gut on the internet. I will say that I did subscribe to Pierre / Thomas on Patreon (for a very reasonable amount) and Pierre answered my question right away - your results may vary but I don't think so.
I have several MB 1965- 1988, W108, 126, 123 will need your help. Or send a car to Orlando
A car is to be driven not parked in a garage. Drive and proper maintenance keep the car last longer.
I love to be weird ! 😂
Makes a difference from all "normal" people....
if you drive on vegatable oil never store the car wenn the feul pump filled with vegatable oil the pump wil seize.
If you have a diesel drain the tank filt it up with vegatable oil en all the rust come loose en algi also buy a much bigger pre filter the will get full, many times
If you feul line gets cloged put a 5 liter diesel can put it under the hood an take the feul from this tank, and swapp the feulline and the return line.
The return feul wil press any dirt back to the tank
Now Pierre make us an video on how to store our mercedes diesel and petrol feul injection and caberator
Perfect timing, trying to get an old diesel that hasn't ran in over 25 years up and running again.
If you buy it make sure you make a First Start since type of video. Is it a w123?
Hats off to ya
@@Moital1 Yeah, I definitely will have to do a sitting x years video. It's a 1977 300D. One of the very first W123s ever made and it was built in December 1976. My dad bought it about 30 years ago and then stopped using it do to a hard starting problem. I think it's a clogged tank strainer.
Pretty sure my normi friends KNOW that I am weird. It is amusing to see reactions when they find out some of the auto material I watch. My wife is very supportive 👍 and even did the Facebook follow for me since I don't know how..... It's just for the kids.
It is a minor issue, but in the title one should use the word too rather than to.
$1500 per tank try $750 stop over quoting please
Wow it's all true What about running black diesel will that stop the algie from growing?
I blend farm diesel with used 5w/30 when ever we get a sky-high fuel price event ..and then after the events over the diesel gets parked for a long time with motor oil diesel mix in the tank.
While I enjoy my gasoline cars running them on nearby non ethanol fuel.ican get then when we get a high price fuel even its back to the diesel
Off road oil mix