New Vacuum Pump Oil Leak
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
1987 Mercedes 300d M603
New Vacuum Pump Oil Leak
Hello All!
This summer, I replaced the vacuum pump on my 1987 300d as a preventative measure. More accurately, my mechanic replaced it because I thought it would no big deal since he was replacing the front crank seal and the vacuum pump was right there (not so, apparently, cost me $250 ).
Anyways, when I went to pick the car up (and after the $250 sticker shock) I asked him if he removed the Injection Pump Timing Basket, as the gasket that came with the Vacuum Pump was the dam gasket. He said 'No", but everything should be fine and the cam disk was fine and not damaged.
Needless to say,the vacuum pump began to leak and I took the car back under warranty. I picked the car up and he had taken out the Injection Pump Timing Basket and, again, said the cam disk was fine and I should have no more oil leaks with the basket removed.
Fast forward on month...the Vacuum Pump is again leaking. I suspected that, since the gasket was metal, that the mechanic simply reused the gasket when I took the car in for warranty,and that the gasket was damaged as a result of being used with the Injection Pump Timing Basket. Is this a correct assumption?
Again, I take the car back, as it should be covered under warranty. I get a call back saying that the oil leak is not coming from the gasket, but that the diaphragm on the vacuum pump is bad...Mind you the mechanic did not take the vacuum pump off, but merely inspected it while the car was raised. The mechanic said that diaphragm leaks on these cars are common, and that it is common for new vacuum pumps to leak at the diaphragm and that I shouldn't worry about it...needless to say I am skeptical.
Tonight I reached my hand under the vacuum pump to feel where most of the oil was coming from...there was very little on the vacuum pump where the cover meets the body of the pump, but there was a ton of oil where the pump meets the engine.
Did my mechanic lie to me? Did he just to want to deal with it again and guessed that I wouldn't know better? What should be my next steps? I was thinking of ordering another gasket and doing the work myself...is it really common for new vacuum pumps to leak from the diaphragm with only about 100 miles on it?
frustrated is a nice way to explain how i feel...any advice is GREATLY appreciated!
This summer, I replaced the vacuum pump on my 1987 300d as a preventative measure. More accurately, my mechanic replaced it because I thought it would no big deal since he was replacing the front crank seal and the vacuum pump was right there (not so, apparently, cost me $250 ).
Anyways, when I went to pick the car up (and after the $250 sticker shock) I asked him if he removed the Injection Pump Timing Basket, as the gasket that came with the Vacuum Pump was the dam gasket. He said 'No", but everything should be fine and the cam disk was fine and not damaged.
Needless to say,the vacuum pump began to leak and I took the car back under warranty. I picked the car up and he had taken out the Injection Pump Timing Basket and, again, said the cam disk was fine and I should have no more oil leaks with the basket removed.
Fast forward on month...the Vacuum Pump is again leaking. I suspected that, since the gasket was metal, that the mechanic simply reused the gasket when I took the car in for warranty,and that the gasket was damaged as a result of being used with the Injection Pump Timing Basket. Is this a correct assumption?
Again, I take the car back, as it should be covered under warranty. I get a call back saying that the oil leak is not coming from the gasket, but that the diaphragm on the vacuum pump is bad...Mind you the mechanic did not take the vacuum pump off, but merely inspected it while the car was raised. The mechanic said that diaphragm leaks on these cars are common, and that it is common for new vacuum pumps to leak at the diaphragm and that I shouldn't worry about it...needless to say I am skeptical.
Tonight I reached my hand under the vacuum pump to feel where most of the oil was coming from...there was very little on the vacuum pump where the cover meets the body of the pump, but there was a ton of oil where the pump meets the engine.
Did my mechanic lie to me? Did he just to want to deal with it again and guessed that I wouldn't know better? What should be my next steps? I was thinking of ordering another gasket and doing the work myself...is it really common for new vacuum pumps to leak from the diaphragm with only about 100 miles on it?
frustrated is a nice way to explain how i feel...any advice is GREATLY appreciated!
