AndrewJ

My neighbor gave me a 1983 300TD today, it was in running condition and inspected when parked, but it has not been driven in a year and has been driven very little for the past five or so. It has a 143k + a few on the clock, inspected as of October 2006, and turns over. The battery is too dead to start it. I am new to Mercedes, but want to restore the car as my daily driver. My current plan is to replace the battery, replace the air and fuel filters, change the oil, and give it a shot. I know nothing about the specs on this vehicle though, and I am also unfamiliar with diesels so I apologize if my questions are elementary. I am also sure some of this information is in the owners manual, which is in the glove box, which wont open...

Are there brand recomendations for the air filter and both the fuel filters? Can I just replace the fuel filters, prime it, and go? Is there an oil filter recomendation? In my Volvo I use Mann filters, in my Jeep I used Wix filters, in my Benz I should use ???? filters. What weight oil should I use and how many quarts does it take? If it does not start, what should I check? What exactly is the process to starting diesels? Do I need to pump the pedal like on a carbed vehicle? Is there a good manual for older Benz's that I can read up on how to maintain and repair them? It has lived for the past few years on the southern tip of the Outer Banks in a very salty environment that it is not very nice to vehicles that sit. I plan to get it running, replace and cut out some body rot, and then slowly restore it as time and money permit.