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Hi all, just got an R350 CDI after 3 previous Saabs. Been tackling a few service jobs:
3L diesel crankcase vent valve.
Air filters.
Stuck thermostat.
Cabin filter.
4 blown tweeters.
Power steering flush.
7th seat release loop pushed into it's seat.
TBD
Oil and filter change.
Both axle oil and transfer box fluid.
Gearbox fluid. Not looking forward to that one.
Half done!
Handbrake shoes. Drill out frozen torx screw. Check. Hit disc with rubber hammer, then big hammer around wheel bolts, penetrant to release it. Fail. Didn't know about bolt in the caliper mount method to press it off, so that next.
Not too bad for a 10 year old car. She will swallow any amount of dogs and kids, picks up her skirts quite well when you want and handles OK. Fuel economy around 30-35MPG on 38MPH average, so also OK.
Last edited by dogshome; Aug 30, 2023 at 09:36 AM.
Front and rear diffs plus transfer box all changed now. nothing scary in the oils, just black.
Rear brake disks proving very troublesome. You can't get a bolt from the caliper mounting point straight onto the back of the disc. I tired a smaller bolt using the caliper holes with the mounting fitter, but the mount stops it moving out more than a few mm.
Penetrating fluid, big copper hammer no effect yet. The discs are in good shape, so i don't want to cut and split them off, but I need the handbrake for my sloped drive. Letting it rest on the auto box parking pin means a nasty clunk each time I put her in gear. My old manual Saab had a mechanical pin, less weight and a decent handbrake. I can just see the pin in this one eventually failing.
Plan C is to mount something off the caliper mounts, get some tension (and deflection) with a bolt on the back and hammer, fluid, curse, repeat.....
Rides: BMW airhead 1983 860cc. 2012 Yamaha XVS1300.
Last edited by dogshome; Sep 13, 2023 at 04:04 PM.
Finally rear brakes off and handbrake shoes replaced. I now have a handbrake
This is the tool that finally broke the rust-seal between hub and disc/drum. It's an old caliper mount choped down with some bolts to press from the rear of the disc. Both came off with a bang.
I decided to get the transmission fluid swapped at my local garage. He charged me 2 hours for complete change including torque converter and faffing about raising and lowering to top up with syringe. It would have taken me a full weekend on ramps and would have been very messy.
It hasn't ever been changed, mine has the later fluid in it with supposedly no service interval. My man says the magnets were clean (no bits) although the fluid was black. He took 8.5 litres out and 8.5 litres went in - after adjustements for temperature. Now, my old Saab used to respond to transmission fluid changes by less slippage under full throttle, more positive changes and you could tell immediately it had been done. That was a ~40% volume change as the torque converter had no drain. A 100% change in the Merc is very noticeable indeed!
E mode pickup from a standstill was quite sluggish and I asumed that was an economy measure. No more.
S mode changes at speed were OK, E mode were 'unusual'. Not like a modern Volvo that cannot decide what gear its in (awful), and not annoying, just "meh". She changes up and down like you'd expect if you were driving a manual now.
So if your 'long life' transmission has not been out before 100,000 Miles, do it now. It's not cheap. Best I could do parts and filter £130, fitting £140. Definitely worth it if you are keeping your car. Shell Spirax S6 ATF 134ME MB 236.15 7-Speed 722.9 NAG2FE+ Auto Transmission Oil is what I used.
Last edited by dogshome; Nov 2, 2023 at 12:15 AM.
Reason: Oil for life actually 150,000 km or 5 years
I had a good run up and down the country the last couple of days. 600 miles in total, mostly motorway, with some fast dual carriageways and A roads. I have some observations:
1. MPG never goes above 35. It never goes below 28 either! My friend who deals in cars and says all the Mercs with the OM642 are the same. 2WD, 4WD makes no difference. That is E, ML, GL and others.
2. I get out of the car feeling relatively OK. Not knackered like in the company vans or my old Saab
3. The brakes. Yeah, if you start pedalling, then they do start to fade. She also gets a little out of shape on the twisties. All my fault of course, she is a big old bus and if treated with respect is all good
4. I do like the lack of understeer. There is a bit of wibbly wobbly if you get a bit silly, but none of the feeling you will go straight on whatever angle you turn the wheel to.
I would like better brakes. Also firmer suspension and more power. But that is a very slippery slope with this car. Upgrading bikes is a LOT cheaper
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