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I have a 5 speed manual 91 300SL M103. What is the hydraulic oil reservoir next to the windshield washer fluid for?
Is it correct that the brake fluid reservoir is also used for the clutch?
I've come to the conclusion that its the power steering reservoir. It has a dipstick in the middle of the cap. The cap just says hydraulic oil, and before realizing its power steering fluid I put Febi ZH-M in there. Waiting for my jug of Pentosin CHF 11S to show up from Amazon today.
In your photo I can see a hint of a hydraulic connector on top of the driver side strut dome. So obviously your car has Adaptive Damping System (ADS) as an option. Two return oil pipes to the reservoir suggest you may also have ASD locking differential. Check your data card - what options are listed there? I believe ADS was rare in 300SL, standard in the 600SL.
ASD is reliable and delivers best ride of the era but faults may be challenging to diagnose. Parts are expensive or NLA and knowledgeable mechanics are difficult to find.
The struts are non-ADS, they are just regular struts. The car is not ADS equipped.
The rest of what Pazo states bears checking into (ASD/ASR).
An ASD (locking diff) equipped car would have a little triangle symbol light in the center of the Speedo. ASR (anti slip) would be a red indicator light at the bottom of the instrument cluster along with the Check Engine and Wiper fluid.
My car has a separate hidden reservoir for the power steering fluid, but I always thought on the older cars that the black round container on the power steering pump WAS the reservoir. See your photo between the air inlet ant the thermostat housing.
Thanks for the info!
Here's the equipment sheet for the car. It does have ASD. So I guess your saying I should drain the chf 11s out and put ZH-M in?
I'm starting to think this was a European import, and not a Canadian car. I don't think any of the 300SL that came to North America had the M103 engine, and I've never seen that reservoir on a 300SL before. It also has the reflective triangle in the trunk, and the burlwood pattern extends out to the light switch as well as in the gauge cluster, as well as a different button layout for HVAC. Would a Euro import make sense?
Thanks for the info!
.... Would a Euro import make sense?
Your VIN data card should specify also what market version the car is. The wide rear registration plate recess suggests the car is not originally for North America.
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