450sl Oil Leak

I got some great responses from you guys last time so I figured I'd call on you again. I just bought a 1980 450sl. Runs great except...

1) VERY slugish off the line but only when it's cold. right after you crank the car if you try and get on it it seems like it wants to choke down, then there's a little bit of a pop and it seems to snap out of it. once the engine is good and warm everything's fine. Any ideas?

2) there is a small oil leak that we thought was coming from the valve cover gasket. those were replaced and I cleaned around the covers. looks like that problem is fixed, but there's still a leak somewhere. I took it to an imports only place and they told me it was the Head bolt (or possibly head gasket) and the rear main. Needless to say I'm trying to get out of paying to have those things replaced unless it's absolutley necessary. The leak is small (it has leaked about half a quart of oil in

2 months or 1500 miles) is there ANY additive or anything along those lines that you guys would trust or could recomend? Thanks Sam Said 1980 450SL 103K miles
Reply to
samsaid75
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  1. Warm up regulator is a bit worn, but don't buy a new one or throw it out... take it apart on the bottom and bend the bimetal ever so slightly...
1/16" of an inch. Which way? When it is hot, it bends away... so bend other way when cold.

  1. Leave it alone... 1/2 quart in 1500 miles is nothing. Just stick with dino oil... synthetic will freeflow out of that leaky area.

Reply to
Tiger

Thanks for the advice where is the warm up regulator? I've never heard of such and I did a component search and came up with nothing.

is there no barsleak or anything that I should trust to stop this oil leak?

Reply to
samsaid75

Thanks for the advice where is the warm up regulator? I've never heard of such and I did a component search and came up with nothing.

is there no barsleak or anything that I should trust to stop this oil leak?

Reply to
samsaid75

I use 20-50 High Mileage Valvoline in my 380sl with 146,000 miles to keep the seals and gaskets pliable' don't have any leaks or drips. Might be worth a try for your older 450. "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, drink in one hand, totally worn out, shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"

29 09.56N 082 10.13W
Reply to
Jack Archambault

You can try the high mileage oil that everyone advertise... it might helps.

As for your warm up regulator... look it up at:

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and then you can find it on your engine. Search under "warm" The pricetag may stuns you... but you can buy Delorean warm up regulator for about $150. Clarification... the bottom part can come off... when you look inside, there is a bimetal rod... when it is hot, it will bend away like a comma... when it is cold, it is straight.

When you bend it, make sure you do it when it is cold and bend it ever so slightly... 1/16" and bend it in opposite direction of the way it will bend when hot.

Reply to
Tiger

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