Re-gasketing a 240D MBZ

I have an '83 240D that is beginning to drip oil from the engine block.

The block is wet below and to the front of the injectors, looking from the left side of the car. The block area behind the injectors is dry. The area of the block, around where the dipstick pipe is, is wet and that continues down to the drain plug.

On the other side of the block, there is a wet spot in front of the exhaust manifold and just behind where the cooling water enters and leaves the engine. This wet spot continues down to the lower oil pan.

I think there are at least three main gaskets on the engine - one under the box where the valves are (that one is almost new), one between the upper and lower oil pan and a third on top of the upper oil pan. It seems to me that replacing the gasket between the two parts of the pan would not be difficult. The third one needs the upper pan to be removed which means that the car may need to be raised quite a bit from the ground.

Any recommendations on the best additive, including antifreeze, to preserve the radiator system?

Experiences appreciated.

TIA

RF

Reply to
Red Fox
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Oil always runs down from the top. I suggest you wash the engine clean and add some engine leak detector dye to the oil. Drive for a few hundred miles and get hold of a ultraviolet light and shine on engine. You should be able to find the exact point of the oil leak instead of trying to guess. As an old MB tech we would have to remove the valve covers and file down the contact areas where the hold down studs went through the cover to reduce the clearance between the head and valve cover, so the valve cover gasket would seal. This was necessary because the aluminum valve cover warp over time. Oil filler caps like to leak on these engines also. Mike

Reply to
mdsimon80

Thank you Mike.

That's very good advice.

What's the best way to wash an engine? Seems like I would need a big pan to collect the dirty water and a 5 gallon can to carry the garbage to a recycler.

Enjoy the weekend.

RF

Reply to
Red Fox

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