Back to Work on the Merc

I know I haven't introduced my latest automobile here yet, but that's only for lack of time and want of pictures -- I need to get out there on a sunny day and photograph the beauty.

She's a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300 SDL, and I've got her cooking up a storm on biodiesel. She's actually in really good shape, especially for a 22 year old car. I can't see ever buying a newer car, and in fact, if I continue at this rate, of buying older and older cars... the possibilites are amazing. Custom registration, no seatbelts, and so forth.

Anyways, I've got the basic overhaul to do on this car, the one you do when you buy a new-to-you vehicle with either an uncertain past or missing records, or both.

From left to right we've got a new brake wear sensor (cool!), a couple of oil filters (it uses a reusable case and an replaceable internal filter, and a permanent, washable air filter!), a new primary fuel filter (transparent so you can diagnose water in the fuel, a must for diesel), semi-metallic brake pads for both the front and rear, a Fram primary fuel filter (which I think I forget to delete out of my cart when I changed my mind to order the Beck/Arnley one instead -- good to have a backup anyways, and its only a few dollars), and a secondary fuel filter.

The other things I need to do will be check the water level on the battery, flush the tranny, check brake fluid, and do some minor repairs.

This batch of parts came from Kragen/Schucks/Parts America, and I ordered what I guess many consider the premiere work on Mercs.