Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbo 1987 Service & Repair Manual Set

The Mercedes-specific articles provide vehicle procedures and application tables; the general-reference articles supplement them with inspection criteria, diagnostic background and worksheets. Applicability is identified within each article, so related-model references should not be read as complete repair coverage for every model listed.

Coverage limits: The diesel-engine article gives engine/transmission assembly removal sequences for the 190D and 300SDL, rather than a dedicated 300TD engine-removal sequence. Transmission material covers diagnosis, servicing, adjustment and removal/installation; its diagnostic article refers detailed overhaul testing to a separate article outside this collection.

Searchable Article Text and Diagram Navigation

Text search and diagram detail: Article text is searchable in all 72 PDFs, but labels contained within diagram images are not included in text searches. There are no embedded PDF bookmarks. Small wiring labels require zooming; dense EDS and climate-control diagrams retain some coarse lettering at higher magnification.

The ZIP download contains 72 printable English PDFs totaling 1,078 pages, including 479 pages of all-makes inspection guidelines and three one-page recall bulletins. The Mitchell article prints carry a 1998 copyright line; the eight inspection-guideline files identify January 2002 standards.

Diesel Repair, Wagon Hydraulics and Electrical Diagnosis

The following is a selection of included content, rather than a complete contents list. Further topics include cruise-control diagnosis and instrument-panel testing.

• Diesel engine repair: Step-by-step procedures for cylinder-head work, timing-chain replacement, valve timing, hydraulic tappets, prechambers, pistons, cylinder liners, bearings, oil seals and water-pump replacement.

• Fuel and emissions diagnosis: Bosch mechanical injection, Electronic Diesel System testing, glow-plug faults, injection-pump timing, EGR vacuum controls, turbocharger boost checks and pump removal/installation.

• Transmission and rear axle: Fluid service, shift-linkage and control-pressure cable adjustment, modulating-pressure checks, neutral-safety switch adjustment, transmission removal, CV-joint service and differential setup.

• Brakes and ABS: Disc brake service, caliper overhaul, parking-brake adjustment, master-cylinder replacement, diesel vacuum-pump service and Bosch ABS component testing.

• Steering and suspension: Power-steering pump repair, front strut and wheel-bearing service, five-link rear suspension work, alignment data and automatic rear level-control diagnosis.

• Electrical and restraints: Component locations, starting/charging circuits, lighting, power equipment, tailgate and rear-wiper wiring, SRS tests, post-collision inspection information and recall bulletins.

• Automatic climate control: System operation, vacuum and electrical diagrams, compressor protection and model-specific test charts, with limited diesel-model testing.

The material is best suited to professional technicians and experienced owners who can distinguish vehicle-specific procedures from general references and have access to the pressure-test, electrical and lifting equipment used in the articles.

Engine Repair and Diesel Fuel-System Diagnosis

Engine identification tables distinguish the 602.911/602.961 five-cylinder applications from the 603.960/603.961 six-cylinder applications. The 300TD Turbo uses the 603.960 designation; the tune-up article also uses the name 190TD for the turbocharged 190D application.

The engine material covers camshaft bearings, valve guides, piston-ring installation, crankshaft and connecting-rod bearing inspection, front and rear seals, lubrication and oil-pump service. Torque, valve, piston/ring, bearing, valve-spring and camshaft tables accompany the procedures.

Timing and diagnostic equipment: Split-link timing-chain installation identifies Chain Press 000 589 57 43 00. Injection timing includes high-pressure and Reference Impulse Verification methods, while EDS diagnosis uses tester-needle oscillations to identify sensor and EGR-circuit faults.

The EDS fault table, sensor tests and wiring diagram let a technician connect a reported fault indication with the relevant component checks. California fuel-rack position sensing is identified separately.

The fuel section warns that disturbing the injection-pump element connection below the delivery-pipe fitting requires pump recalibration. It also warns that leaving the pump locking gauge installed can damage the injection pump.

Transmission Service and Differential Setup

The transmission servicing article identifies the 300TD Turbo’s 722.317 / W4A040 automatic transmission. Symptom-based diagnosis addresses slipping shifts, harsh engagement, missing kickdown, oil loss and abnormal noise; it is not an internal gearbox rebuild guide.

Rear-axle material goes further into disassembly and setup, including standard and limited-slip differential procedures, pinion depth, bearing preload and backlash. Overtightening the pinion nut over-compresses the collapsible spacer and requires pinion removal for spacer replacement.

Brake, Steering and Wagon Suspension Work

The brake article distinguishes component replacement from overhaul: caliper rebuilding is described, while the power-brake unit is treated as an assembly replacement. ABS diagnosis uses a dedicated test adapter and includes speed-sensor, relay and hydraulic-unit checks.

Power-steering material includes VT49 and VT61 pump disassembly. Front suspension procedures cover control-arm bushings, ball joints and struts; rear suspension procedures address the individual five-link members and wheel carrier.

Level-control equipment: The hydraulic article identifies Pressure Tester 126 589 02 21 00 for pump, leveling-valve and pressure-reservoir checks. Suspension work identifies Coil Spring Compressor 201 589 00 31 00.

Wiring, Climate Control and SRS Scope

Representative illustrations include the Cylinder Head Tightening Sequence, Timing Chain & Related Components, Electronic Diesel System Wiring Diagram, 300D/300TD/300SDL Vacuum Hose Diagram, 300E/300D/300TD Automatic A/C-Heater System Diagram, and Exploded View of Mercedes-Benz Drive Axle Assembly.

The separate wiring files provide component-location grids and circuits for the cooling fan, defogger, horn, seats, windows, locks, mirrors, antenna, radio, tailgate closing assist, and windshield, headlight and rear-window wipers.

The climate-control article explains the push-button panel, temperature sensors, heater valve, auxiliary coolant pump, ECU, blower control, vacuum-operated air doors, evaporator regulator, auxiliary fan, expansion valve and compressor protection.

Diesel HVAC limits: Model-specific testing for the 300D, 300SDL and 300TD is limited to the compressor cut-out test. HVAC removal and installation procedures for the 260E and 300 series are not supplied.

SRS material identifies Tester 126-589-10-21-00, component tests and post-collision inspection criteria. The collection also contains NHTSA campaign bulletins 87V073000, 87V132000 and 93V095000; the injector-waveform tutorial and gasoline fuel-system articles are general or related-application references, not procedures for the 300TD’s mechanical diesel injection system.

Refrigerant must be recovered with approved equipment before the A/C system is opened. ABS and level-control hydraulics require proper pressure handling, heavy assemblies and compressed springs must be securely supported, and the SRS must be disabled before steering-column or airbag repair.

A Preview of Compression and EDS Sensor Specifications

For the covered five- and six-cylinder diesels, the tune-up article lists normal compression pressure of 348–435 psi and a minimum of 218 psi, with the engine at normal operating temperature and the throttle fully open.

For the 300D/300TD/300SDL diesel fuel system, coolant-temperature sensor testing specifies 2,200–2,800 ohms at 68°F (20°C) and 290–370 ohms at 176°F (80°C). These temperature-dependent values accompany the EDS electrical checks.