1988 230TE Estate - Full Service

[Mad Professor]

Good Day All.

I have only had my 1988 230TE Estate for a few months now, but as I don't know the service history of it, i tought it might be a good idea to do a full service on it.

The cars mileage is just coming upto 75k.

I am looking at changing the following.

Engine Air Filter.
Engine Oil.
Engine Oil Filter.
Fuel Filter(s).
Spark Plugs.
HT Leads.
Dizzy Cap.
Rotor Arm.
Flush coolant system, and fill with 40-50% antifreeze mix.
Autobox Oil.

I have a Halford Trade account, so I can get most parts from halford quite cheap, I don't want to use halford own brand parts / oils, but to stick with well know named brands.

I have a few questions we regards to doing a service on my car.

(1) What brand of engine oil would you say would be best for my engine.
(2) The owners guide and the haynes manual says only to use Mercedes ATF Oil, Is there anything else that is safe to use in my Autobox?
(3) Does the autobox have a oil filter, and if so is it internal or external?

Thanks for your time.

Best Regards.

 

[simon_wall69]

Autobox filter is internal, take off the gearbox sump and it is directly above you.

I think the gearbox oil is dextron II but could be wrong, I have always got mine from German, Swedish, French because they are quite reasonable.

Don't know about the engine oil, sorry.

 

[Myros]

welcome aboard mad prof

you can use other atf, as long as it is the right kind. I do, but I can't remember whether it's dexron II or III. Search on here and see what pops up. Engine oil, suit yourself really. On such a "young" engine, you might want to go fully synth, if it isn't already running on it. Or a semi-synth of the right grade. As for brand, as long as it meets the MB spec, it'll be fine.
Ignition parts, use Beru and or Bosch. GSF or ECP, or a good motor factor, or even the dealers themselves.
Autobox has a filter, internal.

 

[jibcl500]

I used castrol high mileage on my 230 (200k) the hydraulic lifters start to rattle at about 100k and it helped to keep them quiet.

Magnatec I find good and prefer it over mobil 1, I only use genuine mercedes filters and if you buy all the parts you need from MB you might get some discount to.

jib

 

[Bolide]

IMHO you don't save enough on pattern service parts to justify buying them. Filters & etc are very competitively priced at the MB dealer and they may give discounts for reasonable size orders & agreeable customers

The only pricey thing in your list are HT leads. The distributor cap & rotor arm may be cheaper (and the same part) from Bosch

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk