I removed the vacuum pump from my '95 E300D, today, to replace it with a new one from Rusty. Right away, it was easy to spot why I totally lost all vacuum. The old pump was trashed. I'd post photos, if I could figure out how to. (Could someone instruct me off line?)
I remember stories of other 606 engines being ruined by little bearings from a failed vacuum pump. So I am reluctant to install the new pump until I feel confident there isn't the potential for residual damage. I can't find any little bearings on the failed pump. Are they supposed to be in the cam follower? If so, I may be in trouble, because that whole cam assembly disintegrated. Where do the bearings go when the pump fails? Do they fall through that small opening where the timing chain comes through? Do I have to overhaul the whole engine to look for and remove these little bearings from the entire oil system? Maybe I'm lucky because I drove 30 miles home after I lost all vacuum. Would appreciate advice from anyone else that went through this with a 606 engine. And I'm the one who always recommends replacing the vacuum pump when someone buys one of these 606 engines. This copy only has 142k miles on it! And the failed vacuum pump is the kind that has the cover held on by cap screws. Ned Kleinhenz '95 E300D x2 '85 300D '80 300TD
