Workshop ways
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First service for MercedesBenz 306D van
THE SPECIFICATION of the Mercedes-Benz 306D van, with its tubular chassis, torsion bar suspension, front-wheel drive and overhead camshaft engine, reads more like that of a highperformance car than one for a commercial vehicle.
Certainly, the vehicle is commercial under the skin, but routine servicing is a straightforward job. However, as Allentype socket-head fasteners are used extensively on this vehicle it would be unwise to start work without a set of adaptors to fit the socket set. Other special tools are also used to set valve clearances on the engine and for torqueing down the injectors. Although these jabs can be carried out without them, they save a lot of time.
As servicing is split into three categories the cost will obviously vary depending on vehicle mileage, but as a general guide to operators the 9,6561cm (6,000-mi1e) service costs approximately £22.00, plus any spares which may be required.
General servicing requirements are simple, however, with intermediate service costs being considerably lower, and barring accidents, servicing costs should be reasonable over the life of the vehicle.
In order to find out a little more about the techniques required in servicing the 306D, CM recently visited Autofair's Derby Road truck centre in Burton-on-Trent, where the company kindly placed its demonstration vehicle at our disposal.
The vehicle was in for its first service (Mercedes " A " service), which is normally carried out between 290/965km (180/600 miles), although this machine's speedo read over 1,770km (1,100 miles).
The standard time allowed for the "A" service is 5 hours 48 minutes.
Rig/it: Fred Castledine, the fitter assigned to the service, removes the oil filter retaining bolt after draining the sump oil. The vehicle leaves the factory with a bypass disposable paper filter, which must be replaced with a full-flow type at the first service.