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When I bought my 113, the previous owner said that the only oil leak he had on the car was at the point where the tachometer cable entered the engine block, just behind the distributor. When I started the car, the oil just POURED out of that point. He also mentioned that the valve guide seals may need to be renewed, since there was a slight amount of exhaust smoke. I didn't find the exhaust smoke to be that objectionable, but the dripping from the tachometer connection point was enough to make me concerned.
I resorted to the web based archives , and found a note from Frank Mallory where someone had asked how to remove the seal for the tachometer cable. Seems like their seal was leaking as well. Frank pointed out that all cases of leaky tachometer seals he had been involved with had been caused by plugged crankcase breather tubes. Seems like when the tube clogged up, it created enough backpressure in the crankcase to force oil up by this seal. This tube in question is the one that comes out of the valve cover behind the oil fill port, and is piped over to the air intake just after where the flexible air hose fits up to the intake manifold. This pipe is metal in the 230SL, at least up to serial # 3009 (mine). I understand it may be synthetic at some later point in the history of the car. Believe me, the metal ones rust, from the inside out. They are fed the fumes and moisture from the crankcase and the result is a pipe that is totally plugged after 35 years or so. Mine was so plugged up I could not clean it without crushing it, so it was replaced. The tack leak problem immediately disappeared, as did the exhaust smoke.
Since that time, I have spoken with many 113 owners. On at least three other occasions, a rust plug in this pipe has been the source of significant oil leakage and blow by. One case the crankcase over pressure was so severe the resultant exhaust led the owner to believe the car's motor was completely worn out and he was shopping for a rebuild. I hope the hint saves you some expenditure as well.
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