After driving my 300D for about 200 miles yesterday I opened the hood to check the oil and smelled raw diesel fuel. I inspected the engine and found two of the injector return hoses leaking. This looks like a job I can do myself, but I can't get OEM parts until Monday at the earliest. In the mean time, if I continue to drive the car, is there a potential fire hazard from the diesel on the engine?

If this were a gas engine it would obviously be dangerous, but from what I understand diesel does not ignite as easily. Can I keep driving this car until I fix it, or do I need to drive something else?

Thanks in advance for any input.

__________________
Ben

The MBs:
1976 300D (W115) - 330K and still going (sort of)
1991 300D 2.5 Turbo - Sold at 221K
1983 280SEL - Sold at 206K
1981 300SD - Sold at 232K

You can keep driving the car without any hazard, but don't wait too long before you're going to repair it. The smell of diesel will be coming into your car for several weeks after you have had a serious diesel leak.
Changing the injector return hoses is something you can do yourself.

Congratulations with the new vehicle! If this is the only problem that you are going to face, it will be all right.

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Diesel is hard to ignite. Take some out and in a safe container, try and light it, you won't be able to without mixing in something more flamable. I think you are safe until you decide to fix it, now on the other hand, your driveway may be a mess?

Its safe, I have drove my car leaking diesel before and I am still alive. If it was a gasoline car on the other hand...

I'd worry more from inhaling the diesel than actually burning from it.

I have a particularly sensitive nose, and I know diesel stinks.

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.