230SL Clutch Reservoir Cap Correctness - Why Me?????

[Tomnistuff]

It seems unusual to me that I should become embroiled in obscure Pagoda "correctness" issues and almost invariably find that the BBB and now the EPC "appears" to be incorrect or at best "confusing".  My last frustrating issue was the glove compartment inside lower panel "hidden vs visible screws", still with no confirmed answer.  Now it's the clutch reservoir cap correctness.

Below are three photos of clutch reservoir caps.  The first one (the dirty one) is my 1966 230SL cap before I started my restoration.  It has exactly the same appearance as in the early Mercedes-Benz 230SL factory photos, i.e., black (plastic?) with external "ribs" and made by Schafer.  The second one is what gets shipped when you order the Mercedes-Benz 230SL clutch reservoir cap using the EPC part number A000 431 54 33.  It's translucent white (plastic?) with external "scallops" instead of ribs and is made by ATE.

I did find, by searching 230SL parts without my vehicle number, another part number for an earlier clutch reservoir cap that was replaced by the A000 431 54 33 cap.  Its number was A000 275 02 37, but I cannot find a photo of it anywhere on the internet.  The cap in the EPC sketch is too tiny to show any detail.

While applying the principle that most German cars used the same supplier parts, I found a BMW clutch reservoir cap (used on many BMWs) that appears to be identical to the 230SL cap in the first photo except that it has a different SAE number in the raised letters on the top surface.  It is the one shown in the third photo and is from the ECS site.  One would think that it solves the problem, except that although it only costs about $10, it costs another $30 or $40 to ship to me here in Canada.  After all, it is 5cm x 5cm x 2cm and weighs about 40 grams.  Additionally, to order it from a BMW dealer means ordering it from Germany based on an EPC sketch with the cap shown as about 10 pixels by 10 pixels in size.  Naturally the BMW parts people really don't know what it looks like in detail.  I no longer trust that part numbers are unique to each design, since in my live, I've seen different parts with the same part number.

Also, I really have a problem buying a $3.00 part that costs $40.00 to receive with no guarantee of what I'm buying.  Oh well !  That's life !

If anyone has an extra cap like the one in the first photo, I would love to buy it.

Tom Kizer

[Scottcorvette]

That's interesting. I had a look at the photos I have of mine and none of them show the cap in any great detail but my reservoir is marked Schafer so I would assume the cap is also. I'll try to remember to take a look tomorrow.

If you let me know the part number from BMW I'll enquire at my local agent as to the cost. I'll bet I could post that to you for a fraction of that cost. I've just ordered the trans mounts and whatnot for my getrag and they deliver to us at no charge.

[Tomnistuff]

That is really interesting.  Your bottle is like mine, a Schafer bottle, and your cap is black, but the cap looks like it has scallops (like my white ATE) instead of ribs (like my black Schafer).  It will be interesting to know if your cap is really a Schafer and for you to verify whether they are scallops or ribs.

I can order one from my BMW dealership too, but they can't tell me if the cap has scallops or ribs, even though that BMW part number is supposed to have ribs like my Schafer cap.

I think I'm going to drive to the BMW dealership and ask the 5 parts guys if they know.  The parts department receptionist did not know and did not appear to be too interested either.  She just wanted to order me a part.

Maybe I worry too much, but I can't resist a mystery.  My middle name should be Sherlock.

Tom Kizer

[Scottcorvette]

I'll take a look and get some pictures.

What is the world coming to when a young lady can't get excited about the intricacies of a vintage Mercedes clutch reservoir cap....

[Tomnistuff]

Out of curiosity, I dropped by the BMW dealership's parts department and found that their version of the "EPC" has much higher resolution sketches than the M-B EPC and that the clutch reservoir cap 21521119541 certainly looks like the 230SL clutch reservoir cap and the BMW cap (first and last photos) in my first post - so I ordered one.

The nice lady at the parts counter seems very knowledgeable (I apologize for my previous assumption, she's not the parts department receptionist as I thought when she was on the phone with me; she's a trained and competent automotive parts person and knows very much what she's doing.)  I should receive the cap in about two weeks, and I'll post the results.  By the way, Scottcorvette, you were right.  Unlike the Mercedes dealerships here in Quebec, The BMW dealership does not charge shipping when they order a part from Germany.  Also by the way, she and I were both surprised when she found that they have in excess of 4,000 of that part in stock in the German warehouse.

Tom Kizer

[Benz Dr.]

My WD in Toronto calls MB, they place it on a stocking order and I see the part in a week to 10 days once he gets it. No extra shipping that I know of other than to my place which sort of indicates that a customer going to MB shouldn't be paying it either. Maybe one more way dealers make money?