'87 W124 SLS pump ran dry ??

Just got a sweet deal (I hope) on an '87 W124 300TD wagon. The SLS pump went dry a year ago, so I'm assuming I can just replace the pump, fix the leak and the system will work again, as it worked before it went dry? Or does further deterioration occur besides the pump when it runs dry?

I shall definitely buy the guide after I have the car.

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Transmission / Suspension Specific Aid

Chassis Model Number

W124

Depends how long

Any collateral damage will depend on how long the car was driven after the pump ran dry. I have some really nice used 124 SLS suspension parts. Even a good 124 SLS pump if you need one. Just type 124 SLS in the search box.

Not too long....

It was driven a couple months after it failed. So, would it be safe to drive from Canada to here (1800 miles) or should the work be done up in Canada before bringing it back?

As a temporary measure, are non-SLS shocks available that could be replaced up there before the drive if the system would be destroyed with a drive that long?

As an aside, so far it looks pretty easy to import anything over 21 years old from Canada (unless you're in California)...they had more models available than us. The '87 I bought even has Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards tag and a US EPA compliance for 49-state.

Thanks!

Not recommended

Two days might be ok, but a lot of damage could have been done to the struts and leveling valve in two months driving without fluid running through them. And from my experience, I bet the seller said a couple of months because he was probably confirming what you wanted to hear. Standard shocks can not be mounted without a lot of modification. I would not recommend driving it 1800 miles unless you plan to replace all the parts anyway... Just my humble opinion of course.

And to put the icing on the cake there are probably some other issues going on with the car that you are not aware of (evidenced by the lack of concern for maintenance). I always truck the cars I buy cross country. It is almost always cheaper when you consider the risk of something going wrong in an out of the way location on a cross country trip. Good luck...