Old Mercedes Diesel Question

[Jackman]

Thinkin about buying one as a runner for work. I go 120 miles every day not counting trips to the boat ect. I think it has about 175k on it but they are known as million mile cars. Its old...about mid 80's but in okay shape. What do you look for? If it smokes what does it mean as far as a car is concerned....I know what it means on a marine diesel! What do you guys think? Have one for sale? (I trust you guys better than ebay or craigslist!)

 

[Pascal]

if there is a chinese restaurant in your neighborhood, you can try collecting their used vegie oil and run on that... many old benz diesel owners do that. Chinese restaurant are supposed to have the cleanest vegie oil...

 

[spartonboat1]

Old MB diesel's are very sensitive to care, esp. oil changes. She could be shot at 180k. Have her compression tested at least. If well cared for, she could be like new!

But there are two very simple tests on MB's in general and Diesel in particular.

Run the glow plugs (start at ambient temp- cool block) and then start. Should start first try and rattle a lot. All older vintage high mileage MB's smoke (leaky valve seals), so that's normal.

When first started, the oil pressure should peg at 3 atmospheres (45psi). If she doesn't when cold, walk away...shot bearings. If she pegs, when you drive her (she should peg by 1,500rpm, after warmed up) and warm her up fully. Run her hard and after warm, hot rod her. She should not blow black or other smoke. If she looks like Rommel's tank Corps going over the hill, again, walk. Watch the oil pressure, while coming down to a stop from running. At no time should she drop below 1atms/15psi...maybe a touch, but not really.

Then come back and park but running. At idle in neutral, a very good engine will show 2atms, 30 psi, even at high miles. If an automatic, shift to drive and oil pressure should drop to 1 to 1.5 atms (15-20psi). If she shows good oil pressure, that is great. This applies to the 240D and the 300D.

Finally, pop the hood. Black oil? Who cares. Start her up. Pull the oil filler cap and place your hand over the hole. You are checking for blow-by. If the filler cap was knocked out of your hand by internal pressure, that's bad. If you feel light puffing, that's not so bad. A tight engine will not puff at all, but a bad one will puff out the hole like crazy.

How much body rust? Could be a lot! Old MB's can really rust, but maybe not. Also, the front suspension idler arms can go bad. When you steer, should be no play!

Finally, don't be shocked by the fuel economy. Good for her time but not so hot by today's standard- check the Fed's Economy web site. A decent used Buick Park Avenue 3.8L will get better! (true).

But I love the way the old MB's sound and drive!

 

[krush]

if there is a chinese restaurant in your neighborhood, you can try collecting their used vegie oil and run on that... many old benz diesel owners do that. Chinese restaurant are supposed to have the cleanest vegie oil...

Run waste vegi oil for a long time and see what happens to an engine...I'll give you a hint: it's not pretty.

 

[SeaEric]

Send a PM to Jim Rosenthal. He has one, potentially for sale.

 

[Pascal]

tens of thousands run it with no harm...

 

[(Nobody You Know)]

Be careful!

This was exactly my game plan in 1998. I bought my neighbor"s 1983 300D which he bought new and took care of for years. When I acquired it it had a broken tack and the cruise would only work sporadically. Also, it leaked a little oil. I had all of these things fixed. At that time work was 55 miles away. I was brokering for a boat dealer in North Myrtle Beach. After about a year and a half later (and other small repairs) the tack again quit working along with the cruise (probably related). And two other places began to leak oil.

I always wanted a Mercedes and really liked the lines of that year and series. But when you fix something - I don't care if it's a Mercedes, Chevy, boat - and 18 or so months later the same thing is broke again I got a problem. (BTW, the service writer at the local Mercedes dealership advised not to waste money fixing oil leaks on this thing but instead put a pan under it in your garage!!).

I sold the thing and bought a new Caddy. Still driving it (165,000 miles).

Don't be fooled by the "better built car" thing however. You can go out and pick up an old Ford Escort, and if you are willing to spend enough money on it, you can drive it (or anything else) indefinitely. I will say one thing, it was a very good design in terms of ease of accessing and replacing parts. And it drove and rode good too. But I won't buy another one new or used.

 

[rob71]

The best advice I can offer, as a previous multiple mercedes owner is find a qualified mechanic. These are great cars that can run forever and not be expensive to maintain, but only if you have the right guy turning the wrenches. Also the automatic transmissions have a pecuilar shift/feel that makes it hard to tell if they are working properly.

 

[krush]

tens of thousands run it with no harm...

whatever....I've seen engines pulled apart that were running WVO. It is not a pretty sight. "tens of thousands" run bio-diesel.

 

[spartonboat1]

Run waste vegi oil for a long time and see what happens to an engine...I'll give you a hint: it's not pretty.

For those planning on picking up WVO for "free", the retaurants have caught on. WVO is now up to $2.50/gal in some areas. Web story of a guy running around pumping off the WVO from barrels in the backs of restaurants; no longer an acceptable practice. When caught by cops he had about 8,000 gals in his tube trailer, worth about $18,000 some say.

 

[Nonchalant1]

I owned one for many years. The only problem I had is that if it gets below 15 degrees outside, it won't start. If you get an engine heater, but then park it in a driveway while you go to dinner at friends house for 3 or 4 hours, it just won't start, even if you use DieselFlo, no matter how much you run the glow plugs and how good your battery is.

Even a good engine will smoke a lot if you downshift and force high engine speeds, even while accelerating, and if you floor it from a dead stop. It's the incomplete combustion that smokes black smoke. Never blue smoke, which indicates oil.

However, strength in that car saved our lives. Going 20 MPH on our way to church one day, we got T-boned by a speeding teenager in a giant Chevy and our car was literally thrown across the intersection into a tree. Smashed in both sides of the car. All 4 of us in the family got out and walked away OK. Just a few bumps and bruises. Had we been in a Prius, they'd be digging us out with a can opener.

Doug

 

[spartonboat1]

However, strength in that car saved our lives. Going 20 MPH on our way to church one day, we got T-boned by a speeding teenager in a giant Chevy and our car was literally thrown across the intersection into a tree. Smashed in both sides of the car. All 4 of us in the family got out and walked away OK. Just a few bumps and bruises. Had we been in a Prius, they'd be digging us out with a can opener.

Doug

I owned one of those 1980's low-lines (what they used to call E-class) and they were tough as anvils. Loved that car, but horrible fuel economy (4 cyl engine!).

True story, first hand observation, re: tin can small cars. Early Honda Accord was pinned to a phone pole by a Ford F-150 in an intersection. I ran over after it happened, while the jaws of life was pulling apart the Honda. I took a look at the Ford. Maybe one headlight broken (cracked I think), if that. No real visible damage otherwise!

 

[Brian Degulis]

All the pick ups I've had were diesel the Ford 250 I drive now has 178K without a repair of any kind. But unless something changes my next truck will be gas. At 70 to 85 cents more per gallon of diesel plus the initial cost of a diesel vehicle it's not making sense to me anymore.

Brian

 

[Finalee]

y 1996 c-230 with a 4 cylinder gas engine gets 34 highway 28 around town.
It is trouble free. The trans does shift different from anything other than another benz. It is driven a lot , but easy. It is amazing when you consider the weight of the car and how old it is. Domestically we really missed the fuel economy boat.

 

[Mark Giovanniello]

If you get a 5 cyl 300 turbodiesel (mid 1980's vintage) the glow plug on cylinder # 5 is a royal PIA to get at for replacement.....those engines are great 250K miles and more if kept up properly....keeping the rest of the car maintained might make you wish you just should have leased a cheesy minivan

 

[Jackman]

Wow!

Did not expect so many responses to this so quickly. After reading several of the responses I'm getting kinda nervous about picking one of these cars up. Sounds like they may not be such a great solution to my issue.....the 120 mile round trip commute. I don't think my curent car, a 1996 Merc sable, will be around much longer because I think the tranny is ready to go at 187k miles. It still gets about 27mpg driving on the highway at speeds above the posted speed limit. I just don't want to be left sitting on the highway because the car gives up yet I can't see buying a brand new one either. Did that when I bought the explorer..now of course pretty lowsey to own one with the milage.

Wish I could work from my Hat....what a nice thought.

Well it sounds like the Mercedes diesels require quite a bit of maintenance after about 175k miles. I just have to figure out if its worth it overall. I don't mind the work but I don't want to spend my spare time fixing it all the time when I should be riding to work or floating in the boat.

The one I'm looking at has dropped to 2200 and probably shows its age but still runs well. The problem is to determine if its a maintenance time bomb.

Thanks for the comments so far.

 

[krush]

old stuff breaks. There ain't no getting around that.

 

[spartonboat1]

Wow!

Did not expect so many responses to this so quickly. After reading several of the responses I'm getting kinda nervous about picking one of these cars up. Sounds like they may not be such a great solution to my issue.....the 120 mile round trip commute. I don't think my curent car, a 1996 Merc sable, will be around much longer because I think the tranny is ready to go at 187k miles. It still gets about 27mpg driving on the highway at speeds above the posted speed limit. I just don't want to be left sitting on the highway because the car gives up yet I can't see buying a brand new one either. Did that when I bought the explorer..now of course pretty lowsey to own one with the milage.

Wish I could work from my Hat....what a nice thought.

Well it sounds like the Mercedes diesels require quite a bit of maintenance after about 175k miles. I just have to figure out if its worth it overall. I don't mind the work but I don't want to spend my spare time fixing it all the time when I should be riding to work or floating in the boat.

The one I'm looking at has dropped to 2200 and probably shows its age but still runs well. The problem is to determine if its a maintenance time bomb.

Thanks for the comments so far.

Given the age and miles, $2,200 is a lot, unless the engine and trannie are good to go. Spensive to feex...

The GM 3.8L supercharged units used are fairly cheap and long lived. Avoid the non-supercharged 3.8, as they used cheaper parts (read plastic) that go bad at high expense. If you look at any (Buick PkAve Ultra or Pontiac SSEi), then for sure have the dealer or owner pull the little plug on the supercharger to the pass side of the engine, visible with the shroud in place. GM uses a special synthetic oil in them and it must be up the bottom of the threads. If not lubed, ouch. Also, GM kindly allows you to observe the oil pressure, which on mine is the same at 195k miles, as it was at 40k, i.e. 70#'s cold high idle, 65#'s warm on road, and 35-40#'s at idle. This is Mercedes level oil pressures. I use only Mobil One. Probably the best engine GM ever made.

I get over 30mpg at 60mph and 27-28 at 70mph. I also run Michelin special good fuel economy tires.

 

[Bertramp]

I have a 1983 300cd turbo ... great car, but I don't use it in snow or bad weather, it's my "sunday" car. Battery dies when I don't use it for a while, but other than that, it's a great car ... and the comments that I get on it ... 25 yrs old and it's still a gorgeous car. Bought it from Hall & Oates bass player ... there might still be a "surprise bonus" stuck under a seat somewhere ! YIKES

 

[SeaEric]

My 2003 E-320 (gas) Mercedes 4 dr reliably gets over 30 MPG on the highway (Eastern Shore of Md. flat ground no hills) Average combined MPG since I have owned the car (about 25,000 miles worth) is 25.7 MPG. This according to the car's computer. Not bad.

I also own a 2005 ML-350 SUV all wheel drive. The fuel mileage on that vehicle sucks!