I'm probably one of the least mechanically inclined people on the message board ... but the carburetor?

To my knowledge, your 5 liter V8 is fuel-injected. (Hence the E for "Einspritzung" in SEL.) ... There should be no carb.

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-- 1983 300D, acquired 10/19/2005 at 215,000+ turbodiesel miles ... engine croaked almost immediately ... back on the road at 217,210 with a 144K turbo motor from a donor '85. ... May 2007, replaced radiator. ... Now (2/28/08) about 240K miles and dead due to battery?