Hmmm. Sounds like my 220 only not so bad.

If you decide to get it, buy a case of oil and stop frequently (at least once an hour) for a while and check oil level -- if you have bad rings you will have high (less than 100 miles to a quart) oil consumption on the highway.

That blowby can be either rings or valve guides, probably rings if it kills the engine quickly. If the blowby is overwhelming the oil separator, I'd pass unless I was planning on an engine overhaul.

Shifting problem can be the bowden cable or a dead vacuum modulator, or stuck modulator push rod -- its plastic.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!