Originally Posted by barry123400

One possible cause on the 1983 240d is the linkage. There are two small rubber parts {sleeves) in a vibration damper motion transfer item getting out quite away from the firewall. They basically rot off with age. Mercedes sells them for about a dollar a pair. I just cannot locate the part number right now and it is elusive.

There is a chance this is your issue. The linkage turns and meshes at that point and the deterioated parts eliminate full transfer of the linkage motion. Kind of common issue on your year.

Been there myself when picking up a 1983 240d in southern New Jersey. I could not afford the automatic so got a standard four speed. The reason you think it revs well is because there is no load at the time you are manually playing with it. What you want to verify is the linkage is enabling the lever on the injection pump to hit the end stop with your foot on the accelorator.

Actually a poor name for the pedal in my opinion on a 240d automatic. I patched together a temporary mcguyver type of arrangement to get the car home. The owner said if he had known that was the problem he would have not sold the car. He just thought it was always just very slow.

If the car has been sitting for a long time you really should jack up each side and check for dragging calipers. The calipers do not sit well in northern climates in my opinion.

The way any decent running 240d works is you cannot loose any built up momentum on a decent hill. If you slow down you cannot pick the lost momentum back up. There are many hills steep enough that if you hit the bottom at 25mph thats about what you will go over the top at if you are lucky. Do take a fuel filter with you as well as a few hand tools. An old filter may or may not be adding to the problem.