So we just bought a 1982 240D for my Mom off another forum member, very clean tidy car. Mom is used to a tuned VW tdi with double the torque of the 240D...enough said! The 240 shifts really early, infact at full throttle with the kick down denting the floor still shifts ~2500 if not earlier, and refuses to downshift unless manually shifted down to S or L. There is no cable down to the trans, I am used the 300D/300SD set ups, is this thing all vacuum? So the vacuum switches on the valve cover are the first place to start?
I am going to do a thorough fuel system tune up (filters, clean screen, new hoses) and adjust valves etc, all the usual suspects and pull injectors/compression etc. If anything is worn or out of spec will report, not sure how to upgrade a non turbo engine all that well yet on a Mercedes. Will also get a vacuum guage and pump on the hoses and start checking things out. I have read a bit on precombustion chambers, what is the deal there?
Is there much to gain inside the injection pump beyond proper calibration? I have good core pumps that can be sent out to a specialist with the full bench testing and tuning friendly for more power, but is there much to be gained going this route (costs $1000 range for a 617.95 pump).
I want to keep it simple, not a turbo project just want to be able to run on the highway and try to keep momentum up east coast hills, fuel economy is of utmost importance coming from a tdi that managed mid 40s mpg (6L/100km) day in day out.
Any thoughts or ideas appreciated, just want the car to run as well as possible so it is not run over in the slow lane going to Florida! Will be a keeper for a long time, the chasis is in fabulous condition very remarkable!