Time to break out the quote button.
Quote:
Originally Posted by strelnik
I have had 4 240D in the last ten years as communter cars. All had been neglected by previous owners. Things to check and/or replace (Notice all are basic maintenance tasks):
Check the fuel system filters, the cigar tube hose, the hoses in the engine compartment and the return line rubber hoses between inujectors.
Replace the body grounds (-) with a short one to the body and a second one to the rear of the engine block.
Carefully and thoroughly oil and maintain your hood hinges before they rust and deform the sheet metal! Replace the starter cable
Buy the two bent wrenches to adjust the valves and get the Diesel Giant information sheet on valve adjustment procedure with photos. Download free!
Clean all ground and other electrical connections to the alternator as well as alternator adjustment screrw. I replaced my alternator with one from a Volvo, same as the W126, I believe.
Check over the brakes and probably replace the rubber hoses, sometimes they collapse.
Change oil religiously and bear in mind that a 240 will suck oil if you drive over 80 in it.
BEST ADVICE: KEEP IT TO 70 MPH max!
Do these things the car will outlive you.
At the right time, get an older vehicle and go to the MB dealer, get the mileage verified and request a 250,000 km badge (after 165,000 miles).
Have fun!
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Great advice, which all looks fairly easy to do. I'm actually looking forward to the badges. I didn't know what they represented until just a couple days ago.
On a side note, does your signature say that you have/have owned a Borgward? That's been a dream car of mine since I was in the fifth grade. I remember writing reports for them in school with Borgward as the topic, or writing stories that included a Borgward as the subject. They were a major obsession of mine as a child. Here I am 23, and I still find myself looking for them every once in a while.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxbumpo
You can rebuild the delivery valves (replace a copper washer, spring, and O-ring) and replace the vacuum shut-off valve and various other O-rings that might start leaking. There is a "lift pump" which pulls the fuel from the fuel tank and provides it at low pressure to the injection pump, and also a hand-operated primer pump (incorporated into the lift pump) that is a wear item and user-replaceable.
Typically they do last the life of the car unless "repaired" by someone who has no business...
They hold the injection timing forever as well, so no need to check-adjust the timing as a regular maintenance item.
Worst case scenario: your options are either buy a rebuilt or replace with a good used pump. I prefer to the second route, but I've never had to go down that decision tree yet, after about 14 years of used MB diesel ownership. IP's which have seen VO or WVO as fuel generally are destroyed, can't even be turned in for core to be rebuilt, so if you ever do get a used replacement pump, screen those out if possible.
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This is something I was really concerned about. The corn binder in my truck requires complete injection system overhaul every 100K, which ended up running me over $1300. These pumps can't be rebuilt in your garage, or I would have done it. At least the truck can climb hills now. It's nice to know that the Mercedes ip can be rebuilt by someone with some knowledge of mechanics.
Thanks once again,
Dan