I've never driven the 300SD or the 300D over about 78 mph before. I don't want tickets, although, I do floor it every time I get on the freeway, and I've noticed that if I press the accelerator pedal a certain way on the 300D, I can stay in 3rd gear for a little while, and have quite high RPMS at about 65 until I take my foot off, and it automatically shifts to fourth.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

My speedo only goes up to 85mph (81 300SD). How do you guys driving older cars like me know you are doing 100s?

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1981 300SD 118K
2000 Toyata Tundra 64K

I've had my car past 100 at leastr a dozen times in the year and a half that I've owned it. But I've practically rebuilt the front-end. I;ve had it up to about 110 twice. Mine's turning just a hair over 4100 at 100. I think mine might go to 115 or so.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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My wifes 300D won't go past about 80mph. But I think the lift pump is sucking air at that flow rate. My 300CD has seen 100mph. However, it likes to cruise comfortably around 80mph. At 80mph its turning about 3800rpms.

I seem to get about 25mpg at 80mph on WVO.

Wow.. enough acronyms there?

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'84 300CD Turbo 132k (Anthracite Grey) - WVO - My daily driver - Recently named coo-coo-coupe by my daughter.
'84 300D Turbo 240k (Anthracite Grey) - Garage Queen
'83 300D Turbo 220k (Orient Red) - WVO - Wifes daily driver

I'm not a certified mechanic, but I did stay at a HolidayInn Express last night.

In the 300D 2.5 Turbo, the engine is turning about 3200 rpm at 130km/h (81mph). It seems that that model has quite a different gear ratio than your 300CD. 118km/h (73mph) is my normal cruising speed for the highways here to not get pulled over and then the RPMs are at about 2750 rpm.

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1991 MB 300D 2.5 Turbo (207000km) (now gone)
1993 Audi 100 CS Quattro (300000km)
1999 VW Jetta TDI (290000km)
2002 Audi A6 3.0 Quattro (150000km)
2005 MB E320 CDI (34000km)

I need to get a higher gear ratio rear diff and 120 MPH speedo out of an '85-but my 300D runs much better at 75 MPH than low speeds-my weak cylinder smooths out and all you hear is that lovely roar of an M-B doing it's thing at speed-I bet these engines would last darn near forever if they only had to run hard and not limp and clatter around town-I almost think a 240D would be better for that stop & go city driving-just keep it away from that urban interstate!

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1982 300DT 190K (Diesel Purge + synthetic oil=smoothness at last!!!)
2004 Ford E-350 6.0 L PSD 227K
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW HO Cummins 4X4 48RE 42K (brute force tow vehicle)
2005 Scion xB wife's rolling pop can
1993 GMC Sierra C3500 6.2 142K

Our 91 350 SDL will pull past 125 hard. I would guess that it could make 135, or more, but I do not want to chance it. The feel of the automobile is great at high speeds with new Michelin Destiny 215's. My wife just took it to Phoenix and back yesterday (650 miles) at 80-90 and who knows how fast my daughter drove it at while she was sleeping ! I was talking with my good freind from Salt Lake yesterday and he said that he drove his fathers 300 SDL from SLC to Vegas in 4.5 hrs flat ! That comes out to about a continuous 120 MPH. Wow,what a machine.

Yes, but....We know these cars will go this fast. What about the long-arm of the law? I'd be more worried about them than speeding.

Don't get TOO comfortable driving 120 - 130 mph. It is nice fun, and quite different traveling at twice the speed limit, but beware.

Nice pic of the SD. Working a bit hard, I think, for a 3.07. At that engine speed, if TC is not allowing slip, your actual speed should be 111 mph.

My 1981 300SD will do any speed I want it to
the 75-85 is the sweet spot (max fuel mileage it seems)
Yeah the engine is a LITTLE loud at 120MPH but it really isn't that bad. She purrs right along...you can feel the massive amount of steel slinging around in there! haha
Anywho, I dunno about my engine, it just turend 267500 Miles so its defintely not new.
I cruised down the freeway (about 100 Miles) averaging 75-90 and the engine has never ran better afterwards. The nailing #1 cylinder stops nailing. The engine idles sooo smooth, and it just runs good overall.
You have to get the engine hot on a long load trip once and awhile to do some cleaning out.
Wish we had a long big climb here. THe best I can do is a gravel road that is about 5 miles long and pretty steep. Hit 100 Degrees C on that road (in S Gear driving pretty spiritidly)
Find somewhere you can open your car up and let it breathe once in a blue moon. It will love you for it (assuming all the parts are in order and not worn beyond the allowable tolerances :-p)

My 98 E300 has plenty of power for highway use...cruisin at 70mph at peak torque, and push it a bit, and hit 95-100 in no time. So far i've had it up to 105, my goal is to be doing 110 when i hit the magical 150k mark. But i do like to get 30+ mpgs, so most of my driving is between 65-80. But i do rev her on every entrance ramp...put her into 3rd, and floor it, does a tick under 80 at 5200 rpm.

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2002 G500 74K
1998 E300 200K and rising
1995 S600 73k


"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering
if they've made a difference. The Marines don't
have that problem."-Ronald Reagan

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them
what to do and they will surprise you with their
ingenuity."-General George S. Patton

I rarely drive my 79 300SD at anything UNDER 75-80mph when I'm on the open interstate. They are very much in their "comfort zone" cruising at such speeds.

I've briefly had it up to a little over 100mph a few times, and it didn't act like it was a strain....actually felt like it had some room to go, but I don't have room in my budget for such a large speeding ticket!

Perhaps you're just not used to the greater noise of an old diesel engine at such speeds, compared to a newer car's quiet gasoline engine and heavy-duty soundproofing?....

Mike

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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
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1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
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1985 300TD
270,000 miles
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1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

drive my car around 60-80 (KPH that is.. eheheh) normally.. but on open roads.. i've reached about 130KPH.. that's as fast i'd want to go without having my balls up my throat.. ehehe

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Mike

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1975 200 - Sold (no pix);
1978 200 - Sold - http://www.pbase.com/hboy/redbaron
1979 300TD - Sold
http://www.pbase.com/hboy/greenwagon
http://www.geocities.com/hboy726/300TD.html
1985 230E - now my daily driver...

Saturday while driving Dieter I sped up to 90 because I had a newer Bimmer (630 ? coupe) with Fulton county (Atlanta) tags, come up behind me... I've been listening to the motor more since this thread started, what I hear when going over about 85MPH is the engine sounds like a "boom", no longer a clatter or a gasser "weennngg". Just a sonic "boom"....

Re: the law, I haven't had a speeding ticket since 1989. 77 in a 55.. in a Bimmer, in NJ....

I've had my '79 300D to 70 - 75. Sounds quite loud. We have a few hills in our part of the state, and I get it up to that speed to minimize my loss going uphill. She'll slow right down to 50 or so from 75 going up a fairly steep hill. Is this normal Is it just because I don't have a turbo I hope that's all. My TDI with a turbo will accelerate all I want going uphill in 5th. The 6.5 van I used to have would accelerate up same hill and never downshift. Both had turbos.

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'85 300D - 206K (sold)
'81 240D - 149K (sold)
'03 Jetta TDI - (sold)
'79 300D - (sold)