1979 300TD Turbo (Station Wagon)

[kugel]

Hello Folks,

I'm new to this board. I am looking for some help, please.

I have a cousin that is working on a 1979 300TD Turbo. It needs a new/rebuilt engine.

This past summer, I picked up a 300SD Turbo. It runs and drives OK, but needs a lot of interior work. Body is in great shape with virtually no rust (one small spot on driver's side rear door). Anyway, the wife and I have a 15 month old daughter, and I need to give up this project. I just don't have the time or money, anymore, to restore this 300SD. My cousin is interested in buying the car, mainly for parts, if the engine will fit in his '79 300TD Turbo. He has offered me $1500 for the car:

a) will the '82 SD Turbo engine fit in the '79 TD Turbo?
b) the '79 TD, apparently, has a "load leveling system" on it? some sort of pump on the front of the engine. Is this compatible with the '82 SD Turbo engine?
c) is this a good price for the car?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

Best Regards and God Bless!!

Kugel

Are you sure the '79 is a turbocharged engine? I thought they didn't offer the turbo until after 1980... 300TD stands for Touring Diesel, meaning Station Wagon.

From the production numbers i have seen, there were something like 4-6 turbo wagons produced in 1979, and John Lennon's was supposed to have been one of them...

[boneheaddoctor]

Also something nobody touched upon is the 300TD has a special head with the mount for the Leveling pump cast into it. thats why a 300SD engine won't work, it doesn't have the needed mount.

Now if you swap heads between motors then you could do it.

[odie]

only 4-6 turbo wagons? Hmmmm

I'd look into it before doing anything with it or to it.

Not really a collectable but certainly interesting if it's true.

I wouldn't pay anything special for it but I wouldn't part with it either.

[bill murrow]

Originally Posted by 123c

From the production numbers i have seen, there were something like 4-6 turbo wagons produced in 1979, and John Lennon's was supposed to have been one of them...

Thats an interesting tid bit.

I wonder what Yoko did with that car?

You wouldn't happen to know the vin would you?

Cheers,

Bill

[dieseldiehard]

John Lennon's 300TD was listed on eBay about 5 years ago. I don't recall if it sold or not, the seller was a So. Cal investor it appeared and had a high reserve, something like $15K on it.
It was said to be painted green as delivered but Yoko hated the car and she hated the color so it was repainted ivory as I recall.
My '79 300TD is the same color and has a transplanted turbo engine. The job is a lot of work, I don't suggest this unless you have the right engine, lots of time on your hands and know how to improvize as you go.
1971 220 (gas) 4-spd manual 106441
1979 300TD w/ ’85 turbo engine 295530
1983 300D 243280
1985 300TD 217300
1987 300D 258230

[mikemover]

I seriously doubt his 79 300TD has a turbo....Only the 300SD had a turbo in 1979.

Even if it did, the engine from the SD will not work properly, because there is no mounting boss on the cylinder head for the hydraulic pump. This will mean the self-levelling rear suspension will not function, and the car will be very unpleasant to drive.

The heads could be switched, but this is more work than most folks want to get into.

Your best bet is to find an engine from another wagon.

Mike

[bill murrow]

Originally Posted by dieseldiehard

John Lennon's 300TD was listed on eBay about 5 years ago. I don't recall if it sold or not, the seller was a So. Cal investor it appeared and had a high reserve, something like $15K on it.
It was said to be painted green as delivered but Yoko hated the car and she hated the color so it was repainted ivory as I recall.
My '79 300TD is the same color and has a transplanted turbo engine. The job is a lot of work, I don't suggest this unless you have the right engine, lots of time on your hands and know how to improvize as you go.
1971 220 (gas) 4-spd manual 106441
1979 300TD w/ ’85 turbo engine 295530
1983 300D 243280
1985 300TD 217300
1987 300D 258230

Hmmm...Guess I won't get lucky and stumble across that one. Oh well.

Cheers,

Bill

[kugel]

Okay, I will assume that the '79TD that my cousin has, is NOT a Turbo.

With that assumption, could an '82 non-turbo be transplanted, even though it does not have the head with the pump adapter?

Here's my thinking:

1) Transplant a 300 no-turbo engine and leave off the (hydraulic??) pump.

2) Add air-shocks and a 12V air-pump to the 300TD, with manual controls, or wired into the existing controls for the original pump.

Thanks again. I look forward to your further input!

Best Regards and God Bless!

Kugel

[boneheaddoctor]

I didn't know there was any '82 non turbo 917 engines here in the USA?

[mikemover]

Originally Posted by kugel

Okay, I will assume that the '79TD that my cousin has, is NOT a Turbo.

With that assumption, could an '82 non-turbo be transplanted, even though it does not have the head with the pump adapter?

Here's my thinking:

1) Transplant a 300 no-turbo engine and leave off the (hydraulic??) pump.

2) Add air-shocks and a 12V air-pump to the 300TD, with manual controls, or wired into the existing controls for the original pump.

Thanks again. I look forward to your further input!

Best Regards and God Bless!

Kugel

There is no wiring for the original pump. It is a mechanical, belt-driven unit.

I dunno....still sounds like you're thinking of doing it the hard way.

I don't know how well the car would handle with the wrong shocks.

When I first got my 1980 wagon, there were several leaks in the hydraulic system, so someone had put regular shocks on the rear. It handled HORRIBLY! I fixed it properly, and now it drives 300% better.

I'd still hold out for a wagon engine, or change the head. If you have the two engines side-by-side, changing the head wouldn't really be that much work.

Mike

[R Leo]

Originally Posted by mikemover

There is no wiring for the original pump. It is a mechanical, belt-driven unit.

On the 123s it's mechanical but driven by the timing chain, not a belt. Later models (w140 maybe?) with SLS did have a belt-driven leveling pump.

[mikemover]

Originally Posted by R Leo

On the 123s it's mechanical but driven by the timing chain, not a belt. Later models (w140 maybe?) with SLS did have a belt-driven leveling pump.

Yep. I stand corrected. I knew the pump was chain-driven....I don't know why I had such a brain fart.

Also, if he's thinking of putting a turbo engine in a non-turbo wagon, it involves a LOT of work: Although the engines look very similar, and will bolt up in the engine compartment, there's a lot of different issues to deal with that are not immediately obvious. For instance, he'll also have to change the tranny (different gearing), driveshaft, the rear-end (different gearing again), and the wiring harness.

Mike