No compression in one cyl - buy or not?

[rino]

Hi everyone,

I am new here, as I have just discovered I have a passion
for old MB diesel cars.
So I started looking for an '80 - '85 300SD about a week ago
(in the Los Angeles area) and after inspecting a few cars in
rather poor aesthetical condition, I've just come across an
'83 300SD Turbo Diesel that looks great both externally and
internally, and priced at about $600.

The catch is that one cylinder has no compression. I was
told by the owner that the car runs but may need a valve job.
Compression readings per cyclinder are 370,0,230,290,370.
Transmisson seems good and the car is otherwise sound.

What do I do at this point? If it takes only a valve job to
fix the car, would it be worth it? How expensive is that?
The car is otherwise a dream aesthetically...
What do I do at this point, pass on it or go for it?

Thanks everybody...

Rino

[billrei]

I would have the car inspected by a mechanic before buying so you know what you are getting into.

[leathermang]

That is a very good price for the initial investment in this car..
Your mechanic should do a leak down test to distinguish between valve issues and potentials like holes in a piston.
Unlike gas engines, where the only inspection hole is the sparkplug location.. these engines can have the precombustion chambers taken out and put back in with minor work. This can allow you to see if a piston has a hole in it.
Do you have one of those prebuying mechanical checking services available ? Like ' Lemon Busters ' ?

[rino]

Thanks. What would you say is the average cost of doing a leak down test?
What's the best way to find out what prebuying mechanical checking services
are available in my area? Is there some sort of directory or something, besides the phone directory that I could use?
Of course, given a reasonable cost, it would be a smart test to have done
on the 300SD before making any decision at all...

Rino

Originally Posted by leathermang

That is a very good price for the initial investment in this car..
Your mechanic should do a leak down test to distinguish between valve issues and potentials like holes in a piston.
Unlike gas engines, where the only inspection hole is the sparkplug location.. these engines can have the precombustion chambers taken out and put back in with minor work. This can allow you to see if a piston has a hole in it.
Do you have one of those prebuying mechanical checking services available ? Like ' Lemon Busters ' ?

[leathermang]

Does the engine start up and run ?

[Anthony Cerami]

First...
Does it run?
Second...
does it make any strange noise?>>>>
I think I would remove the vale cover and take a peek.
Maybe something broken like a valve spring. Sticking the valve open.
I purchaced a vehicle the same way. 40 pounds in one cylinder.
It ran good with a bad miss of course.
After pulling the head I still could not find a problem???
Then after taking all the valves out......
There it was.... a big hunk of carbon stuck on the valve face!
-AC
Buy it any way! for that price.....

[bullwinkle]

$600!!!? I'd buy it even if it needed rebuilt-you could always buy a U-Pull engine for a couple hundred and rebuild it if you had to!

[rino]

Yes, it runs, and yes, I could say it makes a strange noise but
I wouldn't know how to quantify or qualify it.
Yours was certainly an easy fix, good for you! As for me, I
don't really have any experience doing that type of work, neither
do I have any specialized tools or space for a workshop at this
time, but I'd be willing to spend an additional $700-800 max on it
if I were to know that I would very likely end up with a nicely
working car.
So, given these circumstances, what do you suggest I do?

Rino

Originally Posted by Anthony Cerami

First...
Does it run?
Second...
does it make any strange noise?>>>>
I think I would remove the vale cover and take a peek.
Maybe something broken like a valve spring. Sticking the valve open.
I purchaced a vehicle the same way. 40 pounds in one cylinder.
It ran good with a bad miss of course.
After pulling the head I still could not find a problem???
Then after taking all the valves out......
There it was.... a big hunk of carbon stuck on the valve face!
-AC
Buy it any way! for that price.....

[rino]

Interesting choice. Should this become necessary, what would you say it would cost me to have this work done by someone else? Where would I find a U-Pull engine?
Do these come with some sort of warranty or are they engines pulled
out old cars that you are really taking your chances on?

Originally Posted by bullwinkle

$600!!!? I'd buy it even if it needed rebuilt-you could always buy a U-Pull engine for a couple hundred and rebuild it if you had to!

[billrei]

Based one your experience and the enthusiam of other posters I would list the address and phone number of the car's location and stand aside... You would be better off going for something that is mechanically sound if not cosmetically perfect.

[rino]

No problem with this one. Just give me 24 hours to think it over
and see what can be done and if I can't use it myself I'll gladly
post it to the group.

Originally Posted by billrei

Based one your experience and the enthusiam of other posters I would list the address and phone number of the car's location and stand aside... You would be better off going for something that is mechanically sound if not cosmetically perfect.

$600 is a very good price, even if you have to pay someone $2000 to put a used engine in, you would be still coming out ahead if the car is in good cosmetic and mechanical condition other than the engine...

[mbhack]

rino, if you dont buy it send me a message with the phone number, i'll buy it if you dont. ive seen those valves streach causing valve not to seat.

[Jimmy Joe]

Originally Posted by billrei

You would be better off going for something that is mechanically sound if not cosmetically perfect.

I agree. You can find nice ones that need little work; don't get in over your head with a major project if you don't have the chops for it.

[rino]

No need to wait any further. All considered, I think I'll pass on
this one this time.
For those interested, the car is a 1984 MB 300SD Turbo Diesel
with 172K miles on it. It runs up to 30 mph, black smoke.
It is advertised for $690, and the guy's phone # is
(310) 514-2955, located in San Pedro, California.

Thanks to all who have contributed.

Originally Posted by rino

No problem with this one. Just give me 24 hours to think it over
and see what can be done and if I can't use it myself I'll gladly
post it to the group.