my right leg's muscle is almost as big as my "clutch leg" muscle from having to push so hard on the accelerator

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1985 300D Turbo "Eunis"

It sounds like something is binding. If you disconnect accelerator linkage ends under the hood one at a time, you'll be able to figure out what's giving you trouble. This would also be a good time to lubricate the linkage, if you haven't done so already.

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1982 300D, black w/ palomino leather, 203K
2001 E320, champagne, 105K (Mom's)
1999 Dodge Dakota, squeaky & battered, 142K

The 617 has about 10 ball and socket joints that are between your right foot and the injection pump. It's quite the Rube Goldberg affair. So, if the linkage is perfectly lubricated, the pedal still has a "firm" feel to it as compared to most gassers.

However, most people drive the 617 with nary a care about this linkage. It is almost mandatory to lubricate these ball and socket joints at every oil change if you want the action of the linkage to remain without too much effort.

Each socket can be removed from the ball by simply popping it off. Once you do one of them, you will see how it works. Usually a screwdriver will assist.

Clean the ball and clean the socket and put a dab of hydraulic fluid in the socket and put it back together. If you won't do this religiously, then use a dab of grease. The grease will cause a slightly stiffer action and will attract some dirt, but it is way better than nothing.

I'm a bit lazy, myself, and I usually shoot the sockets with WD-40 if I don't want to bother to do it the proper way and pop them off.

thanks. i will lubricate those joints today.

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1985 300D Turbo "Eunis"

What if you have enough oil mist and spray going on under the hood to keep everything well oiled?

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Carry a fire extinguisher?

You might want to have a look at the accelerator pivot mount, thats the joint that mounts to the firewall and connects the accelerator to the pump and rest of the insane linkage.

I replaced the ones on my W123s with what I thought were decent ones out of the boneyards and now those have gone bad. Last night I was poking around in the 300D and that one had deteriorated badly.

The hidden side of the mount is some sort of waxy, nylony weird crap that falls apart after only 25 years.

Since there were no other options last night, I replaced that mess with an appropriately sized and shaped gob of Bondo with kitty-hair. I think it will work OK since its all clamped together by the mount and firewall. It was sure a lot better than what I took out of there. The front rubber block part was OK and the nylon pivot part was OK so this should work. I just don't know how much heat that kitty-hair Bondo can take, but I think it will do OK for a while. I will check it tonite and regularly.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

you guys had me laughing out loud with your descriptions.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Mine was a nylon pivot bushing. It came apart and was binding slightly so I used a few plastic ties to hold it together. The plastic has enough give to allow it to turn, but tight enough to hold the bushing together.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section