new 240d - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

gatorblue92 · #1 01-20-2006, 09:11 AM

hey all i just got my grandmother's 240D and its been sitting neglected in the garage for almost 3 years... what do i need to do to nurse it back to health... it starts right up and drives okay but when i first moved it the car would not go into gear (its a auto) it would move but i had to give it a lot of gas to get it to go but it seems just fine now... was that a result of sitting or something else

Diesel Giant · #2 01-20-2006, 09:14 AM

Change every filter on the car and all fluids, do a diesel purge and adjust the valves. Then fix any thing leaking like the vacuum system. There are lots of good pictorials for the do it yourself person that will help you here:

http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_diesel_maintenance_tips.htm

Ask any questions and we will help.

84300DT · #3 01-20-2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatorblue92

hey all i just got my grandmother's 240D and its been sitting neglected in the garage for almost 3 years... what do i need to do to nurse it back to health... it starts right up and drives okay but when i first moved it the car would not go into gear (its a auto) it would move but i had to give it a lot of gas to get it to go but it seems just fine now... was that a result of sitting or something else

why don't you post your pics up here also .. u have a real beauty there.. show it off!!

gatorblue92 · #4 01-20-2006, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84300DT

why don't you post your pics up here also .. u have a real beauty there.. show it off!!

here you go

Ken300D · #5 01-20-2006, 10:24 AM

Typically when the automatic transmissions in these vintage cars sit for a while, the torque convertor drains down and is low on start up. They hold a lot of fluid and so it takes a little while to fill it back up again. The torque convertor looks a little like a turbine engine inside and it converts your engine rotations smoothly into transmission rotations.

What you should do right away is check the transmission fluid level. The correct way to do this is idling in Park when hot. However, you should at least see some fluid on the dipstick when cold. Before you run a cold test let the engine idle for a few minutes and cycle through all the forward and reverse gear selections. At this point you should pull the dipstick, wipe it clean (don't use a paper towel for this, use cloth - less fiber residue) and measure. Need to see at least some fluid on the stick at this point. When hot after running on the road, the proper level is between the two marks on the dipstick.

It looks nice. Was your grandmother using the car in Delaware? Looks more like a southern car. Never drive this car in the salt and snow if you don't have to - rust.

Ken300D

imdavid28 · #6 01-20-2006, 10:26 AM

Wow, that is a beautiful car! I am jealous.

gatorblue92 · #7 01-20-2006, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

Typically when the automatic transmissions in these vintage cars sit for a while, the torque convertor drains down and is low on start up. They hold a lot of fluid and so it takes a little while to fill it back up again. The torque convertor looks a little like a turbine engine inside and it converts your engine rotations smoothly into transmission rotations.

What you should do right away is check the transmission fluid level. The correct way to do this is idling in Park when hot. However, you should at least see some fluid on the dipstick when cold. Before you run a cold test let the engine idle for a few minutes and cycle through all the forward and reverse gear selections. At this point you should pull the dipstick, wipe it clean (don't use a paper towel for this, use cloth - less fiber residue) and measure. Need to see at least some fluid on the stick at this point. When hot after running on the road, the proper level is between the two marks on the dipstick.

It looks nice. Was your grandmother using the car in Delaware? Looks more like a southern car. Never drive this car in the salt and snow if you don't have to - rust.

Ken300D

thanks for the info on the tranny... i had checked the level before and after i drove it and it was okay... i think it needs to be changed though... the car is in south florida and the only winters it has seen were in germany where it was purchased new as a us model... a family friend was a pilot for eastern airlines and bought the car new in germany in 1977 and had it flown back to the us in 1979 and sold it to my grandmother in 1980 with 65,000 miles on it... it now has around 116,000 on it

im bringing the car up to delaware but not until after winter is over and i get a chance to do all of the work it needs to be driven that far

mbzkid · #8 01-20-2006, 12:36 PM

Wow, you are very lucky. I can only dream of having a car like that. Enjoy it.

Eskimo · #9 01-20-2006, 01:05 PM

Wow, that's a pretty one! May that car provide you with years of enjoyment!

I don't know if it's just a trick of the light, but in the picture of the instrument cluster, something looks a little bit funny to me down at the bottom edge of the cluster. Not to alarm you, but I've seen that sort of thing when an oil pressure gauge was leaking.

Certainly not your number one priority, but maybe worth a little look-see when time permits.

t walgamuth · #10 01-20-2006, 10:21 PM

getting it ziebarted.

whenever i get a really clean old benz i have that done. it works very well. i had a really clean 74 240 from ca and did that and drove it for four or five indiana winters with no special care and it still looked really good. it got a little rust at the rear fender. prob would not have if my kids had washed it there once in a while.

oh yeah, dont convert it to r132 freon.

nice looking car!

tom w

bgkast · #11 01-21-2006, 12:53 AM

What is ziebarted?

Also my 240 has a similar plastic colorations as the one in the picture. I always assumed it was the clear plastic touching the black plastic behind it. I thought the oil gauge was electronic?

Skippy · #12 01-21-2006, 01:31 AM

I don't know what ziebarted is

I think it might have something to do with corrosion protection.

Our oil pressure gauges are mechanical. There's a capillary tube that runs to the gauge. Sometimes they leak.

JimmyL · #13 01-21-2006, 01:52 AM

Very very nice 240. Beautiful in fact. Take very good care of that. first off, it was your grandma's, second, you have a rare and great looking color. Really impressive...

t walgamuth · #14 01-21-2006, 09:17 AM

ziebart is a rustproofing of the interior panels of the car. they drill holes and do t he rockers and the pockets in t he hood and trunk. you have to watch them though they will get carried away and do the inner fenders in front and spray all over the fuel pump on a gasser if you dont ask them not to.

it costs about 300. on an older car they will spray first with a rust binder.

tom w