Thoughts on 1987 300TD - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

riethoven · #16 12-08-2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinperkins

Are those state registration tags under the fog lights? What a weird place to put sticker tags.

Ditto the "looks nice" comment. My paint was very neglected and now has a nice dullness to it that I cannot seem to fix. I wish my paint still had the shine like [soon to be] yours does.

It is dark in Burlington, VT for 3 months out of the year

and the rest of the year there is no UV compared to Austin, TX. The paint (willow green metallic) still looks good on my 87. However, my wife's car which is a burgundy metallic is badly faded on the roof and the clearcoat is peeling.

punkinfair · #17 12-08-2006, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinperkins

Got any pictures, I'd love to see what other folks are doing to their w124 TD. I'm specifically interested in seeing what the side skirts and 2-tone paint look like.

justin,

photos above.

is the deluxe splitty in your avatar your bus?

justinperkins · #18 12-08-2006, 06:49 PM

Quote:

justin,

photos above.

Holy s4!t, that's 87TD is HOT!!!!

Side skirts look amazing and that's exactly what I've been thinking mine is missing (though a paint would be required too). Obviously the body skirts are wagon specific (right?), but I'm thinking the bumpers could come from any late model w124, yes?

You did the euro light conversion too? How'd that go price wise? They look very nice.

Your 87TD looks like a mid-90's E320 (wagon), you've done a truly amazing job with it. I will now use your TD as the ultimate example of how I'd like mine to look.

Quote:

is the deluxe splitty in your avatar your bus?

Yes that *was* my old 13-window deluxe. I just found some pics and scanned them in the other day. Some more of my past collection has been Westies of various vintages: 67, 79 (like yours) and 84. Also a Syncro that I loved dearly. Yes I am a VW man at heart

asnowsquall · #19 12-08-2006, 08:07 PM

Sold my 1978 Mars Red Super Beetle last June to one of the owners of Automaster in Burlington. What a fun beautiful ride that was.

That wagon in sweet punkin.

Took a bus and I'm at my parents only an hour away from the car. Going to meet at 10 am tomorrow. Yahoo!!!!

How do you guys like the ride of the 195/65/15 tires? Seems like a nice all around size. Heck, I like the way my 1982 rides with the stock 195/70/14's.

Will have better pictures by Sunday hopefully!

asnowsquall · #20 12-09-2006, 09:27 PM

Well I got it. What a difference from the 82 300TD. Very smooth running engine. Yes, it has the #14 head. I drove it about 250 miles today and the temp stayed just above 80, like my 82 does. It has lots of new parts in the front end like bushings, tie rods, and stuff so it rides great and its tight. Ride wise it feels like a new car. He left it cold so that when I got there I was able to see what it started like. It was around 20 out, maybe a little under and it started OK, little rough at first.
Transmission had some odd shifts. He said its normal until it warms up. He said he had the filter and oil changed it it took care of the tranny slips. Well it didn't, as most of the drive home was OK until I got close to home and started playing to make it shift. There were times where it felt like I was in neutral, had to pull over one time. The guy is really nice and I don't think he intentionally screwed me, so we will see what happens. I've been reading here in the forum that it could be vacuum and modulator related. Other than the tranny, I love the car. Its really sweet on the highway.
Electronic wise everything seems to work. Interior is really clean. Sunroof works. Tach works. Cruise doesn't. He said it needs a A/C compressor.
The only significant rust is the right front rocker around the jack point. This will be easy after what I went through with the 82.
Think I'll keep it for a while and see what happens. Going to give the PO a call and see what he thinks about the tranny.
There is a spot on the hood about 4"x12" where the clear coat and paint is dorked, but for almost 20 years old, the body is in real nice shape for this neck of the woods. More pictures here http://asnowsquall.smugmug.com/gallery/2217196

punkinfair · #21 12-09-2006, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justinperkins

Holy s4!t, that's 87TD is HOT!!!!

Side skirts look amazing and that's exactly what I've been thinking mine is missing (though a paint would be required too). Obviously the body skirts are wagon specific (right?), but I'm thinking the bumpers could come from any late model w124, yes?

You did the euro light conversion too? How'd that go price wise? They look very nice.

thanks, the only thing i can take credit for is having the luck to find the car locally - they are very rare in canada - and the sense to buy it. the modifications were done by the PO, who did a really good job on everything. those photos were taken a few days after we purchased the car. i agree that it does not look like a 300TDT, more like a 90's 300TE or E320. I don't think the skirts are specific to a wagon, but i could be wrong.

shame about the 13-window deluxe, that looks like a nice one.

asnowsquall · #22 12-10-2006, 09:48 AM

I'd say this is leaking, if theres even any vacuum going to it.

He told me was done because of the A/C compressor not working. They go over near the right side near the air cleaner.

Leaky injector lines. Hey wait a minute I thought this was well maintained...
He did actually say that he hasn't replaced an injector (and he was proud), I'm thinking new/rebuilt injectors with new glowplugs. This should smooth out the starts.

Hard to decide which wagon is going into the garage first. One thing I know is this one here needs a little work before anymore long trips so that the tranny is right, the cold starts are good, and I'm sure the wastegate (If thats what the bad rubber vacuum hose is going to) vacuum is right. I've got what appears to be a factory manual so it's time to do a little reading. Well, thats after brunch.
A good deal? Debatable and the Jury is still out as they are waiting on tranny info...
Unique? For sure, and I like that.

engatwork · #23 12-10-2006, 10:26 AM

That is the exhaust gas recirculation valve that the broken rubber plastic line is going to.

asnowsquall · #24 12-10-2006, 11:26 AM

Thanks. EGR. Wonder if its normally open or closed? Wonder how and if the gases made it out of the engine. I noticed that the automatic transmission modulator has a spot for a line going to it when I looked at a new part. This gives me some hope on the tranny. Basically at one point it was shifting up and down one its own, very erratic.

justinperkins · #25 12-10-2006, 12:46 PM

Congrats on your purchase.

The leak at your injectors is the return lines, a very common item to become worn out. Cheap and easy to replace, don't worry about it.

asnowsquall · #26 12-10-2006, 01:13 PM

Oh ya, I know tthe return lines are about the easiest fix I'm facing. My only worry is the shifting. Now that I see the modulator has vacuum going to it I feel I've got a chance.

asnowsquall · #27 12-11-2006, 10:30 AM

Interesting link: http://users.vnet.net/w123d/w123d/transmission.htm

Anybody looking for an 87 300TD?

asnowsquall · #28 12-11-2006, 08:47 PM

Previous owner says check fluid level and sure enough when cold it was just on the tip of the stick. Looked at last repair history that he gave me and sure enough about a year ago and 1,000 miles the same thing happened. Didn't see big obvious leaks under the car so I'm wondering where its going. Well atleast I've got an idea of whats going on. I'm off on Wednesday and will get the level perfect with it hot and then go from there. Will T into the modulator line so I can watch the vacuum and learn the system so I can dial it in. Feel a little better now.