Would you buy this 300d?
 

Hello,
So I have relocated to Maui and am looking to take another run at the WVO game (81 Rabbit - killed after insufficient wvo heat - RIP!). I have access to a 76 300d with 20k on a rebuild for 500 dollars. Only problem is reverse doesn't fully engage until you rev the engine up. Owner says he will throw in the spare trans he has with sale. I have been reading and some of the posts suggest that it made be a b3 band or piston or old fluid. I will be looking at the vehicle this weekend and wanted to get some insight.
My questions are.
1. Do you think I need modification to run SVO here in Maui (daytime temps are never less then 80)
2. How often are these no-reverse situations fixable without having to remove the trans (I only have access to the side of our street to do repairs)
3. In the event of a trans swap, how much of a pain is it (i am sure these trans are heavy but I am a teacher and the local high school takes donor vehicles to work on i.e free labor)

Thanks so much for any input,
Garrett

for 500 hundred bucks, there isnt a whole lot to loose. And considering the fact that he is throwing in a free tranny(assuming that it is in operating condition) then it sounds good. As far as the wvo u might want to thin it a liitle bit if u are doing a one tank setup, but other than that, it sounds good
-enjoy

It's not a bad idea to get some sort of heating for the wvo. Remember what killed the rabbit. Cold oil in the MB causes coking of the injectors and rings.

Hard to tell about the tranny. Could also be missing or worn out selector bushings. Why not let the students do the tranny fluid/filter change as well?

If I found one for $500, I'd snag it now!

I would keep looking and forget the WVO. Your in Maui. How many times could you circle the Island on 1 full tank of diesel? I would think many round trips.

Agreed, as long as you can sling a wrench and get addicted to repair sites...:D

I'm pretty sure people in Hawaii fill up their tanks just as much as everywhere else. You can't circle around Maui anyway, geez!!! ;)

Without a doubt you need to heat that oil and make sure you filter it real good. Other than that, how can you pass up a $500 MB diesel?

Problem with the islands is rust and not much selection, you've got to seize these opportunities when they present themselves.

Buy that Auto Shop Teacher a few beers,,,,,
 

Buy that Auto Shop Teacher a few beers (or whatever, you are in Maui!!!).....see if he will take on the spare tranny as a project, open, insprct, repair as necessary,.....then have the class install the rebuilt tranny in the car......better than having a buddy at the MB dealership.......

sounds like a wonderful use of $500 to me........

Some of the auto transmissions of that vintage had an external bolt which adjusts the reverse band. If the locking nut comes loose, reverse goes away.

go with a proper kit so what happen to your VW wont happen to the benz. And for $500 id take it.

I have run my diesels on well filtered and dewatered WVO that I get from Japanese restaurants since 2002. Soy oil, rice bran oil, and canola oil.
I leave my 1985 300CD in Lahaina.
I use my 1984 300D in SoCal.
I leave my 1980 300SD in Park City, UT.

None of them have any "conversions" to run the veggie oil. When the weather drops below 40*F, I use the block heater for two hours before I start the engine.

Our shop has seven other MB diesels running in SoCal without conversions either.

Thats a realy simple problem, my car used to do that, theres just a bolt on the transmission that needs to be tightened and it will work perfectly otherwise you will have to rev it up more and more till it finally will vibrate the bolt out and you will have no reverse

Thanks for the replies.
I believe it's worth noting that I was living in Montana when I killed the VW. Bitterly cold weather coupled with WVO virginity proved disasterous. Lesson learned.

I would definetly save some money if I made the switch. Somehow I still spend 100 dollars a month in gas (Nissan Sentra) living on this tiny island. And I only live 2 miles from work. I guess it's all the trips to the bar and Costco :)

This brings me to another problem. Out here on the islands people live in condos, myself included, and don't have garages. How are people filtering and dewatering with this in mind? Worst case scenario I could go out into the woods and filter. Ha, they probably think I was cooking up Meth lugging those supplies out into the woods!

Garrett

Just a follow up. The guy thought I was a genius when I tightened the bolt and he suddenly had reverse! Anyways, the exterior is pretty rough. Not quite sure if I am going to buy it or not. Thanks for all of your help!

Garrett