Someone offered me a 1978 300D which has been sitting for four years. In general, what should I do with a car that hasn't been running for four years? Should I just put a battery in and try to start it or should I not even touch it?

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'99 S420, 155k
'91 VW Vanagon GL, 150k
'85 VW Vanagon GL, 120k
'82 VW Westy, aircooled, 165k

For free!! Thats a good price.
I would either charge the old battery, but probably just put in a new one. I would also drain the old diesel out, and put fresh in. Then I would check the oil and coolant. Make sure they both look okay and are at the proper levels. Maybe new filters if they look bad.

Let us know how it goes.

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Well, all I'm really interested in is the engine (depending on the milage, of course, which I don't know yet). Would a '78 300 non turbo engine even fit into an '84? My wife's car is about to die, no start below 30F, cranking unevenly, looks like no compression. Runs fine when hot, though.

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'99 S420, 155k
'91 VW Vanagon GL, 150k
'85 VW Vanagon GL, 120k
'82 VW Westy, aircooled, 165k

oooh, lots of things will be different, and you don't want to hook up your turbo to the older motor. the glow plugs are different as well. the motor will fit, but if you have been driving a turbo motor, you will hate the N/A in that car.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I'd just put a new battery in it and try to start it and see what happens. However, I wouldn't but an NA in place of a turbo unless it was absolutely the only choice possible. And vstech is right that you don't want to put the turbo on the NA. There are too many differences between the engines.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

for starters i would just jump it or put in the battery from your other car.

filters, air and fuel. biocide in the tank to kill any bacterial growth after i got it started.

i would look for a newer engine to swap. that one will have a lot of interface differences. you may be able to swap or sell it though to get one more appropriate for your car.

good luck

tom w

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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.

Thanks a lot for your opinions. I just took a look at the car, well, it's TRASHED! It has only 135k miles on it, though, but it has been sitting unlocked in a bad Queens neighborhood for four years. Front signal lights are gone, one window is broken, fuel cap and oil dipstick are gone, and the coolant system is bone dry, I didn't even attempt to start the engine, who knows what some jerk might have put into all the openings. However, if someone would like to pull the engine/tranny, let me know, I can give you the guy's number, I'm sure it's free. I don't have the equipment to do it myself and to pay someone to do it is too risky.

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'99 S420, 155k
'91 VW Vanagon GL, 150k
'85 VW Vanagon GL, 120k
'82 VW Westy, aircooled, 165k

Even though this particular car did not turn out to look like it was worth saving I am going to tack my answer onto this thread...

I would syphon ( easier than draining ) all the fuel out I could. I would then put 10 gallons of new diesel fuel into the tank.

I would take off the old filters and have new ones ready to install. Then I would take a little air pressure ( won't take much ) and place it into the tank while sealing the rest of the tube with a rag. Hopefully I would have thought to put a catch can up front to get the old fuel which will be run out of the old line.
I would replace the filters making sure the 90 degree inline plastic one is the clear type.

I would install the screw on filter filled with Diesel Purge. I would loosen all the metal fuel lines to the injectors just enough to let them leak.

I would be sure to have two good batteries ready and make sure the wire connections for them are clean and tight. Then I would change the oil and oil filter and coolant.
Then I would turn the engine over until oil pressure registered on the guage.

Some fuel should have run out of the injector lines by then....

Only then would I attempt to start it by tightening the fuel lines and cranking it while giving a three second blast of Aerosol Starter at the front of the intake tube.

If it looked good after that I would consider replacing the valve stem guides and the springs... both are cheap for the advantage of not having to worry about one or more of the springs being weak from being in compression for a long time.