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  #1  
Old 01-24-2007, 01:12 PM
BodhiBenz1987's Avatar
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Daydreaming about my '75 junker ... Qs

This is another one of my vague queries about something I'd like to do in the future, but am not ready to do yet. I know I've asked bits and pieces about it before, but would like to collect more knowledge.

I have a 1975 240D that, in all honesty, is a complete hunk-o-junk. However, for someone who desperately wants to get some hands-on engine work experience, I think it might be a good "cadaver" to play with. The car started and ran perfectly when it was parked 20 years ago. Believe it or not, my dad actually just left a perfectly running car to rot into oblivion (I'm not mad at him though, because he DID save my Bodhi even when everyone told him not to bother ). What happens to an engine when it sits for 20 years? Is it believable that this car could be started without much ado? Let's just say you walked up to this project and wanted to get it running ... A) What problems would you look for? and B) What things MUST you do before even trying to start it?

I'm not necessarily interested in restoring this car. The rust is horrific and water has been leaking into the dilapidated weather stripping for years (surprisingly, the interior is quite nice, though). My motive is to LEARN about the engine and get a little "real life" experience. I've been reading my diesel maintenence and repair guide for 2 years over and over, so I kind of understand the anatomy, but I just crave a chance to actually get my hands on these parts, and see how they connect, move, function, etc.
Is it reasonable to think I could learn something by playing around under the hood of this old -- and once very functional -- car?

One thing I know is a problem: the muffler is lying on the ground under the car, so at least some of the exhaust system needs, uh, a little work. What other parts will have "expired" in the time the car has been sitting? Again, they all worked when it was parked 20 years ago.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)
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  #2  
Old 01-24-2007, 02:59 PM
diametricalbenz's Avatar
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That is sad that it sat 20 years with no use. Why was it kept for so long?
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  #3  
Old 01-24-2007, 03:07 PM
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Rubber lines would need replacing. Fuel tank and metal lines would need flushing. New battery. Also check for rodent gnawings on the electrical. Replace all filters, drain all oils and fluids. Radiator could be rotted away also as old coolant can be corrosive. Oil oils also can contain acids that can etch metal parts like bearings.

Use a breaker bar and see if you can spin the engine by hand.
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  #4  
Old 01-24-2007, 03:15 PM
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I'd pull the glow plugs and squirt some oil into the cylinders first, they sure as hell have been sitting for a long time to not want to stick to the walls!
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past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350
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  #5  
Old 01-24-2007, 03:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by diametricalbenz View Post
That is sad that it sat 20 years with no use. Why was it kept for so long?
My family is really, really weird. I'm not sure how else to explain it. From what I understand, my mom borrowed it and hooked the bumper on a pole, half tearing it off (she does a lot of that kind of thing). My dad left it at his shop parking lot with the goal of eventually replacing the bumper. By then he already had more than one other car, so this was not really a main driver anymore. Since it wasn't top priority, I guess he just kept putting it off. He had 3 little kids under the age of 10, a wife, and was running his own business, which he had to travel for a lot. Before he knew it, it had been a couple years and all of a sudden fixing the old MB would take more than just a trip to the dealership. I don't really blame him for being too busy ... he was busy being a great dad to me and my sisters. However, the mistake he made is that he should have sold it so someone else could enjoy it and take care of it. But I think he kind of felt attached to it and kept telling himself he was going to do something with it. I guess time just flew, and before he knew it it was too fargone. He feels bad about it ... kind of kicks himself. It's not the first car or other object that's met that fate because of my family's oddness ... however, my parents never neglected us kids (or our cats) for one second, and spared no expense for us, so I can only be so critical.

We also have two diesel suburbans (83 Chevy and 87 GMC) in similar condition ... however, both had major mechanical problems before they were forsaken. Still probably good for parts.
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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)
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  #6  
Old 01-24-2007, 04:29 PM
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I completely understand. It's just something that was always at the bottom of the priority list. I am glad he chose you and your siblings over the car!

I bet with a little oil in the cylinders and letting it sit for awhile, it will fire up again and belch out all that 1987 carbon.
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  #7  
Old 01-24-2007, 06:20 PM
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Whiew! 20 years... yeah, drain the oil, and filter, pull the valve cover and make sure the cam is heavily lubed, I might even pull the rockers and GENTLY carress the lobes with fresh engine oil, polish with some light scotch brite, maybe brown... if the cam is still oily and no rust COOL, however, I bet not... anyway,reassemble the rockers loose if you removed them. Next I would pull the GP's and spray in some PB BLaster and let it soak for a day or more, then spray in some more. pull the Injector lines and if they are dry, drip some diesel in them. again, if still wet, COOL. let the PB do it's nasty with the pan drain out, so any drip through goes out of the engine. after a day of that, put in a tblspoon of Marvel mystery oil in each cylinder and let it soak for a day, then with a crank socket... 27MM I think. GENTLY turn the motor by hand. ( the MMO can still be in there, and you DON"T wanna lock the motor or break a rod...like you could do that with a breaker bar) if it spins over GREAT, if not either let the motor sit for another day, or get a bigger breaker bar... or a cheater on it...I.E. pipe about 3 foot long... carefull, don't break the fan shroud with a slipped cheater... ask how I know. once that is done, put in the drain plug, fill with oil, put all the stuff you removed back in, set the valve lash,and crank her up. I would start with a bottle of fresh fuel hooked to the fuel lines, prime the IP, and go.
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!
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  #8  
Old 01-24-2007, 07:39 PM
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I notice you reside on the east coast. If you are in the rustbelt and I suspect you are start with the cylinder soaks as mentioned. If you get any movement go back and forth very easily until you can turn one revolution. I think your initial soaking period before you get any movement might be quite a bit longer than two days though. The one thing in your favour in our poor outdoor storage climate is generally diesels take a longer time to initially seize up. I think the lesser clearances between the walls and pistons actually help. You want to soak for a period on about a month I think. Too good a chance of breaking or damaging something otherwise. Miracles never cease to amaze me though. It should not be loose now but might be still. I expect some of your valve stems might be rusted causing stuck open valves as well. First things first though.
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  #9  
Old 01-25-2007, 03:25 PM
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Thanks, guys. This sounds like something that might be within my capabilities ... looks like I can spend some of my Christmas money on tools and fluids and have some good cheap fun when the weather breaks a little. Somehow I don't think I'm going to tackle any of this in the next couple days, when it will be 0 degrees and 40 mph winds, or so says the forecast.

Here's what the poor old guy looks like, BTW ... http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=490
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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)
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  #10  
Old 01-25-2007, 04:22 PM
vstech's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987 View Post
Somehow I don't think I'm going to tackle any of this in the next couple days, when it will be 0 degrees and 40 mph winds, or so says the forecast.
Whoof! 0 huh? where on the EC are you? I'm guessing newyork area... have fun learning!
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!
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  #11  
Old 01-25-2007, 09:15 PM
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Location: Phoenix AZ
Posts: 336
As it is a diesel, I think that it will fire right up if you use the oil-in-the-cylinders techniques others have described here.

I fired up a gasser 250S in 1994 after it had been parked for 11 years outdoors, it needed the gas tank boiled out and the dual carbs rebuilt, but I *did* drive it out of its space and down the street without doing either of those things.

Diesel doesn't go bad in the way gasoline does. Sounds like a good candidate to have some fun learning about engines with. Best wishes and let us know the outcome...
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  #12  
Old 01-25-2007, 10:00 PM
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If your engine is good, i.e., not many miles, good compression, etc. I would part the car out, sell the engine, then go to a junk yard and find a scrap Diesel engine to work on. No use ruining a good MB Diesel just for the practice.
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  #13  
Old 12-01-2007, 07:37 PM
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And a year later ...

... I finally got around to playing with this one a little more. I put a 27mm socket on the crank and that sucker turns easily. Nice. Of course, now the weather's to heck again, but it's nice to know I can probably do something with this if we get anymore nice days, or in the spring. Definitely going to need some new belts and lines (the belt that's left is pretty much petrified). Radiator don't look to purty either. But the motor isn't locked up! Just thought I'd offer that random update on the forum's saddest 240D.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)
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