thanks for the nice comments. it really was a great drive home, lots of weird weather, almost no traffic, and killer scenery.

i have a couple of repair receipts in the glove box...the most recent from 1993 for tires (that i promptly replaced in Susanville) at 81k miles. same tires for 14 years so i trust the 91k miles. the seats are in A+ condition as are the pedal rubbers. so, definitely no comprehensive maintenance history, but still enough to validate the 5 digit odo.

Jim B. how did you verify the plates? it was cool to hear that because the guy who sold it to me mentioned that the car had been in redding its whole life. he bought it from one of his pals' father's widow (sounded pretty vague to me but whatever).

anyway, i have ordered some parts from ************** which will arrive on tues. but i'm going to spend a good amount of today with the polish, wax, and other detail products to get her shined up.

cheers!

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1966 200D Fintail. "Flossie" 151k Dying a slow death.
2008 ML320 CDI 32k "Waiting for a name"

So what does this engine use to return excess fuel from the injectors back to the tank?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

metal lines I believe.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I've visited the forums at least 3 times today JUST to look at this car again. Post some shined-up pics!
What are the color codes on it?

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1979 300TD wagon (non-turbo)
266,000+

"So what does this engine use to return excess fuel from the injectors back to the tank?"

Yes those engines used a metal line that runs from one injector to the next, where a sort of banjo fitting encircles each injector. Very neat and clean and never needs to be replaced. In fact when the job came up on the 123, I wondered why I had never been faced with this task before. Since it had been a number of years since the 220D had been driven, I had to lift the hood to remind myself. Sadly just another cost saving move that was not an improvement!!

There is a short rubber line that connects all of the special work to the line going back to the tank, but this is just regular fuel line.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Thats a nice dirt road. I bet the car took it wonderfully. I love those old 114's but they might be too slow for me. I especially love the pre-73's with the small bumpers and better tail lights. Enjoy it.

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-Zack K.

http://www.maj.com/gallery/Boardmong...-Drive/si2.jpg


1983 300d Turbo (Daily Drive) -- 243,000 miles
1979 280ce AMG (Beginning extreme restoration) -- 141,410 miles
1979 Yamaha Chappy LB50 (Awating new points) -- 1411.6 miles

1981 300d Euro 4 speed -- 188,421 km -- SOLD
1979 300d Euro 4 speed (Sold to Brother) -- 257,000 miles

A Collection of w123 AMG Cars and Parts

What a nice diesel you have there! I just love the look of the dash on those cars. The column shifter is a nice bullet point also.
Do these cars have AC? If so, is your's working?
Will enjoy the shined up photos. The first ones don't look bad at all....

**went back and re-read. "working AC". Nice! What a deal you got.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I didn't know the cost-saving measures started so early. Still the W123 fuel system isn't anywhere near as bad as the one in the OM606 engine when it comes to the sheer amount of plastic and rubber. Of course the OM606 fuel system does more, like preheat the fuel, but it's built incredibly cheap.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

these look like the normal braided return lines. perhaps the metal ones failed at some point? if the metal ones are so much better, what reason would a mechanic/shop have to put the braided ones on instead?

you might also notice the idle adjust mechanism is missing and the cable detached. i've PM'd some folks in search of this part...anyone else have one?

it's raining buckets in new castle today, else i would have posted some shots of the car after polishing the paint and waxing with zymol. the paint looks even better.

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1966 200D Fintail. "Flossie" 151k Dying a slow death.
2008 ML320 CDI 32k "Waiting for a name"

I have a buddy in Atlanta that bought a 1975 300D new. He still has it and it is still being driven daily. I think he said he had to put a valve job into it a 250K. Last time I talked to him it had 400K.

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Hmm, so where are those metal return lines?? I've never seen anything like that. Does anyone have a picture? Personally I don't even know how metal return lines could work, since the injectors are screwed in and the return nipples end up in arbitrary positions, necessitating the use of an adjustable liquid transfer medium such as a rubber hose.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

The OM61x engines never had metal return lines. I believe the older W120/W121 Pontoon's and W110 Fintails with the 1.8L ,1.9L and 2.0L OM636 and OM621 were the last to use metal return lines.

Here is a marine OM636.

Ahh! Now that's what I call Intelligent Design.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

I have a question, could I transfer the front sheetmetal off a car of that era an would it bolt up to my 83 300td? I need a new cowl, right fender, and hood and I like the earlier styling better.

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1983 300TD - resto project
Wanting Volvo 142/242 and a Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Nope, you need to get it from a W123.