That would be a good test but you'll need to figure out some way to block the oil feed line.
Don't know if there is an easier way to look into the manifold. 3-4 hrs to remove, look, and reinstall sounds about right to me but I've never done it.
Do a search on turbo seals and see what comes up.

__________________
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

Ok Thanks! I appreciate the second opinion on the time estimate and The search ideas. DMorisson seems to have a good write up on the Turbo seal topic. I'm a little afraid of this job. But that car's not my daily driver, just a fun project. So, I guess I'll just wait for a board day and have some fun. Hopefully I can at least rule this out if it is the turbo leaking the oil.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Apparently, to replace the valve seals is not too hard, but requires a special tool, an "assembly mandrel".

A book I have that talks about buying a Benz claims that the seals on this engine tend to need replacing after 100K or so.

I took it to a mechanic, and asked him, "How much to replace the valve seals adjust the valves?"

"I Choose not to replace the valve seals, but I will adjust the valves for $350."

I interpreted the bit about the valve seals to mean, "I do not know doodly about valve seals on Diesel engines", and the bit about the $350 to mean "I think you are some sort of sucker, and/or I don't know how to do this either, and I wish to make you go away."

Now I think it meant that he didn't have the proper tools to work on Diesels.

I recommend the wrenches ************** sells. The crowfeet on the wrenches are staggered (unlike, I hear, the more expensive Hazet wrenches sold on EBay), which makes using them a lot easier, and he throws in a metric feeler gauge. Dieselgiant's DVD was extremely helpful, as were a couple of people on this Forum.

The job took me about 2 hours. I am sure an experienced mechanic could do it in 30 minutes. The worst part was the 90 degree Miami heat and bending over, which, apparently, I am not used to doing. I have only adjusted valves once before, when I was a teenager.

I haven't done the seals yet. Perhaps someday...

__________________
Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

You don't "need" the assembly mandrel, but, for sure, use the stem thread covers (the clear plastic gizmos in the picture), when installing the seals. They keep the seals from getting nicked by the threads.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Cool, thanks for all the help. I really do still think it's the valves leaking so my job will first be to replace those seals. Doesn't look too hard. Hope it works. Seems like a good engine. Just lots of blue smoke.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Bad valve seals will produce smoke on start up and after a long downhill run but bad valve seals wont produce huge amounts of blue smoke. Not that much oil can get around the valves. If you're getting a lot of blue smoke it seems way more likely to me that the turbo seals are bad.

__________________
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

Have you checked the vacuum pump? I think you have the early pump with the clear/white line going from the pump to the air cleaner. If the vacuum pump diaphragm fails on that model, it sends oil directly into the air filter/intake burning lots of oil.

In fact, now that seems to me to be the most likely cause of your problem.

__________________
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

Ok... I never really even thought of that. If the VP diaphragm was bad wouldn't the Vacuum be close to none? Car wouldn't shut-off brake booster wouldn't work, and I wouldn't have much vacuum at the Booster line if any.

Is that a good assumption? Looking for ideas and things to try to rule out. So far I have two ideas of what it could be. Or maybe three. I checked compression on I think 2 cylinders and it was 405 so I stopped there. I guess other cyls may have bad compression??? But I doubt it since the car runs good with no glow plugs.

Thanks,
Nick

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

I don't think this is necessarily true. There was a recent thread here where someone was having exactly this problem and as I recall, he still had vacuum. Check the line that runs from the pump to the air cleaner and see if there is any oil inside it. I think you could even remove it while the car is running and see if it spits out any oil.

__________________
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

I think on my 617.950 engine the vac pump has only one line and it goes to the Brake booster with little lines here and there that off-shoot from it.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

If that's the case, then you have the newer style pump.

__________________
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

So, my guess is that either the valves are leaking or that the turbo is leaking. I think I've got about 25in/Hg at the pump so I assume it's ok. I don't hear any funny noises either.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Did you ever discover if it was turbo seals?

__________________

1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.

Nope I ended up selling the car to another guy on this forum. My wife hated it. It wreaked of old lady perfume and moth balls, and of course was an ugly car on the interior so I decided to sell it.
No motivation to fix something that I can't drive

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Shoot! Maybe if the other guy is listening in, I'd love to know if that's a leaky turbo seal. Thanks.

__________________

1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.