"Runs Perfectly"

[tallgrass]

Hi:

I bought a 1981 300D (non-turbo) off of eBay, and picked her up last Thursday. I won’t go into details, but “runs perfectly” has a wide range of interpretations…

So, I’m kind of stuck at a friend’s apartment in PA, a four day’s drive from home, with no garage and minimal tools. I’m hoping you might be able to give me some help in seeing if I should put more money into her or cut my losses.

Body seems to be in good condition, windows/radio/sunroof all work, the interior is ok for an old gal whose beauty is clear but a bit faded.

Downside:

5 rotten tires

Oil leaking out of the cap (it stopped when I replaced the cap)

Fuel lines leak (clipped two of them back to solid hose, and they seem ok now)

Air filter full of oil. I’m having a hard time telling if the housing is original for a 1981 300d non-turbo. It has the flat breather hose. Inside there are two vertical tubes: the one connected to the breather and an elbow of the same diameter. The second one swivels and goes into a hole in the side of the gold-metal hub that covers the airway to the engine. The tubes go down through the housing, and don’t sit on the spray-paint-shaped-cup-thing I see in the 1984 300d turbo set-up. There’s also a flexible hose (15-20”) that comes off of the bottom of the housing, but it’s just hanging loose, dripping oil and smoke.

The oil/diesel combination has made a sludge that covers everything.

The brakes are really heavy.

My current plan is to clip back the rest of the diesel lines to solid hose, lift the air filter off with the engine running to try to see where the oil is coming from, give the whole thing a good cleaning, look for the oil leak again, then test the vacuum system for leaks. I’m thinking I should put off the new tires and alignment until I see how much this helps.

Does this sound like a good plan?

That box of coils/springs near the front passenger side has me curious and a bit baffled…

(o;

Thanks!

[TheDon]

dispute it with ebay to have the sellers rank dropped and somehow get your money back


the set of coils on the passenger side fender is a resistor for the blower motor

[winmutt]

Do the tea kettle test first. That much oil could mean its never been changed or that you have an abnormal amount of blowby. How does it run?

And how much did you pay?

[a2t]

No offense, but I still dont believe ppl actually buy cars sight unseen.

Ive been burned more times than I can remember, having thoroughly inspected before buying! Unfortunately, theres a whole lotta shmucks out there...and ebay is there friend.

[vstech]

boy what a mess.
the oil can get there from two sources. blowby from a set of worn rings or bad valve seals or both.
or a bad vacuum pump can dump oil through the clear plastic tube when the diaphram lets go inside the pump.
is the clear line from the vp to the air cleaner full of oil?
if not, start looking at the motor for needs of a rebuild.
Where are you located? maybe a member here is nearby and can lend a hand.

[300GD]

Originally Posted by tallgrass

My current plan is to clip back the rest of the diesel lines to solid hose, lift the air filter off with the engine running to try to see where the oil is coming from, give the whole thing a good cleaning, look for the oil leak again, then test the vacuum system for leaks. I’m thinking I should put off the new tires and alignment until I see how much this helps.

Does this sound like a good plan?

tallgrass,

I too have rolled the ebay dice several times and can identify with your experience! Sorry to hear about your trouble.

I don't think you need to go searching for the source of the oil in the air filter though...that's coming through the breather, from engine blowby and it's not a great sign. How's your oil pressure? How's the power output? I agree you'd want to put off anything like tires & alignment until you resolve these other questions, unless it's an urgent safety issue.

Also try that tea-kettle test that was mentioned.

[kerry]

It's not clear to me why you are stuck. Is there any problem that is inhibiting your ability to drive the car? Can you just add oil and use the existing brakes until you get home? A cheap set of tires could be purchased at Discount tire or someplace like that. Even a used set off Craigslist could get you by.
The hard brakes suggest a failing vacuum pump which might also account for the oil in the air filter.

[tallgrass]

Thanks for your quick help:

Am pursuing solutions with eBay, and trying to work something out with the seller. I knew, of course, that buying unseen has its risks. It might be easier checking out cars in person in areas where they are plentiful...very few '80s diesels come up for sale in MN, from what I've experienced, and the ones that do are pretty rusty. I thought I had hedged my bet by buying from a seller with great feedback, who has a good reputation as a restorer of another make of car, who has many diesel MBs, and who is a member of this forum.

It seems to sound pretty good when it runs...I have gotten used to my 11 year old Ford Ranger, though, so "good" to my ears might be suspect. The power seems ok, too.

Tea kettle test: cap didn't fly off, jiggled less than a pressure cooker weight, but danced vigorously.

I'm in Bethlehem, PA (near Allentown, 1.5 hours n of Philly).

As far as driving it, I guess my main concern is that there is so much oil in the air filter, which isn't filtering much air. Kerry: are you saying that it's fine to drive as is (with better tires)?

tg

[kerry]

Originally Posted by tallgrass

Kerry: are you saying that it's fine to drive as is (with better tires)?

tg

There's typically a lot of oil in the air filter from the breather hose. It's hard to say without pictures or looking at it, but as long as it's not using oil to the tune of 50 miles per qt, I'd probably consider it driveable.

[Hatterasguy]

Replace the air filter, my SD did that, its oil vapor.

All that means is you have a healthy amount of blow by and the air filter hasn't been changed in quite a while. It should drive and operate just fine as is though, as long as the power is good.

[Cervan]

the polls say... drive it

[lietuviai]

Who was the forum member that sold you your "gem"?

[Dana B.]

Originally Posted by lietuviai

Who was the forum member that sold you your "gem"?

Time for a mock trial. Then to banish the sum***** if guilty.

[lietuviai]

That sounds like just a slap on the wrists.

I was perhaps thinking something more appropriate.

[vstech]

are we organizing a good ol' hanging?...