General info:
1985 300SD turbo. Has the fed emissions, insert joke here, with the oxy/trap. Replaced by dealer in '95. Runs great. New filter/oil/solid exhaust except below problem.

Noticed a loss of power going up hill with a definite sluggishness on my other wise smooth running 617. Temp was fine, oil marker up to '3' and steady at the '2' mark at idle. Checked the engine last night and found/heard an exhaust leak. Found a lot of black soot(exhaust i presume) on the left side of the oxy trap. I'm on the passenger side of the engine(right side), looking at the intake/exhaust/turbo/trap, and the soot looks to be from the underside of the metal cover, covering the trap. Looks to be a heat shield. Soot again is flowing from an outward flow, towards the back of the engine.
Now my question!
How is the trap made? It is a one piece unit which will tell me that the original welds came loose and are bad?
or..
Is there a joint there and under this shield is a gasket that can be replaced?

Noticed that the hood padding, silver material directly over the turbo is falling off and is prob. resting on the turbo. Should i tack it back and is there a chance for a fire?

Drove to work today and it was 'ok' but the power loss is mainly on the steep hills.

Thanks for any help. I've read most of the posts on the straight pipe fix but probably just fix it back to original with as little down time as possible. Girlfriend wants to get rid of her because of costs($3000 tans/$500 tires/etc)

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Rick & Michele in California
1985 300SD Turbo Deisel
300,000+ miles

1963 Mercury Meteor Stationwagon
1959 Montgomery Ward Silver Pigeon Scooter & matching bicycle
1974 IH Scout 4x4

you got a few options.

1) you can buy a new trap... they won't sell the used ones, i tried to buy one for Jeremy, but no luck there is some law about selling used catalytic converters. even though its not a catalytic converter they still won't sell it... bastards.

2) if you are junk yard savvy you can cut the flanges off the trap and get those from the junk yard. then have a bypass pipe welded in place of the trap. that is if you can find a trap in the junk yard.

3) the option i would most likely go with. just get a non-trap set of manifolds. they are easy to find at the junk yard... i might even have a set with the EGR in my garage. this would be the easiest most reliable fix, but if the Smog Nazis of California ever come after your car you might be in a pickle. but so would I... i don't have an EGR. i went and installed manifold off of a 78 SD (no EGR) and a 75 300D (for the intercooler) so I'll be in a pickle as well. if you do go buy a set of manifolds I'd get them of a 78 or 79 SD before the EGR was even on the car... no need to disable it that way. I think I know where there is an older SD in the junk yard. let me know if you want a set of manifolds. because you can ether have mine (with the EGR) or I could possibly pull a set for you.

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Time to replace GF in order to save money for the tranny and tires...

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617CalToFed

Too late. I did the jobs already.


Well, after more searches for the fed/ca swap out, I can see where the cat bolts up. Looks like its leaking from a factory weld. Unfortunately i won't know until disassembly. I can weld it, for a fix because of the girlfriend/time constraint, until a new pipe can be fabricated/conversion is done.


Will not fixing the leak hurt the engine or turbo until I check it out?

__________________
Rick & Michele in California
1985 300SD Turbo Deisel
300,000+ miles

1963 Mercury Meteor Stationwagon
1959 Montgomery Ward Silver Pigeon Scooter & matching bicycle
1974 IH Scout 4x4

If your air and fuel filters and fuel strainer are good, and the lines from the banjo bolt to the ALDA are good, and the turbo switchover valve is good, then your power should be fine.

An exhaust leak should not cause a reduction in power, but a plugged up cat/trap-ox can.

Anyway, just kidding about the GF. My wifie understands the diesel addiction. New addict, since she drives the TDI. She is also glad that I do my own work because of the money it saves. She has finally agreed that all my repair and maintenance costs are still way cheaper than a car payment. Besides, I love old, non computer controlled cars. They tell ya what's wrong, if only you listen. Judging by your stable, I can see you know that as well.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K