I like your story telling style. Very nice. I didn't enjoy the fact that you had "issues" but I enjoyed hearing about it.
These cars are a constant ice cream headache. Good thing they also have their good qualities......

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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

If you think my post was entertaining, you should have been around this weekend. If someone were just watching and listening to me, it would have been hilarious. The trial and error was off the charts. My wife kept coming out and saying "are you okay?" I would just grunt and she would leave me alone. Even my kids were saying stuff like "why is daddy all greasy?" and "how come dad is so grouchy?" Father of year, I am not. However, I did manage to attend a Labor Day BBQ and another birthday party that weekend, even WITH my greasy elbows, black spot on the back of my head (no idea it was there), and disgusting fingernails. I looked tremendous.

Yes, the headaches are just part of buying these cars, I'm finding. That said, I don't regret it a bit, and I'm just excited to move on to my next project. There's no way I'll tackle as much as I did this weekend again, but baby steps might be a better way to approach repairs.

Cheers.

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1984 300D: 275,000 miles (soon to be for sale)

In search of my 1987 300D in anything but white.

Nail finger brush, appropriately sized wrenches for the oil cooler lines and baby steps.

Think of baby steps as a way to escape from the reality of trying to be the world's greatest father

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I worked OUT on my wife's nail brush - she surprisingly wasn't that excited.

And, yes - the 1-1/16 Craftsman wrench, cut down to about 7" long, made my life very easy.

As far as trying to be the world's greatest father...yeah...not quite there yet.

Thanks Winmutt.

BTW - I want your wheels for the summer, keeping the OE wheels for the winter. Where can I buy them?

__________________
1984 300D: 275,000 miles (soon to be for sale)

In search of my 1987 300D in anything but white.