Jim:

I KNEW you couldn't resist!

Probably why I have four cars myself!

Should be in your neighborhood Thursday or Friday.

PEter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

you may want to go by the automotive machine shop and talk to Gary about the rebuilt 220D engine that has been sitting there for awhile now. I imagine you could purchase it from him real cheap.
Let me know if you want their phone number, etc..

__________________
Jim

Picked everything up from the machine shop today.

I have posted prices for anyone that is interested:
a) Magna-flux heads at $15/head, ended up magna-fluxing two heads so this portion came to $30.
b) Valve guide replacement - exhaust valves only 4 at $5.00/each.
c) Plane head - $24.50.
d) Degrease - $30.00
e) Mill block .006" - $58.50
f) Remove/replace cylinder liners and bore to proper size - $34.50/ea.
g) Wrist pin fit - 4 each at $15.00/ea.
h) Magnaflux crankshaft - $20.00.
i) Polish crankshaft - $30.00
j) Valve job - $34.50.

Keep in mind that this is the absolute best shop in the area for this type of work and in all honesty I don't think they really have any competition. It don't get any better than this in my opinion.
These prices do not include any parts.

I was pretty pleased with the way everything came out.
If anyone wants to see any specific photos of any of the assembly process please let me know over the next day or so. The serious cleaning of the block will start this coming Saturday.

__________________
Jim

Don't pull that cylinder head yet! Best way to check condition of engine not running is with a compression gauge---if psi is down to around 200 to 225, engine is probably not going to crank. Next move after compression check would be to check valve adjustment.

__________________
K. Weimer
300SD (1)
300D (5) [Plus 1 parts]
300SEL 4.5 (2)
280SE (4)
280 (2)
250 (1)
250SE (1)
240D (7) [Plus 1 parts]
220D (11) [Plus 3 parts]
200D (2) [Plus 1 parts]
180c (with sunroof)

1995 Nissan UD1800 rollback
"If I can't fix it, it don't get fixed"

Oops! Looks like I posted to the wrong thread.

__________________
K. Weimer
300SD (1)
300D (5) [Plus 1 parts]
300SEL 4.5 (2)
280SE (4)
280 (2)
250 (1)
250SE (1)
240D (7) [Plus 1 parts]
220D (11) [Plus 3 parts]
200D (2) [Plus 1 parts]
180c (with sunroof)

1995 Nissan UD1800 rollback
"If I can't fix it, it don't get fixed"

just like it should run
I did not get all of the rental tools in time for the holiday so this is as far as I will get this weekend. Also, need to pick up a couple miscellaneous o-rings and gaskets. Hopefully I will get the head on this weekend.
For your viewing pleasure:
Ain't it pretty.

__________________
Jim

Everything is on except the oil filter housing and the flywheel. I have to get that on once I get it off of the engine stand. Another weekend and it should be in the car. Everything is going good. I have decided to go ahead and install a new timing chain (had planned on using the original) but figured since I had gone this far ($$) I can't see taking a chance with chain problems. Engine turns over easily with no interferences (valves hitting pistons, pistons hitting pre-chambers, etc..).
Next on the agenda will be going through the brake system, window seals and probably a new front winshield and paint job - then it will be where I want it.

__________________
Jim

Jim:

Sounds like you are making good progress!

How did you 300D do in the snow this week? I hear you got a couple inches -- probably wet and icy, too!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Absolutely no problems in the snow/ice with the 300D - started right up and went without any problems. Based on the way the car started/ran I got the impression that it must snow in Germany too .

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Jim

Look at those shiny cylinder walls!

Say. Your project is coming along so nicely now, I came across something that you might ( ) want to take on as your next project:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=600090112

I say that sorta half joking and then think maybe this really would be a good candidate. The body looks pretty good. If this thing were in the rust belt somewhere, it'd look like swiss cheese by now. In GA its held up well. Must have been kept inside.

We can keep you busy!

Ken300D

LOL - I don't know if the wife can take much more of this type of stuff or not. She seems to be having problems with the "black" oil spots on the driveway. I am considering just painting the driveway black .

I have a crankshaft, block and rods that came from the engine that I purchased for the cylinder head but I don't know if they would go into the 1977 car or not. If it has a broken crank I doubt if the local dealer could get it running for $800. If I am not mistaken the "local" dealer is the same as my "local" dealer (Macon, Ga.). Heck - they may sell them a crank for $800.

I have just come in from moving the engine from the engine stand to the lift. Finished installing the oil filter housing/hoses, rear plate and flywheel. Plans are to drop it in on Saturday. It is supposed to be great weather for something like this. Just think - I am fixing to have a 1983 MB 240D with 119,xxx miles on it and a "new" engine". In reality - I could probably get by for the rest of my life without having to purchase another car. After it is running there is still plenty to do - I am probably going to take a couple of years and make it look/run just like new (new paint, etc).

__________________
Jim

Jim,

Sounds like this will be the "big weekend". Take your time to see that everything is right. Don't get into a big hurry to hear it run.

I'm sure it will come out great. Remember that there is almost always something you will have to iron out after getting it going again, so don't let that discourage you.

Good luck,

Well, see, the strategy is to get a "U-Store-It" storage garage in town to keep the "extra" 240D. Then you shuttle the engine in to work on it. When you paint the 240D you're working on now, paint it yellow to match this other EBay car. Then when you get the second engine ready, you can start bringing the "other" yellow car over for chassis refurbishment.

Hmmm.

After thinking about this, I have a question: What would make a 240D crankshaft break? Surely not popping the clutch? Maybe poor maintenance like not changing the oil? Or having any oil?



Ken300D

My brother broke the crank in his 75 300D, but it wasn't his fault (other than not fixing it soon enough!). Unknown previous owner had a rebuild done, and the builder used orange silicon sealant on the oil filter housing. A chunk of squeezeout broke free and ran down the pressure supply passage to the thrust bearing (#2 or #3 main, I don't remember), starving it of oil. The main bearing spun in the block, thumping like crazy after we got the 50 weight oil out of it .

The spinning main bearing cut off the oil supply to the #2 cranpin, which caused the journal to scratch at the radius -- the end result was a classic radius failure fatigue crack from the inside edge of the crankpin fournal to the outside of the crank. It was broken for some time on one side before the other side went -- blew out the sides of the upper pan, chewed up the #2 piston and rod (rod stayed bolted up to the cap!), and broke the cam towers. Put a small dent in the block, but if it bearing hadn't spun and chewed up the thrust bearing seat, the block would still be usuable!

This is the only broken crank on an engine full of oil my mechanic has seen in 40 years. You really have to work at breaking an MB crank. You can wear them out running out of oil, but breaking them is rare.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I've also seen a couple of catastrophic failures caused by using too much silicone. I just replaced the gasket for the oil filter cannister to block and used grease to hold the gasket in place and soften it a bit to fit the mating surfaces. I found a thick gasket with a slight waffle pattern from a local independent M-B repair shop. The old gasket was one of those paper-thin ones. I can't believe M-B would use a paper-thin gasket for this application. If your new gasket is the thin type, I would urge you to find the thicker one. I believe the thicker gasket will seal better and last longer. Also, I checked to make sure the thicker gasket would not affect oil pressure and oil flow before using it.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Tom

__________________
America: Land of the Free!

1977 300D: 300,000+ miles

American Honda: Factory Trained Technician & Honor Grad.
Formerly:
Shop Foreman;
Technical Advisor to Am. Honda;
Supervisor of Maintenance largest tree care co. in US for offices in Tex.