Due to my plaguing indecisiveness I need some advice or suggestions...

I have a euro-spec 1982 240TD. 250,000 miles on the clock and a 616 that burns a quart of oil every couple hundred miles. Other than the excessive blowby and a couple other little annoyances, I think that the engine still puts out a decent amount of power, although I'm sure it could be better.

The car needs some attention here and there... some cleaning up and going through before it could be a real pleasure to own and drive, or sell. Right now it's not living up to its full potential. When I bought it, I didn't realize the rate at which it was going through oil. It kind of snuck up on me. I've tooled with the idea of sticking in a 617 turbo mated to a 5-speed (although I haven't researched what kind of tranny is available for the swap) for the increased power, but wondered if it would be sacrilege to do away with the 616 - plus I appreciate the simplicity and the economy and the uncluttered engine bay with the 4 cyl.

Anyway, being that the cost of a 616 rebuild is far beyond what I want to spend at this point on the car, I found someone in town selling a supposed rebuilt 1975 "616.916" with about a 1000 miles on the rebuild and "works perfectly". Complete engine for $500, maybe less if negotiable.

What do you guys think?

Does your 616 have an SLS pump attached to the head? If so, you'll need a replacement 616 with an SLS pump which would be near impossible to find in the US. Easier but not necessarily easy to find a 617 with SLS pump.

Sixto
87 300D

Is the SLS pump for the leveling suspension on the NAS wagons (self leveling suspension???)? If so, I don't have it - just an ordinary 616. My wagon has normal coils (no leveling unit). The engine is bare-bones (no cruise, no a/c).

excuse my inexperience!

Here is the reality of that idea. Its one of three things:
1- Its not rebuilt. The seller is lying and selling a used engine that he cleaned up.
2- It has problems. People don't just spend $4000 to rebuild an engine, yank it out after a few months and sell it for 90% off.
3- It was a VERY cheap rebuild. A ring swap and valve job "rebuild".

Its easy for people to claim a used engine is "rebuilt" with "only xx,000 miles on it". That way it can look grimy and still pass as rebuilt to the untrained eye.

Forget replacing it for a while.
At 250k miles, the valve stem seals are toast. Get those replaced and I bet your consumption will go down significantly.

A genuine 240TD in the USA is a very rare sight. It would be a shame to make it into a run of the mill 300TD.

It is indeed a rare bird but probably will never be worth as much as a three hundred td anyway.

If mine I probably would do what ever works best for myself, and swapping in a three hundred turbo or non turbo would make it more usable.

If you decide to go that way its best to start with a complete good running parts car with cosmetic issues.

The engine you are looking at may warrent some closer inspection, like a compression test or get it started and listen to it run.

Forced's thoughts are good thoughts but the engine still could be a good deal.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I believe the 616 you are considering is out of a 115 chassis. I think the engine is different than yours. The oil filter housing and possibly some other features are different. I'm not sure that engine will fit a 123 chassis.
Have you checked to make sure you are not just leaking oil or sucking it into the engine via a failed vacuum pump diaphragm?

__________________
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

This is a tangent but I thought all 123 wagons originally came with SLS. Does the Russian club site show SLS was delivered with your VIN?

FI, when replacing 616 valve stem seals, do you have to hold up the valve with compressed air or do they drop all of a millionth of an inch to the piston crown?

Sixto
87 300D

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

FI: I definitely see your real concerns. I wouldn't ever buy an engine without a thorough inspection, documents to back it up, etc... and would be VERY hesitant handing over cash for a motor that I could not hear run. A deal like this seems to good to be true. After requesting more info, I have yet to hear about the history/details of the rebuild and why it's now available after 1000 miles. I felt good about the 616 I found for my Rover conversion. I watched it run while in the wrecked car - bought the whole wreck and pulled the engine.

Also good to know about the differences between the W115 and W123 variations. I didn't realize that they'd be substantial enough to interfere in a swap.

Can someone mention what SLS is? I'm assuming its the self-leveling that the wagons have. If so, mine does not have it. It's a grey market euro '82 that seems relatively unmolested for the most part. The 616 that's in it seems no different than the 616 I pulled out of an '82 sedan for my Rover for as much as i've been over them. I haven't compared them side by side too closely though.

I hear everyones cries about keeping the 240TD 'true'. Being into vintage Rovers, I can appreciate a good purest vehicle. I've also come to appreciate beneficial mods/upgrades too. This is a hard one. I'd appreciate the additional power of a 617 turbo and am willing to do the work for a turbo 617 in front of a manual (I'm sure I'd be calling on BGKast for suggestions!). However, it is a rare vehicle rattling around and I love the better fuel economy of the 4cyl.

Also *VERY encouraging to hear about the potential valve stem seals and/or vacuum pump diaphragm issues. I'll look into those - without doing a search quite yet, are they things I can do myself as a fairly competent mechanic?

Set the cylinder of the seals being changed to TDC and they won't drop much at all. Triple check to make darn sure its at TDC or you'll be pulling the head to retrieve a valve.
If you are good enough to do an engine swap yourself, stem seals shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. Document 05-270.pdf on the service CD. ( http://members.cox.net/lnewcomb99/Documents/05-270.pdf )

ewmROVER, put your VIN into this site and let us know what it says.
http://old.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/?lng=eng