Today I purchased an older Merc. Benz 300D Turbo Diesel. It needs some work, but for the price I got, it is well worth it IMO. I won't give the exact price, but I will say it was under 300.00 with free delivery.

What it needs:
New Glow plugs
Has engine knock.

While I was looking at it we started it with ether and it ran ok, but has a squeaking/knocking nose that was pretty loud. I figure it has spun a bearing on the crank or a rod. The previous owner said he hit a bump and knocked a hole in the oil pan, so it ran low on oil. After that it started knocking. It has very low miles (130k) so I'm really hoping it isn't anything major. Everything electric works, and the interior and body were in good shape. Well worth it.

I'm wondering what could be causing the knock? I had assumed a spun bearing, but I have also read about bad injectors causing a knock. A spun rod bearing i think would be easy enough to replace, a spun journal bearing not so much. How hard is it to fix either of these if it is the problem? How about the injectors? I am not bringing it to a mechanic, All work will be done by my dad and I.

How good of a deal do you think i got?

Thanks.

I just took off the oil pan, and there was pieces of metal in it. Not think pieces, but more of a really thin sheet metal type. No big chunks. Me or my dad could think of what it might have been. I have taken pics, the lifter on the far left is from a roto-tiller.

The pics leave a lot to the imagination. I think your engine is probably a doorstop. You won't be rebuilding an OM617 for the price or with the ease of a small block Chevy. IF the body and interior are in good shape, you still may have done OK, but you better be looking for a donor engine.

Rick

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

where are you located? I would think about the engine swap also...

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

The pieces look like bearing material to me. Simply changing bearings is easy enough, even the mains. Unfortunately, once the bearings are wiped out like that the crankshaft is toast.

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1987 W201 190D

So you think this is bearing material? That makes sense i suppose.
The interior is in OK shape, not great but not bad. I'm sure it is probably worth it either way I am hoping. I wonder what may have caused this, it only has 130k on it.

I am located in southwest Missouri. If I really have to, I suppose I will have to replace the whole engine.

It's really going to suck if I can't get it going, this will be my first car it it ever makes it to the road.

What may have caused it???

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I'm not 100% sure on that, I meant what do you guys thing may have caused it.

The previous owner said he hit a bump and knocked a hole in the oil pan, so it ran low on oil.

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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

From your pictures, I too believe as another poster said that it looks like bearing material. Since you have gone this far, I would take a look at the connecting rod bearings and see whats left, same goes for the mains. As far as what caused it, you can take a brand new vehicle, drive it about 4-10 miles with no oil , and it will be toast. The other concern regarding the lack of oil could be the camshafts, pistons, and rings.....depending on how long the engine was run with little or no oil. Good luck.....

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96 E300d

ya. go ahead and pull the motor, pull the pan and inspect the rod bearings... if there is still bearing material in there, you MAY be fine putting new ones in, but I seriously doubt there will be anything but destroyed journals, and rods, and maybe even mains... sorry.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

You may be better off using the old engine for parts, Its still gonna have alot of good parts, probably turbo, IP, Injectors, Vacuum pump, etc.

And on the plus side you should be able to get a used engine for about $500

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1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

Our next plan is going to be wiggling the crank back and forth with a wrench, to see what is loose and knocking. Then we will start the tedious process of pulling the motor.

Thanks for the help.

It sounds to me like you have a parts car and should be on the lookout for a better example........

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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

I don't know what's involved in pulling the pan while the engine is in the car. If you can get the pan off, you can look at every crank journal and decide if it is usable (which I doubt, but you never know). As someone else said, you should also look at the cam and cam bearings. If the crank is OK and the cam is OK, I'd take a shot at the pistons/cylinders being OK, too. You can also see a little bit of the cylinders from underneath, if it's scored really badly you might be able to see that without pulling the head.

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1987 W201 190D