How Has Your High-Mileage Diesel Stranded You?
 

I have a 1983 240D with almost 250,000 miles on it and the engine seems to be in fine running order. It doesn't consume any oil, which quite surprises me, and has not, to my knowledge, been rebuilt. I'm the third owner. I have been driving it for almost a year with no trouble, mostly suburban driving, but I've taken a few 4-hour trips to VT and ME. I have had the splines on the output shaft of my transmission fail, luckily I was close to home. I'm looking for trouble other people have run into to see if I can maybe avoid them.

The 50,000 mile drivetrain in my SDL stranded me when the turbo blew up, though I think that was an exhaust shop's fault, not the car.

My ECOdiesel never left me stranded for the 30,000 miles I drove it. My TDI has never left me stranded for the 100,000 miles I've driven it.

-J

Pedal rod linkage to my injector pump on my previous MB diesel came undone when the clip popped out. I was on the highway and couldnt get it above 20mph. I exited and parked the car in a coffee shop lot. the shop was about to close so i asked to borrow a flash light. despite the flash light blinking on and off from low batteries i found the problem and fixed it with a few garbage bage ties and a string. drove home at 65mph 10 minutes later.

My dad's SD left him stranded when the alternator locked up its bearings and then the belts started to smoke. It was only 8 miles from home so we lassoed his SD up to mine and I pulled it home. :D

Mine has never really left me stranded....I had my voltage regulator die on a long trip to/from Florida (over 2,600 miles)....I was able to keep driving until it got dark, then I called 18004Mercedes....and a nice tech came out and supplied me with a new battery. I think stopping the engine and banging on the voltage regulator re-seated it, because it was fine for another 5,000 miles after that....then it died again locally so I swapped out the whole alternator. Now I inspect my voltage regulators from time to time. Other than that....6 years and 71,000+ miles with no issue.....and I've made many long trips....several over 1000 miles round trip.

Had I inspected my voltage regulator before I left for Florida I'd have seen how worn down it was, and replaced it ahead of time.

I bought my 190D with around 170k miles. The p.o. hadn't maintained it well in recent years and it was running poorly, idling very roughly. One day I was about 10 miles from home and the alternator pulley came off, with the belt. Belt was destroyed, but fortunately the noise capsule kept the pulley, washer, and nut for me. I've speculated that the really rough idle caused enough torsional vibration to loosen the alternator pulley. Anyway, I had fixed the idle prior, and after putting a new belt on (and tightening the pulley), it's been fine since. (Until the alternator itself went, but that was like two years later.)

My 300SD ignition lock decided to jam on me while i was filling up diesel, took me 1 week to drill out that lock but only seconds to place it in and start it up...

My car has always gotten me to work or back home. AAA had to take my car home from work once though.

When I don't meddle with it, it doesn't fail.
When I meddle with it, we have problems.

Other than that, I've had a voltage regulator wear out(along with alternator bearings) AL129X dropped right in though :)

My Dad's RF Rotor/Spindle seized on him once on his '85 123 Turbo. He had driven 700 miles before it froze. I got him one at a junk yard and he went on his way home.

Lack of grease I suppose in wheel bearing.

My E300D left me stranded 1/2 mile from work one freezing December evening. Drained the battery trying to get it re-started, then the recorvery truck's jumper played up and being on a main road couldn't park alongside to jump me from the main battery. Not the best night I've ever had to be honest.
Was my own fault, had forgotten to replace the o-ring on the pre-filter and paid the price... always seems the tiniest thing on these cars causes the most trouble!

Most of these problems seem to be with the alternator, yes? I've heard the old cars can run without an electrical system, is that true? I also don't have turbo so I don't have to worry about that. No ones ever had a piston just like fall out or anything like that? I'm mostly affraid of mechanical problems.

Once it is started you don't need electricity. As long as you are doing all of the proper maintenance there are darn few things that can actually strand you that can't be easily fixed with basic tools, some duck tape, and hanger wire to at least get you home/to a repair shop.

I've had a loose connection on a fuel line cause an air leak which limited power to 10% and make starting very difficult. It took half an hour to figure out what was happening but after tightening the clamp it proceeded to run like a champ.

Just keep up the basic maintenance. Now getting a new purchase into proper condition can take a LOT of work and money if the PO was an idiot and didn't do the recommended repairs. But once you get bast that hump it is very dependable.

Heck, that fact that they've made it this far should tell you something.

What is a high mileage MBZ diesel? I was told 300K is just broken in. All mine are 300K+ and have not let me down mechanically, except clog filters.

none of my mercedes have ever left me stranded...yet

Actually stranded twice......Starter (actually bendix) died...... both times, both cars........

Otherwise, limped home once when the fuel tank screen clogged, but I should have seen that coming.

Daughter ran out of fuel, but in my book that does not count :D

Total miles between the two cars by me is about 75K.....not bad