97 E300D vs. 96 E300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

briandownunda · #1 06-25-2009, 03:07 PM

I have owned a '96 E300D for several years & just recently stumbled on a great deal on a '97 E300D and bought it. I noticed right away that the '97 has much better performance the the '96.

The '96 runs well, very smoothly, and gets 30MPG around town & ~37+ MPG on the highway, however, it is dog slow compared to the '97....I mean the difference is like night and day.

Both have about the same number of miles on them, neither smokes excessively or uses oil.

Oh, one other difference, the '96 turns over much more slowly than the '97 and always has....it starts fine but turns over so slowly it seems like it might not. The battery checks out just fine.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Brian

KarTek · #2 06-25-2009, 03:43 PM

Since you're "downunda", are you in OZ? Is your '97 a turbo by chance? I know here the '97's got the 5 speed tranny so that may account for some of the quickness...

briandownunda · #3 06-25-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarTek

Since you're "downunda", are you in OZ? Is your '97 a turbo by chance? I know here the '97's got the 5 speed tranny so that may account for some of the quickness...

Actually I was in "OZ" when I got the email, no longer though, in gool ol North Carolina.

I agree that the 5sp auto makes a difference, though, the acceleration difference seems leaps and bounds better....just trying to understand why.

Any folks out there, is your '96 slow as a dog, perhaps there is something wrong with mine ?

spock505 · #4 06-25-2009, 05:11 PM

The '97 if it's the same as the W210 over here has the OM606 turbo multi valve engine - for a while it was claimed to be the fasted diesel in the world or at least the estate was

Benz Blaster

DieselAddict · #5 06-25-2009, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briandownunda

Actually I was in "OZ" when I got the email, no longer though, in gool ol North Carolina.

I agree that the 5sp auto makes a difference, though, the acceleration difference seems leaps and bounds better....just trying to understand why.

Any folks out there, is your '96 slow as a dog, perhaps there is something wrong with mine ?

Does it seem like your '96 up-shifts very early compared to the '97? That could be why. On the '96 you can adjust the cable that controls this (right in front of the brake fluid reservoir). More tension will result in delayed up-shifts and less resistant down-shifts. I have mine set all the way to max, and it's better than it was originally, but I wish I could go further as the transmission is still not as responsive as I'd like to have it. I've never driven a '97 so I can't say my '96 is a dog in comparison but I know it's a dog compared to the 98+ turbo models.

DieselAddict · #6 06-25-2009, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spock505

The '97 if it's the same as the W210 over here has the OM606 turbo multi valve engine - for a while it was claimed to be the fasted diesel in the world or at least the estate was

Benz Blaster

The '97 model that made it to the US was a non-turbo. Starting with the '98 model they were turbocharged. I think all our Benzes were at least a year late compared to what Europe got.

spock505 · #7 06-25-2009, 06:08 PM

Ahh..fair enough, i did think the question was a bit too easy -

TMAllison · #8 06-26-2009, 01:37 AM

Never driven a 97 but did test drive a 96 on the "Hills of SF".....thought I was going to have to get out and help push to get it up to the top of the first hill where the guy lived.

Spun a U turn as soon as I could, parked it and started shopping for a turbo.

Skid Row Joe · #9 06-26-2009, 01:53 AM

I test drove a new '96 E300 at a Mercedes-Benz dealership, in '96. It ran fine to me. Much faster than the ugly, doggy '95 E300 junkers. Ha-ha!

I have never heard of one bit of difference between the '96es, and the '97 E300s.

KarTek · #10 06-26-2009, 08:02 AM

My friend's '97 was respectable but it really wound up tight - 5000 RPM at each full throttle shift. It needed it too as there was surprisingly nothing in the lower RPM ranges.

Is your car shifting at 5K @ full throttle? Is all of the slack out of the throttle cable? The throttle on the '98 had about 1/2" of slack in it making it seem slow to respond. It felt much snappier with that dialed out.

DieselAddict · #11 06-26-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMAllison

Never driven a 97 but did test drive a 96 on the "Hills of SF".....thought I was going to have to get out and help push to get it up to the top of the first hill where the guy lived.

Spun a U turn as soon as I could, parked it and started shopping for a turbo.

Those hills in SF are nasty. I don't even want to imagine driving a 240D there with a cold engine.

klaus kallas · #12 06-26-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

I test drove a new '96 E300 at a Mercedes-Benz dealership, in '96. It ran fine to me. Much faster than the ugly, doggy '95 E300 junkers. Ha-ha!

I have never heard of one bit of difference between the '96es, and the '97 E300s.

I agree, didn't think there was any difference, except the power antenna on the '96. Maybe that extra bit of wind resistance is slowing it down

! That, or the EGR is still connected and the whole intake is filled with sludge. Mine was like night and day when I cleaned it out at 140K.

DieselAddict · #13 06-26-2009, 09:15 PM

The tranny is the biggest difference. '96 has the old, vacuum-controlled 4-speed auto while the '97 has the newer, electronic 5-speed auto. That certainly could make some difference in acceleration, but I don't think it would be a day and night difference if everything works correctly.

briandownunda · #14 06-26-2009, 11:23 PM

any tips on how to disconnect the EGR valve ?

Jeremy5848 · #15 06-26-2009, 11:29 PM

All you have to do is to block either the input from the exhaust manifold or the output into the intake pipe (or both). You can't disconnect either the vacuum line or the electrical connections to the EGR valve because the computer will complain. Up to and including 1997, however, the computer doesn't know whether there is anything actually going through the EGR valve. To block the output, simply copy the existing metal gasket but leave out the hole in the middle, make it a solid piece of metal. It will look original but do nothing.

What kind of ignition switch/key does the '97 have? Does it have a metal key like the '96 or an electronic key like the later models?