1984 300sd engine shake

[E150GT]

My brother has an 84 300sd and I might buy it from him for real cheap. $400 cheap. It has real bad paint and bad wood trim, but I have the trim so paint is pretty much the only thing cosmetically too bad with it. The thing I noticed is that the engine shakes violently when it starts up cold. Is there a surefire cause for this or is there a million things wrong that could cause that?
It also has an oil leak somewhere that shoots oil when started. Are there seals all over that engine that could shoot oil or could that pretty much be the oil cooler lines? I dont know too much about these diesels as I owned one only for three months or so in 2006 and then it got totalled.

[Sev]

the shakes could be caused by motor mounts, and even air cleaner mounts.

[E150GT]

Originally Posted by Sev

the shakes could be caused by motor mounts, and even air cleaner mounts.

Really? It only does it cold and then smooths out.

[tbomachines]

Shaking is probably the motor mounts. An air cleaner mount wouldn't make the entire engine shake....Most the time the engine will smooth out when it warms up, if it is due for a valve adjustment, this will be even more pronounced.

Oil could be coming from anywhere, I would be extremely cautious driving it anywhere with that description. Common culprits are the oil cooler lines and the turbo oil line seals.

[E150GT]

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Shaking is probably the motor mounts. An air cleaner mount wouldn't make the entire engine shake....Most the time the engine will smooth out when it warms up, if it is due for a valve adjustment, this will be even more pronounced.
Oil could be coming from anywhere, I would be extremely cautious driving it anywhere with that description. Common culprits are the oil cooler lines and the turbo oil line seals.

I will look into the turbo seals and get it to my mechanic for a valve adjustment. The car has not been driven since we discovered the leak

[Ian White]

Could be one bad glow plug not pre heating a single cylinder, then once it has ran a second the last cylinder picks up and smoothes out the idling. These engines will run on 4 cylinders but it will shake pretty good. They will not run on three. (in my experience)

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[E150GT]

Originally Posted by Ian White

Could be one bad glow plug not pre heating a single cylinder, then once it has ran a second the last cylinder picks up and smoothes out the idling. These engines will run on 4 cylinders but it will shake pretty good. They will not run on three. (in my experience)

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mmmm. Looks like I got some work cut out for me. Shoulda got a gasser

[Diesel911]

I second checking the Glow plugs. You can easily do a check of the Glow Pugs before you buy the Car. Go tot he Diesel Giant web site he has how to do pics.

You need to be more specific concerning the Squirting Oil Leak. Depending on where it is squirting from it may or may not be somethin serious.
By serious I mean as example; a squirting Oil Cooler Hose could easily become a bigger leak while drivning and ruin your Engine.

[E150GT]

cars been bought, just gotta look into it before i move it. i will look at it today. Going diesel is gonna be a whole different can of worms.