I'm planning a road trip for this summer. I'd like to go to Colorado. Has anyone taken a 1995 E300D over 8,000 feet? Anything in particular I'll need to adjust?

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Jay Kickliter
Chasing 'trons (my thoughts and tutorials on electronics and stuff)


1995 E300D-Black on Black

Your attitude towards top speed going over the passes?

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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

I took my 67hp 240D over those passes.

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

At about 45mph I'm guessing.

Turbocharged Diesels love high altitudes, NA versions.... not so much.

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98 Dodge-Cummins pickup (123k)
13 GLK250 (135k)
06 E320CDI (323K)
16 C300 (62K)
82 300GD Gelaendewagen (54K)

Very good guess. 40-45 mph up the highest roads at around 10,000+ feet above sea level. Not bad for 67hp.

Scott

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Scott
1982 Mercedes 240D, 4 speed, 275,000
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S (70,000)
1987 Porsche 911 Coupe 109,000 (sold)
1998 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel 147,000 (sold)
1985 Mercedes 300D 227,000 (totaled by inattentive driver with no insurance!)
1997 Mercedes E300 Diesel 236,000 (sold)
1995 Ducati 900SS (sold)
1987 VW Jetta GLI 157,000 (sold)
1986 Camaro 125,000 (sold - P.O.S.)
1977 Corvette L82 125,000 (sold)
1965 Pontiac GTO 15,000 restored (sold)

If you look at other parts of the world, there are plenty of locations where Mercede3s diesels are used at high altitudes. Many snow plow tractors in Europe are MB.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Basically there's nothing you can do about the power loss. Running out of air is simply running out of power, without a turbo you're out of luck. The 240d example is to show how it's not that big of a deal. Although the 45mph deal isn't reassuring, I'm sure it's not going to be that bad since you're starting with around 140hp instead of 67.

You might feel a bit differently about that issue when you gaze into your rear view mirror and see a Ford F-350 dually (that has a very effective turbocharger) doing 85+ MPH closing on your 240D that is lumbering along at 40 MPH.

I haven't used a 240D or (even worse) a 220D as a daily driver in many years but I've logged more than a few miles on upgrades on the shoulders with my flashers on doing 40 MPH.

I don't miss those times.....

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98 Dodge-Cummins pickup (123k)
13 GLK250 (135k)
06 E320CDI (323K)
16 C300 (62K)
82 300GD Gelaendewagen (54K)

I'm not concerned about speed, since I'm a slow driver anyway. I'm more worried about smoking. Is that to be expected at high altitude?

__________________
Jay Kickliter
Chasing 'trons (my thoughts and tutorials on electronics and stuff)


1995 E300D-Black on Black

If it's working properly it'll detect the pressure change and reduce the fuel.

Smoking? No. Unless you mean smoking cigs because you are nervous about 18 wheelers running over you.

Just kidding. I drove my '95 E300 over the Rockies last year. And to boot (although I didn't realize it at the time) my linkage was all jacked up so it wasn't downshifting properly. I had to do my own downshifting - the way it shifts now I don't think I would have any trouble climbing those hills. You be fine if everything is in order.

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'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles
'79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold)
'83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer)
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"Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman

I've driven my 240D over the Sierra Nevadas many times. There are two passes over 8,000 ft between Carson and San Diego, and it makes it just fine, as long as 40 mph classifies as fine.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

That's about what my 240D will do at 10K feet, limited by the rpm in 3ed gear. It goes downhill very nicely.

85+ mph is illegal . . .

I also drive a 240D, been over 10,000' with it too. I'd not worry about a car with more power being safe, besides most interstates have a min speed of 40-45mph anyways, which most of them have a LAW that if your driving over the min, that you can not use your flashers.

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82 240D Manual 277K and still rolling!
02 Volvo S60 AWD For Sale

In practice, there is always a line of trucks in the right lane of those mountain highways. With a 240D, you will end up in the right lane with the trucks on the steep grades. In many places there is and extra right lane for slow traffic, it's not a problem unless you're in a hurry.