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  #1  
Old 02-09-2010, 11:05 PM
konstan's Avatar
curio and relic
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 370
Just brought home a new 1982 240D

While I am working on the 300D, I wanted a diesel Merc to drive.

So this weekend I brought home this 240D. All it needed is a hood star and some moulding on the doors, a headlight fixed and the dash lights.

Will post pics once I get the moulding and the star installed...

On the way home (40mi) tranny was shifting 'funny', flaring, etc.

So, I finally get around to play with the new car. Got the dash lights working (can't have no dash lights, right?) and then I thought I'd look at the tranny. It was missing about 2 qts of fluid. Added to proper level -- what a difference!

Hence the question: is it likely that I (or the p.o.) did any permanent damage by driving it 2 qts low?

And question #2. It definitely does not like to start in cold weather (12F) unless it has been plugged in for a while (it does have a block heater). SO the question is - do I / can I leave it plugged in overnight? Will it boil out the coolant if I do?

Thanks y'all!

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'82 300D (project)
'46 Willys (project)
"Nothing seems to be the way it should in this garage." -jt20
"Smarter than an engine, dumber than a hoodlatch..." -jt20
"Start jumping up and down to smoosh down those engine mounts" -DeliveryValve
"no" -kerry
"At this rate, you may have it done by winter" -layback40
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  #2  
Old 02-09-2010, 11:26 PM
konstan's Avatar
curio and relic
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 370
Oh yea, and the glow plug yellow light lights up for much shorter time then in its big brother 300D in my garage... so maybe the plugs are not getting hot enough?
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'82 300D (project)
'46 Willys (project)
"Nothing seems to be the way it should in this garage." -jt20
"Smarter than an engine, dumber than a hoodlatch..." -jt20
"Start jumping up and down to smoosh down those engine mounts" -DeliveryValve
"no" -kerry
"At this rate, you may have it done by winter" -layback40
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  #3  
Old 02-09-2010, 11:30 PM
Ian White's Avatar
machinemanjr
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Spokane, Washington
Posts: 728
You probably have a glow plug or two out. As for leaving it plugged in, no you will not boil over the coolant. The heating elements in the block heaters only produce enough heat to keep the cooling system at around 120 deg F.

Cheers!
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Ian White

1995 E300 Diesel w124 OM606
2014 E550 w212 M278 biturbo

2001 BMW 740i E38 M62 (past)
1981 300SD w126 OM617 (past)
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  #4  
Old 02-09-2010, 11:39 PM
layback40's Avatar
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Victoria Australia - down under!!
Posts: 4,023
you are getting a bit of a collection !!!

There have been several posts on here about block heaters, many appear to leave on over night. If it was me, I would get one of those cheap plug in timers, & set it to turn on for several hours before I was due to start the car. Thats more me trying to save power though.

Its hard to say about your tranny, If when you refiled it, it was fine, you are probably lucky. just enjoy the drive there isnt much you can do now if there has been a bit of ware on the clutch packs from flairing too much. Is there a fluid leak that you can see?

I would be doing a valve adjustment soon. Its probably the single most overlooked job that needs to be done.

How is the other car going?
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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
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  #5  
Old 02-10-2010, 08:37 AM
konstan's Avatar
curio and relic
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 370
The other car is waiting for a spacer from the dealer that will put the bushing in the right place on the intermediate shaft AND align the oil holes in the bushing and in the shaft correctly.

That should also eliminate the play.

After that, the head...
__________________

'82 300D (project)
'46 Willys (project)
"Nothing seems to be the way it should in this garage." -jt20
"Smarter than an engine, dumber than a hoodlatch..." -jt20
"Start jumping up and down to smoosh down those engine mounts" -DeliveryValve
"no" -kerry
"At this rate, you may have it done by winter" -layback40
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  #6  
Old 02-10-2010, 09:05 AM
Accruing prurient interes
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Vilas, NC
Posts: 62
Quote:
Originally Posted by layback40 View Post
There have been several posts on here about block heaters, many appear to leave on over night.

I'm with you on saving power but at work where our snowcats have to be ready I've left block heaters plugged in for a couple consecutive days on OM924, OM926, OM906, and some old VM 4cyl motor to no ill effect. Have definitely had my 617 plugged up over night as well and no problems. Other than the unnecessary power usage, which I'll agree is less than desirable.
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  #7  
Old 02-10-2010, 09:21 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posts: 6,510
Sounds like you aquired a 240d with the usual smaller maintenance items ignored.

Try to establish where the two quarts leaked out of the tranny. The cooling lines are always a good place to start. Although having to add a little transmission fluid from time to time is not the end of the world.

With a little good fortune checking the glow plugs for good function. Combined with a valve adjustment as already mentioned may make a world of difference.

As with almost all the used two forties I have seen. Check that the linkage to the pump has full travel before complaining that people on bicycles are passing you.
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  #8  
Old 02-10-2010, 09:24 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix Arizona. Ex Durban R.S.A.
Posts: 6,104
Lucky man. Wish I could write a post with your subject line.

- Peter.
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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S
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  #9  
Old 02-10-2010, 09:28 AM
snookwhaler's Avatar
Linesider
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Posts: 1,417
Good for you!

Gotta love those old 240's!
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1985 300D (SOLD)

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  #10  
Old 02-10-2010, 09:49 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snookwhaler View Post
Good for you!

Gotta love those old 240's!
You are right and soon enough there may be few available. It appears the standard transmission models are already getting scarce. It does not seem very long ago that many examples for sale where around.
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  #11  
Old 02-10-2010, 10:29 AM
konstan's Avatar
curio and relic
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 370
I know I may incur some wrath for saying this, but: around here where I live, these 123s are rather rare. If I see one for sale that I can afford (less than about $1k), I buy it, as was in both my cases, sight unseen.


If I pull up a CL page in, for example, CHICAGO, and search for a diesel mercedes, there's lots of them.

Here in Omaha, you can search and search and - nothing, for weeks.
__________________

'82 300D (project)
'46 Willys (project)
"Nothing seems to be the way it should in this garage." -jt20
"Smarter than an engine, dumber than a hoodlatch..." -jt20
"Start jumping up and down to smoosh down those engine mounts" -DeliveryValve
"no" -kerry
"At this rate, you may have it done by winter" -layback40

Last edited by konstan; 02-10-2010 at 11:23 AM.
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  #12  
Old 02-10-2010, 11:43 AM
toomany MBZ's Avatar
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Location: central Va
Posts: 7,820
Adjust the valves and check your glow plugs for the starting issue.
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84 CD
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  #13  
Old 02-10-2010, 12:40 PM
vwnate1's Avatar
Diesel Dandy
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sunny So. Cal. !
Posts: 7,717
Thumbs up Those 240D's !

They're terrific cars *if* you can restrain your self from buzzing them to death .

All those manual tranny ones in So. Cal. got ruined by college kids who never changed the oil and floated the valves on each and every up shift....

Our clean 1982 240D slushbox is the long distance tourer we use to haul 3 Foster boys out of state , on holidays etc. it always gets 32 ~ 36 MPG's on the open road ,fully loaded and the AC on . I never exceed 65 MPH , period .

Congrats on your new car ! .
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1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

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  #14  
Old 02-10-2010, 12:58 PM
Skid Row Joe's Avatar
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Location: #KeepingAmericaGreat!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by konstan View Post
While I am working on the 300D, I wanted a diesel Merc to drive.

So this weekend I brought home this 240D. All it needed is a hood star and some moulding on the doors, a headlight fixed and the dash lights.

Will post pics once I get the moulding and the star installed...Please do!

On the way home (40mi) tranny was shifting 'funny', flaring, etc.

So, I finally get around to play with the new car. Got the dash lights working (can't have no dash lights, right?) and then I thought I'd look at the tranny. It was missing about 2 qts of fluid. Added to proper level -- what a difference!

Hence the question: is it likely that I (or the p.o.) did any permanent damage by driving it 2 qts low? Since it's driving well now......don't fix it!

And question #2. It definitely does not like to start in cold weather (12F) unless it has been plugged in for a while (it does have a block heater).How does the battery crank? SO the question is - do I / can I leave it plugged in overnight?Yes. Will it boil out the coolant if I do?No.

Thanks y'all!
You're welcome.
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  #15  
Old 02-10-2010, 01:03 PM
Skid Row Joe's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by konstan View Post
I know I may incur some wrath for saying this, but: around here where I live, these 123s are rather rare. If I see one for sale that I can afford (less than about $1k), I buy it, as was in both my cases, sight unseen. If it's been in Nebraska, it's got rust on it. Ask me how I know.......read below -


If I pull up a CL page in, for example, CHICAGO, and search for a diesel mercedes, there's lots of them.

Here in Omaha, you can search and search and - nothing, for weeks.
Our family owned 3 MB diesels while we lived in Omaha 1)220D and 2) 240Ds - All 3 bought brand new, and all 3 rusted-out. The last 240D, a '77 went to MB diesel rust heaven - after 300K miles of service in Nebraska + Iowa salt/chemicals. Too bad, because the engine was still in great condition for it's miles. The previous 2) went to fruitcake-land out on the west coast where they garnered big bucks + were in high demand at the time.


We could never deal with old man Morton in the '50s-'60s when he owned the MB franchise in Omaha. I remember the old coot when my Dad took me with him while shopping for an MB when I was a boy. We bought all of 'em from Grand Island Chrysler - Mercedes-Benz in GI, Nebraska. I bought my '99 E300TD from Premier Motors - the predecessor of MB of Omaha. After Ol' Smiley Jim Earp sold the MB franchise back to MBUSA for a small fortune at the time. You are correct - there just aren't a lot of MBs in Omaha. Never were either. However, I've never seen so many Jeeps in one place in my life. Omaha is a Jeep-town for sure!


Last edited by Skid Row Joe; 02-10-2010 at 01:40 PM.
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