New engine, and new cars
 

Some of you might have read about my trip to LA last week in the SD. well the engine is hemorrhaging oil. I was planning to re-seal the engine, pull it from the car and give it a once over. Then I talked it over with Garrett (DieselKraut), and we decided that we should check the compression, because if the engine had to come out we should make sure one with good compression went back in. my current engine had 2 cylinders around 400 and 3 around 300. (i don't have the numbers in front of me.)
So this weekend, on Saturday I went to Berkley and picked up a new engine at an auto wrecker. The wrecker didn't know what the compression #s were on the engine.. but said it "runs good" (thats what it says on the tag tied to the engine) with 170k on the car it came from. so i bought it. I'm now in the process of determining what the compression numbers are. we set the engine up on the floor of the garage and got it started. it does in fact "run good" but the compression #s say all cylinders are at 325... very even, which is a "good sign"... I've had some engines in the past that had poor compression numbers after sitting for a long time. I poured some ATF down the injector holes to to soak the rings and get them to spring back to life. its soaking now, tonight I will run the compression test again when I get home from work tonight.


While in the bay area we went to murdoc's and checked out one of his cars. a pretty clean 123. My friend bought it! yesterday before we started to play with the new engine we worked on his car. also another friend bought a 300d non turbo here in Sacramento while we were in the bay. He came over yesterday as well and got some work done on his car.

here are some pics.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0359.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0361.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0365.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0366.jpg

Even the TDI got some love yesterday.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0367.jpg

Here's Derek (turbobenz) and Garrett (DieselKraut) before the engine started

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0368.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/SSPX0370.jpg

Here is the engine running!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6t-wIcvSHE

Damn, I feel bad for splitting so soon. :/

I don't see the oil cooler. I hope you had oil in it when you ran it.

How'd you set that up? I've got a 617 on a stand, but I don't know how to start it. I also don't know if I want to run it on the stand.

Yeah I wouldn't run it on the stand... I 'd put it on a tire on the ground. my engine came on some wood that was cradling it, so i just left it there. as for the oil cooler, they cut the lines, so I just plumbed the lines together so oil would just pass back into the engine. we didn't run it for long just enough to know it runs. it was 11:30 AM when we got it fired up... we called that victory, and then moved on to a compression test.

Tonight I'm going to do the valves, and rig up some water to it from the hose so I can get it warm and re-test the compression test.

Cool to see an engine running on the floor. :D Shows how simple they are!

Bare feet and sandles in the garage? Eww/unsafe.

Here in MI we wear shoes!

We have to keep up that hippie image of California :D

Its working. ;) :D

When turbobenz and i took his SD to Texas we found our selfs at a party, and the host says "you can tell who's from California." and points down and we are both in flip flops. every one else was in boots.

On the other hand left the house Saturday for Berkley and later realized I was wearing a shirt that said "yesterdays flower children are todays blooming idiots" I'm surprised I got out alive.

I don't think Derek has gotten a haircut since I saw him over a year ago.

Then again I haven't really either.

Congrats on the find, I really wish I could find a wagon engine like that.

Compression Test Tonight!
Much better results. note the engine is cold with and still sitting on the garage floor. we did not run it again, we didn't get the water hooked up. so these results are with a cold engine.

Cyl 1 - 405
Cyl 2 - 400
Cyl 3 - 400
Cyl 4 - 400
Cyl 5 - 365

The 5th cylinder being low is not the best, but with the engine cold, its not a "bad" number. I'm now happy I bought the engine. :D

I'll put it on a stand later this week and will begin cleaning it up. my goal is to get it clean and make sure there are no oil leaks. I've always dreamed of having a car that did not leak oil. and it seems that day may be here soon!

why was I not mentioned?

Nice to see you all, and I'm excited for the coming meetup. Get ready for a turd. Its getting washed (rained on) this week.
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Board.../news/turd.jpg

To see a row of cars like that with happy owners puts a smile on your face!
 

Cool little bay area gtg !! Wish I was there to say hi to everyone!

Well I am glad you actually made it safely back to Sacramento from LA the other week.

400,000 miles was a pretty good run, for your old diesel engine.

With 170,000 on this new one I would say it's just nicely broken in, you will get a LOT of life out of it.

Numbers look pretty good. Keep us updated.

I'm jealous! I need to find a group of like-minded MB diesel fans down in LA to hang out with. It's always more fun when there are others that share your passion! ;-)

Just gotta love parking five mercedes deep in Nik's court. :D Good times. I'm glad that new engine isn't a total turd. I guess now it's time to make it shine. :cool:

YES! friends are a wonderful side effect of owning this car... or maybe the car is still running because of my friends... lol

I can't wait to get that engine looking as good as its testing out to be.

Jim, I'm very excited to see my car live for another 5-10 years minimum ;)