I bought a used car for my daughter. It is a 300SDL with 175000 miles. It has a #14 head, original vacuum pump, original injectors and I am about to take it on a 400 mile trip It runs well, doesn't use coolant, radiator hose is not hard in the morning. I had the trap oxidizer removed and have changed the oil twice in 500 miles. I also changed all the fuel filters twice.

LOL so have a good trip! Take some pics and share!

Don't fret it.. drive it.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

You must be a very nervous person to fear a 400 mile trip...

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1996 s10 zr2 with a 6.5 turbo diesel
1996 c2500 suburban with a 6.5 turbo diesel
1981 300sd with a turbo 617
Monte carlo figure 8 car

You guys made me nervous. I feel like if I have a #14 head I am driving a time bomb. That Vacuum pump sure can kill an engine too.

Yeah but everyone is driving a time bomb - everything will eventually need replacing (if you manage to keep the rest of the car going for long enough).

Have a good trip and buy break down recovery insurance if you haven't already got it.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

You'll be fine, enjoy the trip.

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83 SD

84 CD

With mileage that low, I seriously doubt that the vaunted #14 heat will give you any problems. I have one on my 300D. Don't worry about it. Just keep an eye on your temp gauge & drive it. Yes. that head is prone to cracking, but just a little bit of vigilance will go a long way.

Personally, I think this head thing is somewhat overblown. If you service the car regularly (and it sounds like you have) & keep an eye on the operating temps you will not have any problem with the head.

Now, the vacuum pump is a different story - I don't know anything about it.

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1987 300DT
2002 Ford F-250 7.3 Crew Cab Short Bed

If the vacuum pump worries you and you can't replace it, you could always spend an hour R&Ring the pump to look at the bearing cages.

The head? Agreed, proper coolant with no gasket leaks and it might last longer than the body.

It's the things you don't expect that spoil the party.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

You know, you will die someday too.

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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 can say that all humans have a 100% mortality rate within 80-90 years of birth.

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

The concept is known as "entropy". Just like any mechanical device such as a car, they too will one day die and go to the junk yard. Our hearts will stop one day and we will all be pushing up daisies in a cemetery. The entire world seems to have a definite negative energy about it......

So......sow your wild oats NOW, get your partying in TODAY, travel travel travel, LIVE BIG!!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy

Might want to bump that up to 115-120 or so.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

You have a great car. I wish my car had those miles on it. Try to change out the original vacuum pump asap and you should be fine. The thing about that 14 head is you need to keep on eye on the temperature needle. And stay on top of the coolant system.

Have fun and be safe.

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Professional greasecar installer
Austin TX


98 Jetta TDI with grease car kit + veg-therm (totaled)
87 MB 300SDL running on B99 / greasecar kit + 30 fphe
www.austingreaseguys.com

Don't just stay on top of the cooling system, be sure that it has recent G-05.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Ok so I am half way through. I bought this car for my daughter. I am at her college getting her for Easter weekend. She can't actually have it on campus for two more years so meanwhile I get to drive it The car did great. It got about 28MPG. I say about because I didn't completely fill it before I left but did the math as if I had and came up with 27.9 MPG. Except for the half hour backup around Washington D.C. I never ran under 70MPH. Often times pushed 80MPH. Temperature stayed below 90 the whole time except a brief 95 when I first pulled off the highway for lunch. What is the best way to post a photo?