It’s depressing but it’s not compressing
 

Citing the internet as my credible source, I’ve read that if you are falling in an elevator and jump just as it impacts the bottom you can lessen the impact.

I feel like I have reached that point of well F*#K it can’t hurt with my $850 w115 240D. In these threads you can see I have verified camshaft timing and Fuel delivery ad nauseum.

I put ½ oz oil in each cylinder and saw my compression numbers jump so I gather I am loosing compression by the rings. A leak down test pointed this way as well. The closest it came to starting was right after the oil was added, actually got going enough the starter disengaged.

In my final act of won’t quit I put Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders today and will let them soak a week to see if perhaps I have a stuck ring or two.

Then I don’t know. Could drag it to an indy and have him confirm what I already know perhaps ask the price of a rebuild although that calculation might involve a divorce attorney. There is a 616.916 on ebay for $1000 delivered. I could part it out but it’s a nice body with what looks like an expensive repaint and other recent care.

LT1 swap.

Done.

Pull start it get it running and hope the rings are stuck from sitting and will loosen up once it starts running.

tried that, no go, but I will give it another shot after this soaking.

PB blaster http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=pb+blaster&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=11438758978715406376&sa=X&ei=TqbATcWdJYacgQeFxZDiBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQ8wIwAQ#

Works great for stuck rings. Had a customer with a sailboat that the engine was completely seized. PB Blaster not only got it unfroze but after 30 days of soaking it also started and ran well. He drove it from baltimore down the chesapeake to virginia safely.

IIRC in your last thread, you mentioned it ran for a little while then quit, then wouldn't start again. Then you tow-started it but it made a horrible noise when it finally fired up, that you thought was coming from the engine, not the drivetrain. Did you ever figure out what was causing that? If the car is being towed and the engine is rotating (fuel turned off, transmission in gear) do you hear any horrible noises?

Assuming there are no bad bearings or thrown rods, maybe it's just stuck rings as you guess that may heal with oil, patience and use. I could not imagine rebulding one of these engines...I'd be looking for another car or possibly a used engine - $1000 doesn't sound bad if that were the case.

Alternatives
 

1982 benz 240d like new in & out - $950 (o.c.)
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/2340634402.html

mercedes 240 D - $900 (wilmington)
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/2361671870.html

1983 MERCEDES 240 TD - $1000 (Bellflower)
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/2351625523.html

1979 MBZ 300D DIESEL - $1000 (West LA)
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/2354087902.html

1984 mercedes 240d - $800 (cherry valley,ca)
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2341115996.html

FOR SALE NICE CLASSIC - $1000 (RIVERSIDE CA)
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/2278556037.html

1981 Mercedes 240D/Ford 5.0 - $500 (near Palmdale)
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/2350406581.html

1980 Mercedes 240d - $950 (Tehachapi)
http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/cto/2280674398.html

1975 Mercedes 240D for Sale (Diesel / Veggie Oil) (Scottsdale, AZ)
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/2284267603.html

Need to Sell!! 1977 240D mercedes - $800 (delhi)
http://merced.craigslist.org/cto/2281110447.html






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This one is interesting...notice they did not post picture of the 240 TURBO engine...
Somebody jump on that one....

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/2351625523.html

Automatic transmission,unbreakable 240 4cyl TurboDiesel engine,

^^^ The interior picture suggest it's a 300D turbo.


Bill, you ought to keep the car if they body and interior is in great condition.

Everybody should read the fine print of a "Cheap Mercedes is an expensive Mercedes"!


With that said San Diego has a good amount of PNP's and wrecking yards, You should be able to find a good 616 for $300 bucks or less during the sale days if you are willing and able.



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Too bad you're on the wrong coast. I have a 83 240D motor with 180K that runs great (0-60 in 16 seconds).

I think in hind sight that was nailing. I will drag it fuel off as you sugest before the next start attempt and listen for crank noises.


Thanks for all the alternative 240D suggestions, but I am led to believe I need a motor from a w115 or the oil filter canister will be in the wrong place. Is this not the case or is it easily corrected? Hell I have a 617 turbo in my 123 parts car that runs, not sure how well but I hot wired it for grins one day awhile back.

You'll need a custom oil filter relocation plate, hoses and possibly a new filter head if your not going to use the original unit to make it work.

The moderator on super turbo diesel .com named "300D50" sells relocation plates for 25 bucks.

A 617 turbo would work very well mated to the 4 speed manual.



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Can you explain why MB did not put that combination together if it worked so well ?

You want my opinion? Because the 617 turbo was for the "Lazy" American market. The upper target market did not warrant such a move.

The 617.912 of the same era had a great 4 speed or 5 speed combo. It fits the non-American market much better. Plus the same cars with those combos did not have auto climate control, mb text, and other options.


Of course I would only expect that question from you as a staunch purest. ;)



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I am not a staunch purist and would love to have that combo if there was not something which made it less than a good match. And I have more confidence in the millions of dollars R and D department of Mercedes...
Your guess... does not explain why that combo was not available in Europe and other places where the LOVE manual transmissions....

You asked my opinion and I answered it to my best reasoning.

My statement that the 4 speed and 617 turbo is a good combo is from personally driving one. Not a factory built, but one that is adapted.


That is a staunch purist. Not thinking beyond the scope of possibilities. :)


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I have that combination and it's currently my daily driver. I cannot imagine why Mercedes did not offer this as a factory option, as it is simply awesome:)

"My statement that the 4 speed and 617 turbo is a good combo is from personally driving one. Not a factory built, but one that is adapted. "-- Deliveryvalve

"I have that combination and it's currently my daily driver. I cannot imagine why Mercedes did not offer this as a factory option, as it is simply awesome " -- Skippy

So, you two have the perfect cars.... no unresolved vibrations , no excessive clutch wear , no downsides......

Did both of you use the 617 flywheels for the conversion ?

I used the 615 flywheel, clutch, 4 speed. This is in a 220 car.. works awesome Very fun to drive.. Had to raise the ratio in the rear.

What did you raise the rear end ratio to ?
Did you have to do that oil filter move on your car ?

Not my car. I only dove it a few times. I didn't notice any vibrations. The car has a 616 flywheel, 240d auto tranny mount and driveshaft balancer. I going to venture to guess it's a 300SD balancer since no bending of the 616 linkages were done, but I could be wrong.





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Give Kreen a try first. If that doesnt work, Id look for a donor engine. No big deal.

I cant remember what I ended up using. I think its like a 3.07? Maybe 3.5 something. The 220 had a 4.10 to start with.

The final drive ratio was the whole reason I ended up re-powering the car. The poor 615 engine was up in the 3k range and barely at 60.. One day she stopped starting, because of low compression, im sure the regular high r's had something to do with that.

The little tires that were on the car didnt help either.. Took the aluminum wheels off a 240 car with bigger tires and put them on.

Now I can do 70 even 80 no problem. And lots of power, can haul ass up even the steepest grades.

Yea I did have to move the oil filter.. Just used a remote ph8a base, and made a plate with some 1/2 npt bungs to bolt over the filter housing flange. Also used an oil thermostat for the oil cooler.

Well it ran last night for about 30 seconds. I bump started it down this single lane private road I live on. The motor was rough as hell and pouring out more smoke than an Amsterdam hash bar. 75% - 100% throttle was required to keep it running at what I am guessing was under 2000 rpm. I had oil pressure so thought I would let it get up to operating temperature, see if things cleared up. However my older neighbor came running up to the car, wine glass in hand, and said she was going to call the police and the fire department. At that point I let the car shut off and tried to explain to her although it looked like fire, it would not cause a fire. She was less than convinced.:o

Guess I will give it another try Monday and stay on my driveway.

Haver you run a compression test? Do you have good fuel in it? Rough running and lots of smoke might indicate a fuel timing issue or even a cam timing issue.

Even if one of these old diesels is so worn you have to pull it to get it started it should run smoothly if all other things are in order.

Has it been run on WVO?

cold 225 225 275 285

new fuel 1 gallon can

unless harmonic balancer has been somehow removed and put back in place incorrectly all timing is good.

It hasn't been run in x number of years so I was thinking / hoping stuck rings hoping that getting everything up to operating temp and a diesel purge might loosen rings and perhaps clean things up.

Not that I know of

Those compression numbers are good enough to start and run according to my old chiltons manual. cold.