buying a 1979 300 turbodiesel motor next week. what should I check for before? - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #46 04-24-2012, 01:13 PM

I just finished reading the original thread, and merged them together.

in the original thread one poster mentioned that you may have fitment issues with the motor in your car.

I'm here to tell you , yes there are CERTAINLY fitment issues you will run into with that motor.
the oil pan is different,
the oil filter base is different,
the motor mount arms are different

the intake is different, but that's a good thing, as it'll not have the EGR stuff on it...

please get some good pictures of the motor he is selling.

also, 800.00 is a lot to pay for a motor that's going to need most things swapped onto it from the original car.

just driving up to listen to the motor running is not good enough for me, I'd want a mechanic to pull the injectors, and check compression before putting money in a seller's hands... figure another 100.00 for the mechanic fees...

barry123400 · #47 04-24-2012, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivi

okay if i'm remembering correctly the the shocks are a hydrolic system that run off vacuum. My wagon does have the original system, idk if its working properly though. it rides low, but never drags. I've never tried to put weight in the back and see if it kicks in or sinks down after the engine is turned off. I just heard thats what happens when its not working properly... I haven't found all the vacuum leaks in my car yet, i know there are a few more. The doorlocks dont work a few minutes after i turn the car off. So I'm guessing that could be a reason for the sls not working at its best.

the blown engine shot a rod. there was oil in it just a few days before this happened, but not after.

My mechanic charges 50$ an hour and exclusively works on these cars. he quoted about 2 grand to install it. i also want to replace the seals and have it thoroughly checked out before he installs it.

I have four daughters and no sons with the majority in their forties. So I have been involved in somewht simular types of situations from time to time.

The sls pump is very important on these wagons. The test to see if the system is working is to put some weight in the back . When the car is started it will rise at the back end to restore the empty height before the additional weight was added to sag the rear if everything is well.

There is no vacuum component in the srs leveling system that I am aware of. I am not a male that knows everything though. Just pretty certain.

You will need either a donar engine from a stationwagon. Or a replacement engine with the sls blocked off. This would have to have been a station wagon engine dropped into a sedan at some point. Still it would not be all that common in my opinion. Or use your existing head from your engine on another block.

Two thousand to change the engine out at fifty dollars an hour represents 40 hours labour basically. That to me sounds excessive by at least a factor of two for the job by a good practicing mechanic. More like he is doubling his time charge and quoting a low hourly rate.

I really feel you need a true mechanically knowledgeable local friend to assist you in getting this all done.

For starters he should be perhaps more able to locate a used engine in decent shape at a better price than you have been quoted. There have to be a lot of seriously rusted out 123 diesel cars in the boston area still with decent engines. If one of them is a station wagon with a good engine will be the issue I suppose. Or a good engine from a three hundred diesel 123sedan cheap enough to justify the cost of installing your head on it.

Do not buy an engine on the ground after it has been removed unless it is from a major auto wrecker that has a steller reputation. Is also willing to rebate the cost of the engine and installation and removal labour if it turns out to be sick. You need this in contractual form.

Any engine of the type you want should be examined by someone quite familiar and competent with this particular type of engine before purchase. It has to still be installed in the donar car to do this properly.

Having just the four daughters and a wife I have spent the majority of my life in a monopoly type situation. With me low on the totem pole perhaps since I was so vastly outnumbered.

I certainly am not sexist in any way even with this experience.

It is just mechancal things tend to still be in the male domain in general. I am not responsible for this instead it is just factual in general. My opinion is to give the whole issue some thought before moving on with it.

For example in your description it sounds like the leveling system was inoperatable as well. If there is rust on your vehicle and it is getting advanced could be another factor. If you tally up otherthings it may need. Overall it might be better to consider another car.

This too requires some really trusted outside judgement in itself sometimes. We guys sometimes get a real money pit situation going. Thats where we have invested more than we should have already in purchase price and repairs than was sensible and almost feel compelled to keep going at it.

At some point it needs an outside opinion to cut our losses. I am not suggesting this is your situation at all but from your description you felt that about three thousand was needed just to replace the engine. . What is the rest of the car really like? My opinions are not really biased as us guys do exacltly the same thing sometimes. We simply miss seeing the forest for the trees.

Anyways the best of luck in whatever course of action you decide upon. I also really hope that I have not offended you in some way as that was and is not my intent. Us older guys if smart fully realise females are the dominate members of our specis.

vivi · #48 04-25-2012, 08:30 AM

I'm definitely not offended. I'm grateful for the help and new knowledge. I haven't been receiving most of these posts because I don't have internet. I'm walking around with my laptop looking for wifi with a bad signal. The whole flow of this thread makes more sense now that I'm able to see every single post. anyway....I re-read all of this and took notes. I will be calling both mechanics today.

vstech · #49 04-25-2012, 10:00 AM

when you get good wifi, upload some pics to us!!!

most android phones can be linked for free to a laptop for uploading pics on 3G don't forget...
also, McDonalds and Arby's both have free WIFI, as do most KFC's... and Panara bread...

junqueyardjim · #50 04-25-2012, 11:07 AM

Well, we can clearly see with this post, that vivi can use a lot of help. And I don't mean this in as a put down. We all had to go threw this type of learning, and only by getting in there and doing it will we understand the machine. What I see as her greatest liability is trying to "contract" her way through this job without understanding anything but the major points such as engine from here goes into car over there. OK, being that it seems she is not going to do the job herself, my opinion would be, lady, cut your loses now and get rid of the car completely. To someone who can do the job and who really like that style W123, the car should be saleable in as in condition. If it is junk, no one will want it, and at the same time it is useless to make a major repair on junk. If it is junk, the junk yards will give her about $500.00 for it. You have to remember, labor is going to eat this job up. Starting with your expense to pick it up down to running that car on the first tank of fuel you put in it are separated by many dollars. And any dollars you spend for used parts and the labor to install are almost impossible to recoupe. Vivi could help us much in helping her by use of some digital pictures, not of the engine so much as the whole car. When we see some real pictures we could come up with some real answers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivi

okay if i'm remembering correctly the the shocks are a hydrolic system that run off vacuum. My wagon does have the original system, idk if its working properly though. it rides low, but never drags. I've never tried to put weight in the back and see if it kicks in or sinks down after the engine is turned off. I just heard thats what happens when its not working properly... I haven't found all the vacuum leaks in my car yet, i know there are a few more. The doorlocks dont work a few minutes after i turn the car off. So I'm guessing that could be a reason for the sls not working at its best.

the blown engine shot a rod. there was oil in it just a few days before this happened, but not after.

My mechanic charges 50$ an hour and exclusively works on these cars. he quoted about 2 grand to install it. i also want to replace the seals and have it thoroughly checked out before he installs it.

kerry · #51 04-25-2012, 11:40 AM

As I wrote earlier, I agree with Junkyard. This could turn into a very expensive situation quite quickly with no assurance of long term success. Cutting your losses seems to be the best course of action. It takes a fair amount of mechanical sophistication to determine whether a used engine is going to be reliable. If the mechanic who is scheduled to remove and replace the engine is not willing to check out the replacement engine before purchase and guarantee it's useability, the risks are very high. If a person had an unlimited budget, taking those risks would be immaterial, but I'm guessing Viva doesn't have such a budget.

vivi · #52 04-25-2012, 01:09 PM

My wagon is in very good condition. I don't think it would make sense to rip it apart for parts. So if I sell it, I think the next owner will decide to put an engine in it. I barely have the budget to do this, but I think I'm going to go for it. I will be working on it myself in the future. I just don't have the time or workspace to figure it out myself anytime soon. I didn't just stumble upon this car, I went looking for it. I've wanted one of these since i was a kid, now I have it so I don't want to let it go to a junkyard, or let anyone else have my beautiful TD. The odds are definitely against this being a good decision.

Thanks again for all the help everyone...you saved me a lot of money! After a long explanation to the seller of the engine he now understands the problem. There is another engine I'm looking into thats from an 83 wagon.

junqueyardjim · #53 04-25-2012, 07:25 PM

Well vivi, you go for it. Come to the forum for whatever help you can get. We are ready and willing to help the best we can. Some of us are even known to lend a helping hand when distance is not a prohibiting factor. Post pictures and you will get better answers. The forum also has some special tools to rent at very low cost. Now having said that, I still would like to add, that, even though you have a top of the line W123 wagon, but now unfortunately is in need of an engine, I still think you are on the wrong track. It is not a good car for anyone unless it is running, and the car needs way to much for anyone who is on a limited budget if the car is needed as a daily commuter car. If a daily driver is what you really need, don't go with this lovely old DTD Wagon.It is great fun and a great hobby, but not if you need the car now.

toomany MBZ · #54 04-25-2012, 08:16 PM

81-83 swap should be quite straightforward.

vstech · #55 04-26-2012, 12:40 AM

2K is still a LOT to pay to have an engine swapped in.

I REALLY wish you lived closer to me, I'd swap it in there for $500 and be happy to get a MB driver on the road.