Having just sold the 87 300D I recently acquired, I'm looking for another. There's an inexpensive 81 300D available not too far from me. The young woman wanting to sell it has only had it for a few weeks and realizes she can't afford a car in college after all.

As she describes it, the problem that it has is that it needs the fuel tank cleaned because the PO ran veggie oil in it (what precisely the PO ran is unknown). She says fuel filters get clogged too quickly, hesitates on hills, etc... I have no problem tackling stuff that just needs thoroughly cleaned, but if IP or injectors or something have been damaged, that's another matter....way above my pay grade.

Anyway, between not being able to afford a car and the fuel system issue, she really wants to unload it.

Sound like something worth pursuing? I guess in a sense I'm asking whether some sort of veggie oil could have done irreparable harm.

Thanks.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The 81 has no turbo. I think that would hurt resale. but if you want it for your self then you can probably get it real cheap bc its slow. my 240 had a poorly done wvo kit that i got rid of. it had fat in the fuel tank that would clog the screen. i just blew compressed air when ever it clogged. but i had the carry around an air tank so i didnt get stranded. in the end i took out the tank cleaned it, changed filters and it runs fine.

hope that helps

and i hear that poor wvo use damages rings so i would be hesitant to buy it. my car was almost free so that wasnt a problem.
and be ready to clean or replace injectors

__________________
1974 240d
1983 240d -sold
1989 420sel with om606
1994 s350 turbodiesel - sold

Short answer: this had better be CHEAP. It may be a paperweight. Plus I believe an '81 will have the Type II ACC (servo, etc.). If you don' t know about that system, then read up on it before you dive in.

Longer answer: you need to find out how long the PO ran veg, what exactly is meant here by veg (veg oil off the shelf, or waste oil, and if the latter - was it properly filtered and cleaned).

Also, was any actual veg setup (heat) on the car? From the sounds of it, I suspect it was just another bonehead dumping veg into the tank.

If it was fresh veg oil, and it wasn't for too long, you may be able to fix things with a good cleaning and flushing. If it was used veg dumped in with no heat and possibly no proper cleaning... you don't need this adventure.

Google ring polyermization if you want an idea of what dirty and/or unheated veg will do to a motor. Mercedes are often victims as people get away with it longer (the motor still runs) than would be the case with, say, a VW diesel.

__________________


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

It's currently at $700 but she won't get that...bad rust.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

i have an 81 300D and it doesnt have the servo A/C

__________________
1981 NA 300D 310k miles

Why on earth do you want it then? Just asking

__________________


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

The least worrisome damage improperly prepared WVO does is to the tank and filters. Either of these:

'79 Mercedes 240D

1983 Mercedes 240D running condition

is a more reasonable project even if the '83 is AT. Think of it as penance for being corrupted by the absolute power of the '87

Sixto
87 300D

A rusty, non-turbo 617 after ??? WVO use sounds like a goner to me. At any price.

__________________
James Marriott
2003 Buick Regal
1983 300D (228k, frau Auto)
1996 Suburban K2500 (192k, 6.5 turbo diesel/4WD towmaster 10,000)
www.engineeringworks.biz
1987 300SDL junker 170k
1982 300SD junker, 265k

The Rust is the deal breaker. The WVO usage probably means the engine is coked.

You might part it out though...

__________________
Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)