I didn't put silicone in there. My indie must have.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I didnt think you would have ! That stuff was a royal PITA to get out, but I got it. The VC actually shines like a really old mirror. I kind of like the look. Those injectors were TOAST ! LOL. I dont think you would recognize the performance right now. Very peppy !

What part of this car is a "sleeper"? Just wondering...

?????????

A diesel wagon with a transplanted corvette engine is a sleeper. What makes you call this car a sleeper?

That is great! I cannot remember if we did anything to the injectors when we went through the motor or not. I think maybe tested and cleaned at least. In that car with the tall rear end I always found myself short shifting it. I found that I would shift halfway to the red mark on the speedo. When you wind it on up there the difference in performance is simply amazing.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Hey Tom,

For a NA, that car is probably just as fast as my 85 turbo. I think the 5 speed and my injectors !! LOL. Even though you really gave me a project on my hands, I am starting to like the old girl right now so she may not be heading to the scrapyard this year. Not super thrilled, but I am OK right now. BTW -- did you flush out the fuel tank? That black crap is floating around in the clear fuel filter. The fuel sending unit was packed with it. I took it apart and cleaned it and it works spot on. . Also, Can you EASILY remove the oil pan with that bar sort of in the way ? I really have to fix the oil pan gasket. I got a really heavy leak. I think running the old girl brought out the leaks. The VC was weeping a little. Now DRY. The injector lines were really weeping, but DRY now.

SLEEPER -- It really looks rough and it is, BUT right now with a minimal of maintenance performed, I think I could take most 300D W123's because of that 5 speed and the maintenance I did this weekend. Once I remove the PS system and go manual and remove the mechanical water pump, I think I will have a bunch more power. Even though it is a swap for more parasitic drag on the alternator, it is a good exchange rate. AND, I think that old girl will get 40 MPH which is a SLEEPER for an ALL STEEL MB that weighs a bunch. In about a month, once you pop the hood and look underneath, I will have it looking super sharpe, clean, and mod'd the way I want it. Those factors, I suspect, makes it a sleeper. Maybe not and my whole thread's title is off the topic. Whatever ... LOL.

A remotely operated battery cutoff switch could be used to unhook the alternator on the fly, using your battery to run the water pump & system. That ought ot give you a short boost.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I never tried to remove the pan. The bar you speak of must be the mount that my Indie put in to accomodate the second engine shock required. Did you switch to full synthetic oil by chance? Did you try tightening the pan bolts? I don't remember that car ever leaking enough to drop on the ground.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yes, it is a bar that holds the engine shock absorbers. Yes, I re-tightend them a quarter turn or so -- to the point where it felt "right". Still leaks and leaves a mark about the size of one's hand. I used the oil in the picture when I changed it last week. I dont think it was synthetic. How does synthetic oil affect a leak ? The leak is pretty decent. I dont think it was noticable when I got the car, but the oil was pretty low when I checked it. After I added oil, I still did not notice the leak. I put in a full 2 gallons with the change and change of filter. It is a hair over the full mark. Maybe that has something to do with it, not sure. I do know when getting underneath of it, the leak appears to run about 1/2 of the permitter of the oil pan, so it's definitely something that needs to get fixed sooner vs. later. Plus, I need to monitor the internal oil loss which was pretty decent while driving back home. I wont be able to tell how much oil the engine is blasting thru if I got an oil leak also. I am hoping the valves adjusted will fix the issue. I had a very slight oil leak at the valve cover gasket, but that is gone now with the new VC gasket.

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Finally !

Here is my first mod to the Sleeper ! It is going on this evening.

I am getting rid of the parasitic power robbing Power Steering System altogether and installing my mechanical steering box. Here are a few pictures. Although I do not know how much HP I will be gaining and how much MPG I will be picking up, I do know that the various sources claim between 5-10 HP and somewhere around 2-5 MPG. We will see.

AND -- this is the ONLY system on the Sleeper that is actually in decent mechanical condition. So, if anyone wants to buy a Steering Box that does not leak and not a lot of play, a nice pump, pulley set up, and hoses, check out my FS listing for this. My price is negotiable since I want to get rid of as much clutter in my garage to generate $$$ for very serious maintenance, e.g., brakes & exhaust right now.

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eight quarts is too much. I would think that would very likely contribute to leakage. Synthetic might also, being thinner and it has more cleaning action. The na motors take about a quart less than a turbo, iirc. overfilling will make it more likely for the crank to touch the oil which may lead to foaming and create consumptioin. It it shows over the full mark I would want to get a quart out of it.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I had an electric water pump on a Chevy v8 once, a Moroso. I mounted it to save space when mounted in a Pontiac Fiero. It wouldn't keep the mildly tuned engine cool until I took out the thermostat. I once had a wire fall off of the pump relay and the motor overheated in less than a minute.

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85 Merc 300D - Unwinding 31 years of wear
86 VW TD
Mahindra Diesel
Iseki Diesel

In 2007 I didn't own a diesel.

a whole 'nother glorious drive gear, 5 cylinders, and a 240D badge on the back indicating lack of power.

Imagine a hippo as fast as a zebra. Its never gonna be as fast as a cheetah or gazelle, but to other hippos, that SOB is a sports car.

As a hippo, im only concerned with showing up other hippos, to hell with cheetahs and all the airs they put on.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

The Davies-Craig requires one to remove the thermostat. The temperture is controlled by a thermostatic control box. These are widely used in Australia where the company is founded and it is brutally hot there and these are the rave over there. Heck, even the VP of the company actually responded to my email and R&D questions. All the wires are Anderson-like connectors so I am confident the old girl will be OK.