I just completed a swap using a block from a 87 300sdl, new injectors, harnes, glow plugs, rebuilt head from the 95 along with ip, and all other parts from the. 95. 95 has 160k and two bent rods. Started the engine which was hard to start it is smoking black smoke and has no power , also is running hot . used AB light for timing and it is spot on . Ip is from the 95 and I made no adjustments just set the timing . Any ideas?

Get the tang of the injection pump in visual sight. Look to see if the first cylinder cam lobes are pointing upward in general instead of downward. If downward you have the injection pump on the wrong stroke.

I did, at 15atdc first lobe points about 1 oclock. Ab lights of riv tool are both lit.

any other ideas ?

Unusual if the cam is right. With the timing tool the cam marks should have not been too far apart. Whatever the 15 atdc degrees at the harmonic balancer allows would be it. This is about 7 1/2 degrees at the cam marks.

Very hard starting,lots of smoke and no power are typical of the 180 degree timing error at the cam. Maybe another member can think of something else that could cause this much grief. No chance a rag was left behind?

I would pull the valve cover and look at the cam marks to be 110% sure of timing.
Once had a Dodge cam break and then contine to rotate with some cylinders out of time.
Too much back pressure in exhaust system?

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1987 300SDL
1991 300SL
1990 560SEL
2001 ML320

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1969 200D 1979-82
1983 300SD 1984-85
1972 250C 1982-02
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It's not the lifters. I too was thinking the IP was out of phase, but it sounds like your cam, IP, and crank are all in sync.

Did you check for plugged exhaust? Is the turbo impeller spinning with the engine at idle, and does it turn easily & smoothly when you turn it with you fingers (engine off)? Black smoke indicates either too much fuel or a major intake air restriction. There isn't much to go wrong on the bottom end. I wouldn't expect a compression test to tell you much unless a cylinder was dead. How hot is the engine getting, btw? Are you sure that's not just due to an air pocket? These cooling systems are a PITA to burp.

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80-100 degrees, I tried it without the airbox and it was the same. The intake is getting black and soot filled liquid. I may have used a 3.5 head gasket.

Used the front cover grime the 95. The internals of the block and the indicators should all be the same. I used the balencer from the 95 which has date stamps from 86 to 95.

Remove one of the temp sensors on the upper radiator hose fitting to help burp coolant.

IIRC the .96 and .97 use the same crank damper part number so that shouldn't be an issue.

Did you move the adjustable TDC indicator during the swap? Which front cover did you use? I don't know the range of adjustment but it might be enough to throw off cam and IP timing.

Are these the cam timing marks you used?



And to be sure, the indicator edge is seen in the lower right corner of this picture. The left edge which goes north-south to the right of the water pump is the reference edge. Ignore the angled right edge -



Sixto
87 300D

80-100 degrees is normal. So you can forget that at the moment. The timing indicator has a total adjustment range of 3° which is not enough to cause *any* running problems. I don't think using the wrong head gasket would have the effect you describe, but can you find the part number you purchased & installed?

If the intake is getting oily fast, it sounds to me like the EGR could be stuck open (if present), or the turbo has issues. Which turbo did you use, and have you checked it as I described in my previous post?

Haven't checked it yet, its 20 degrees here in nj and I am sick. But I will. The smoke is dark grey/black. The oil did turn black very fast. I was thinking of changing it. Maybe has fuel contaminTion.

The oil normally turns black very fast, I'd ignore that for now. Pull the rubber air intake snorkel off the turbo and turn the impeller by hand, also check for excess oil.

You still didn't confirm if you are using the old 3.5L turbo, or the 3.0L turbo. I'm guessing it's the 3.5 though.

Everything except the shortblock is 3.5l.

What were the exact symptoms that made you replace the block? I'm wondering if you had more going on previously than just a couple of bendy rods.