Did my daughter kill my W123 ??? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JB3 · #16 04-29-2013, 01:59 PM

this is one of those all or nothing things. The fact that its using more oil may actually mean it will be checked enough to keep the oil loss in check.

She might get into the habit of checking the oil every time she fills up with fuel because bad things will happen, vs every now and then.

Shame, id probably take the car back personally. You are doing her a favor lending the car, but it seems to be you who loves it, not her. Better to get her something else that won't cause you pain if its killed through lack of maintenance.

Its one thing if its a woman/girl who loves the car, then they will maintain it religiously, another thing if its just a car, and a bother at that, requiring more work than new cars.

whunter · #17 04-29-2013, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

I have a lovingly cared for 1984 w123 turbo I have owned for over five years. Last summer after extensive maintenance, repair, and a really nice paint job I allowed my youngest daughter to drive the car back to school in Michigan with strict instructions to follow simple automobile maintenance guidelines, such as checking fluids often. You know where this story is going...... Whenever my daughters are home I always check fluids and service their cars; except this Christmas when the w123 was home for the holidays I don't remember doing anything in the way of service because i was pretty sick. Anyway fast forward to spring break about 6 weeks ago and my daughter is home again for a week. Service checkup!!! Imagine my surprise as I un-threaded the oil pan bolt the last few threads expecting to find oil gushing out the hole and filling up the catch pan. I got almost a quart of black gooe....... in total. No telling how long the engine has been run without oil but for sure she put over 500 mile on it just getting home. Probably the oil was never checked after she drove off in the fall and no telling how many miles she drove without oil.

FAST FORWARD: I kept the Mercedes home and sent her packing to school with my daily driver so I could keep an eye on the engine. In the six weeks before traveling up to visit my daughter in school this weekend it went through two quarts of oil over 1100 miles. (mostly highway) This weekend driving the automobile 350 miles resulted in the engine needing 1 1/2 quarts of oil to top it off.
BOTTOM LINE, IS THE ENGINE TOAST??

Performance wise the car doesn't seem to be down on power. Goes right through the gears quickly. Engine has always leaked some oil which was noted when a new exhaust was installed in November 2012. Engine seems to be now smoking a lot more on start up (black) but not a great amount I can see while driving. Before she took the car this fall oil consumption was maybe a quart every 1500 miles.

Kinda bummed. I have really made every effort to stay ahead of the repairs as they happen or even going out of my way to fix thing I think might fail in advance. I feel partly responsible too because it was probably wishful thinking on my part to expect her to fiddle with the car.

If the oil was as low as you say = I would expect the turbo bearings are toasted = the first thing to suffer from oil starvation.
This could also explain the high oil consumption..

**********************************

You should have the oil analyzed = looking for metal - ring - bearing particulate.

A compression test is not needed.

A leak down test might have value.

An engine flush is reasonable, if there is still a mass of sludge in there.

.

Skid Row Joe · #18 04-29-2013, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

Boy good luck with that.

Well, yeah......but as I wrote, once it's their's - it's their baby. I'll only give them what advice I can from afar. I'm certainly not an expert on 'em.

sloride · #19 04-29-2013, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

If the oil was as low as you say = I would expect the turbo bearings are toasted = the first thing to suffer from oil starvation.
This could also explain the high oil consumption..

**********************************

You should have the oil analyzed = looking for metal - ring - bearing particulate.

A compression test is not needed.

A leak down test might have value.

An engine flush is reasonable, if there is still a mass of sludge in there.

.

X2 there was no mention of the current and previous oil pressure so if you have good oil pressure you may have caught it in time and only need a turbo rebuild.
The fact that it starting easily sounds encouraging as far as compression goes and there was no mention of rods knocking.

renman · #20 04-29-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

If the oil was as low as you say = I would expect the turbo bearings are toasted = the first thing to suffer from oil starvation.
This could also explain the high oil consumption..

**********************************

You should have the oil analyzed = looking for metal - ring - bearing particulate.

A compression test is not needed.

A leak down test might have value.

An engine flush is reasonable, if there is still a mass of sludge in there.

.

Thanks. So is the oil getting past the turbo and being burnt???

sloride · #21 04-29-2013, 02:18 PM

How is the oil pressure at operating temp?

renman · #22 04-29-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloride

How is the oil pressure at operating temp?

With oil topped off, the gauge reads closer to the "2" at idle or at the stoplight. At highway speed it is always pegged all the way. Thanks for asking.

whunter · #23 04-29-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

Thanks. So is the oil getting past the turbo and being burnt???

Yes, that would be my assumption.

But if I am correct, this could (no warning) change suddenly (think seconds).
A blown (ask Brian) turbo can drain the oil pan quick.
A high speed (5000 RPM to 0 instantly) locked - seized turbo can bring creative destruction to new levels.

I would start with a basic manual inspection.

.

sloride · #24 04-29-2013, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

With oil topped off, the gauge reads closer to the "2" at idle or at the stoplight. At highway speed it is always pegged all the way. Thanks for asking.

Thats healthy, it does sound like the turbo is hurtin.

renman · #25 04-29-2013, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Yes, that would be my assumption.

But if I am correct, this could (no warning) change suddenly (think seconds).
A blown (ask Brian) turbo can drain the oil pan quick.
A high speed (5000 RPM to 0 instantly) locked - seized turbo can bring creative destruction to new levels.

I would start with a basic manual inspection.

.

Yikes!!!! So any driving at speed could induce catastrophic results?? I left the automobile with my daughter in Michigan to drive home in late May. Looks like that was not a sound decision on my part, and I should rethink how to get the car back here without putting a lot of miles on it. Yikes, I drove this car between 70-80 MPH to Northern Illinois and back and then up to Hillsdale Michigan this weekend. Sounds like a time bomb waiting to implode.

HuskyMan · #26 04-29-2013, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

Yikes!!!! So any driving at speed could induce catastrophic results?? I left the automobile with my daughter in Michigan to drive home in late May. Looks like that was not a sound decision on my part, and I should rethink how to get the car back here without putting a lot of miles on it. Yikes, I drove this car between 70-80 MPH to Northern Illinois and back and then up to Hillsdale Michigan this weekend. Sounds like a time bomb waiting to implode.

Sorry, I can't help it. In this day and age of DHS having its' ever watchful eye on all of us, may I recommend preclusion of the term "bomb" from your postings......

whunter · #27 04-29-2013, 03:25 PM

Do you have a spare turbo ?
It would be simpler to swap it up here to drive home.

.

renman · #28 04-29-2013, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuskyMan

Sorry, I can't help it. In this day and age of DHS having its' ever watchful eye on all of us, may I recommend preclusion of the term "bomb" from your postings......

Surely your not suggesting Janet "Big Sis" Nepolitano will want to weigh in fixing my ailing Mercedes.

Thanks for your concern, but I am nor will I ever be PC. Furthermore given the DHS and our governments stellar track record for defending us against foreign and domestic threats, I don't think I have much to be concerned about.

HuskyMan · #29 04-29-2013, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renman

Surely your not suggesting Janet "Big Sis" Nepolitano will want to weigh in fixing my ailing Mercedes.

Thanks for your concern, but I am nor will I ever be PC. Furthermore given the DHS and our governments stellar track record for defending us against foreign and domestic threats, I don't think I have much to be concerned about.

Funny you should mention 'Big Sis'. I have a very interesting book all about people's names and what their name says about them, plus and minus. "Janet" is a very interesting read........

back to your car, I really hope it is OK, these types of issues can get expensive and I hope that is not the case for you. As a result of your post, I'm going to thoroughly check out the turbo on the 300DT.

Never hurts to be proactive though I'm a little tired of messing around with cars.......

JB3 · #30 04-29-2013, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Do you have a spare turbo ?
It would be simpler to swap it up here to drive home.

.

^^^^^
X2 with this idea, secondly, she's not that far from whunter

Send her over to whunter with the car to inspect the turbo on a daytrip to detroit. He's what, 2 hours away from hillsdale?

Just tell her no social media when he's trying to talk to her.