New here, looking for any advice on 240D/190D - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

spliteye · #46 04-14-2014, 09:52 PM

Time to break out the quote button.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

I have had 4 240D in the last ten years as communter cars. All had been neglected by previous owners. Things to check and/or replace (Notice all are basic maintenance tasks):

Check the fuel system filters, the cigar tube hose, the hoses in the engine compartment and the return line rubber hoses between inujectors.

Replace the body grounds (-) with a short one to the body and a second one to the rear of the engine block.

Carefully and thoroughly oil and maintain your hood hinges before they rust and deform the sheet metal! Replace the starter cable

Buy the two bent wrenches to adjust the valves and get the Diesel Giant information sheet on valve adjustment procedure with photos. Download free!

Clean all ground and other electrical connections to the alternator as well as alternator adjustment screrw. I replaced my alternator with one from a Volvo, same as the W126, I believe.

Check over the brakes and probably replace the rubber hoses, sometimes they collapse.

Change oil religiously and bear in mind that a 240 will suck oil if you drive over 80 in it.

BEST ADVICE: KEEP IT TO 70 MPH max!

Do these things the car will outlive you.

At the right time, get an older vehicle and go to the MB dealer, get the mileage verified and request a 250,000 km badge (after 165,000 miles).

Have fun!

Great advice, which all looks fairly easy to do. I'm actually looking forward to the badges. I didn't know what they represented until just a couple days ago.

On a side note, does your signature say that you have/have owned a Borgward? That's been a dream car of mine since I was in the fifth grade. I remember writing reports for them in school with Borgward as the topic, or writing stories that included a Borgward as the subject. They were a major obsession of mine as a child. Here I am 23, and I still find myself looking for them every once in a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxbumpo

You can rebuild the delivery valves (replace a copper washer, spring, and O-ring) and replace the vacuum shut-off valve and various other O-rings that might start leaking. There is a "lift pump" which pulls the fuel from the fuel tank and provides it at low pressure to the injection pump, and also a hand-operated primer pump (incorporated into the lift pump) that is a wear item and user-replaceable.

Typically they do last the life of the car unless "repaired" by someone who has no business...

They hold the injection timing forever as well, so no need to check-adjust the timing as a regular maintenance item.

Worst case scenario: your options are either buy a rebuilt or replace with a good used pump. I prefer to the second route, but I've never had to go down that decision tree yet, after about 14 years of used MB diesel ownership. IP's which have seen VO or WVO as fuel generally are destroyed, can't even be turned in for core to be rebuilt, so if you ever do get a used replacement pump, screen those out if possible.

This is something I was really concerned about. The corn binder in my truck requires complete injection system overhaul every 100K, which ended up running me over $1300. These pumps can't be rebuilt in your garage, or I would have done it. At least the truck can climb hills now. It's nice to know that the Mercedes ip can be rebuilt by someone with some knowledge of mechanics.

Thanks once again,
Dan

spliteye · #47 04-14-2014, 10:10 PM

Saw an old Ponton diesel in a used car lot in town. That would be a dream.

pj67coll · #48 04-14-2014, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spliteye

Saw an old Ponton diesel in a used car lot in town. That would be a dream.

Yes, but perhaps not entirely practical. There is an example of it's successor for sale here, a Heckfloss 200D automatic. I really can't imagine how such a vehicle could be driven safely in modern traffic.

- Peter.

spliteye · #49 04-14-2014, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Yes, but perhaps not entirely practical. There is an example of it's successor for sale here, a Heckfloss 200D automatic. I really can't imagine how such a vehicle could be driven safely in modern traffic.

- Peter.

Oh, very true. Especially not on this commute. Just a dream. I drove that 1950 Chrysler for a year and a half daily with minimal mechanical issues, however the commute could be quite scary when everyone around you is trying to beat the clock. Amazing how different people react to that car when seeing it on the weekends vs. during the week when they are late for work.

Shortsguy1 · #50 04-14-2014, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxbumpo

IP's which have seen VO or WVO as fuel generally are destroyed, can't even be turned in for core to be rebuilt, so if you ever do get a used replacement pump, screen those out if possible.

Maxbumpo, could you clarify this statement regarding the virgin vegetable oil? I am surprised that pristine vegetable oil would cause significant problems with the IP. Have you seen repeated failures due to using VO? Is it a lubricity issue or a viscosity issue? Thanks.

Skippy · #51 04-14-2014, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortsguy1

Maxbumpo, could you clarify this statement regarding the virgin vegetable oil? I am surprised that pristine vegetable oil would cause significant problems with the IP. Have you seen repeated failures due to using VO? Is it a lubricity issue or a viscosity issue? Thanks.

I'll jump in. We've seen numerous examples on this forum of engines destroyed by veg. If the oil is properly filtered, dewatered, not too acidic, and properly heated before it goes in the IP, then it doesn't seem to cause much problems. However, get any one of these things wrong and you will cause damage to the injectors, injector pump, and even cause internal engine damage.

Shortsguy1 · #52 04-15-2014, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

I'll jump in. We've seen numerous examples on this forum of engines destroyed by veg. If the oil is properly filtered, dewatered, not too acidic, and properly heated before it goes in the IP, then it doesn't seem to cause much problems. However, get any one of these things wrong and you will cause damage to the injectors, injector pump, and even cause internal engine damage.

If it is virgin vegetable oil, I assume that filtering, dewatering, etc. would be unnecessary. Maxbumpo included both VO and WVO in his comment. I was simply trying to understand how clean, brand new vegetable oil would damage an IP. The mechanism for failure isn't clear to me.

To the OP, sorry for taking this detour in your thread.

Skippy · #53 04-15-2014, 03:40 PM

If the oil isn't properly heated before it goes in, it doesn't atomize properly or burn completely. It ends up forming a gummy substance that makes the piston rings stick and causes the engine to lose compression. There is also the matter of the excessive viscosity causing higher stresses and faster wear in the injection pump and injectors. We've also seen corrosion issues but I'm not sure if those happen with new veg oil or only with WVO.

Ask Cooljjay about the effects of veg on an engine.

ROLLGUY · #54 04-15-2014, 05:11 PM

Please don't allow this to become a WVO battle thread. There is plenty of that going on in the alt. fuels forum. I have a lot to say about this subject (many years of experience), but this is not the proper place, so I will keep quiet here. However, there is always personal messaging

.....Rich