Top Speeds for Diesels - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#61 04-10-2003, 10:39 AM

just over 120 mph with about 4900 rpms--but it felt like there was plenty left. a previous thread says the speed is limited on this car at 133, which i have no desire to test.

Rick Miley · #62 04-10-2003, 11:39 AM

Well, narwhal you have more guts than I do. My highest personal run was 115 on Alligator Alley (I75) a couple years ago. I slowed down to travel with about 5 other cars at 100mph. Florida Highway Patrol singled me out of the bunch and gave me a ticket for over $300 - clocked at 100mph. Now I never go more than 15mph over the limit.

And finally, The Star ran an article when 98 E300 Turbodiesel saying it was the world's fastest production car Diesel with a top speed of 137. The new CDI's will leave it in the dust.

jhal · #63 04-10-2003, 12:42 PM

I've had mine up to 90 mph. I know it can go faster, but I have a tire that is out of balance. As soon as I can find a shop that uses the correct mercedes wheel weights, I will have them rebalanced and have the moment of truth

190D22 · #64 04-10-2003, 04:00 PM

Mine's loud, but I love the sound of the engine. It's a very comforting thing.

I've had mine up to 110 now. Going down a hill. When I let off the accelerator my transmission belly pan snapped. It made a very loud boom when it broke, and then it would scrape on the ground if I went over 45Mph. So I took it off and threw it away. I think 110 is all she's got.

nymike93 · #65 04-22-2003, 07:28 PM

in a 300sd on the nys thruway

oldsouth · #66 04-22-2003, 09:02 PM

Topped the old S-350 out again today. The first time since I installed 235/60-16 tires up from the 225/60-16. Top speed came down to 115 from 118 per GPS. Guess there is just not enough horsepower there to pull them as fast as the 225's

190D22 · #67 04-22-2003, 11:12 PM

My guess is it threw off your speedo by just that much.

oldsouth · #68 04-22-2003, 11:30 PM

Used a GPS on both runs. Speed correct.

frogboy · #69 04-23-2003, 05:34 PM

On average my car tops out at 85mph, but if I get it going downhill, I can get it to go about 105mph.

Rick Miley · #70 04-24-2003, 08:44 AM

Since the thread is still hanging around, I topped out my new 240D yesterday morning at 85. It has a surprising push from 60 and up. The engine in this car is really strong. (For a 240, of course)

Chris p · #71 04-24-2003, 09:10 AM

My girlfriend and I drove my 91 350 sdl to Yellow stone last summer from Minnesota. We did not set any high speed record but went 90 mph most of the way across North dakota and Montana. We averaged 26 mpg and what a great ride.

redbaronph123 · #72 04-28-2003, 02:29 AM

cool thread!.. ehheeh.. darn.. there must be something wrong with my wagon.... As per written on the CD.. it should top off at 140KPH.... the fastest i've got is 130KPH, mainly due to the loud sound and the non-existent headlights of the cars behind me.. ehhe... after such a run... the car would smell like burnt something... i dunno... but after hearing that a 240D can go around 105MPH.. makes me wonder if there is really something wrong with my car.

#73 05-01-2003, 06:23 PM

I am confused by my own previous post: yesterday I was on a desolate, straight-away hiway in the country all by my lonesome, and the weather was great. I was cruising at 100, and moved up to 110. The tach was only at 3900 at 100, and about 4200 at 110. Earlier, I reported 4900 at 120mph. I now think that I must have had it in 4th gear and not overdrive. It has been a year, so I can't remember, but I read here somewhere that driving in a lower gear around town ws good for the engine, so for a while I kept in in 4th up to about 80. Maybe I forgot to take it out of 4th when I was speeding. Anyway, it seemed like the tach had a long way to go until it hit 4900 rpms when I was holding 110, so I retract my previous post that reported 4900 rpms at 120 mph, although the car will do that speed easily.

300SDog · #74 05-01-2003, 10:13 PM

Am willing to bet its a tough job keeping the newer cars under 85... like that guy taking pictures of speedometer at 120mph - steering the car with his knee?

Sweet spot on my '79 240D 115k miles 4-spd is 82+ mph.... any slower and it loses momentum on hills, seems to be lugging at 70, 4th gear redline dot on speedometer is 90 - 3rd gear redline dot is 60.

I recently drove it from Montreal to Connecticut in 6+ hours using just over a tank of fuel, 1/2 qt. oil, hammer-down 80-85 mph.... stopping just for coffee and fuel.

A few times on downhills, had to back it down as it easily eclipsed 90mph.... didnt want it to become a 'runaway diesel' spinning into oblivion beyond redline.

Mine seems to favor upper rpm ranges in all gears. I never bottom out the gears and drive it at crisp engine speed.

It might just be an exceptional motor, no 2 identical diesels perform exactly alike. My goal is to buy an old 110 finbody and soup it up with the '79 240 engine.

Capt Kirk · #75 05-02-2003, 03:02 AM

I've had my 300D up to it's actual limit (dunno exact, 85mph speedo) many times. I usually only do it for passing though, since I have to drive with my windows down or else it's a nice sauna in the car. Talk about a driving experience 90+ with all windows and the sunroof open

Other than passing I cruise at around 70-80mph, Enjoying my German Military Marches CD (the true crusing music) and hanging my arm out the window.