I am 72, and will attempt to drive my 1981 240D (a manual trans) from NC to Whitehorse, Canada and return. Round trip is around 7,400 miles. Needless to say wife and kids are not happy.

I have had the 240D since May 2006. For a couple of years, drove daily to and from work, around 150 miles a day. So, in one month this is approx 3,000 miles a month. I will drive between 400-500 miles a day at 50-55 mph. I can drive at 65mph, but engine will starting using oil, and would have to add all the time. At 55, will not loose much oil. All travel will on blacktop or concrete roads. Also, I drove to Indiana and return (to NC) and had no problems.

I spent 24 yrs in the Army, so sleeping in a small tent, on the ground, no big deal. Food, water, will buy as needed. Every 2 or 3 days, will camp at a campground to have a shower, and clean up.

Now, this is where I will need some help, in what parts, tools I need.
The tires are in excellent shape, but I need a good spare.
Two sets of fuel filters, 2 oil filters, 5 gallons, Shell 15W/40
4 glow plugs
1 air filter
5 gallons water, mainly to drink, but also in case of a major leak
tools for the above

Since 2006, the following (major items) replaced
front and rear Calipers
Wheel Bearing/Hub Assembly-Frnt.
raidator
water pump
air pump
Clutch Slave Cylinder
rebuilt linkage for transmission
new muffler, tail pipe, and exhaust
new alternator
new belts


If the car does die, very hopeful Canada, will have parts store, and mechanics to fix.

I am still looking for someone to go with me. Wife, said NO.,, Kids have their families, and jobs. Only person, who would go is a female friend of my wife's. But, this will not work.

I have a friend in Michigan, but his wife is dead set against this.

So, I am looking forward to any comments, etc, from MB W123 Diesel owners and their thoughts.

If you can't get a male companion get a dog. If the 240 is sound you'll be fine. If it takes a huge dump you can take the bus home.

At our age great adventures are hard to come by.

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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.

You only live once. Live it.

One item missing - credit card. Take two different kinds in case you get in a jam where they do not take your regular card.

Good luck. When I got out of the military, I rode my 1958 Triumph TR6 motorcycle from Colo Springs to Canada and then back south. Had two wrecks and still have a small scar on my nose.

What an experience; will never forget it. You may have same. Good luck again. And 72 is not exactly old.

I would really check the car over. Flexdisks,belts,hoses, belts, etc. Plus add a little heavy oil to the outer cv joints. You could also add straight 40 diesel oil as makeup. It will reduce oil consumption at those times you may want to or have to travel faster. Longest distance AAA towing plan might be considered.

If I went alone. I might remove the front passenger seat. Using some thick plywood to make a bed platform. You may be in areas where it is not safe enough to sleep in a tent from time to time or it is too cold.

Truck stops are pretty safe places and you cannot use a tent in them. You can buy a shower there as well. Some times free with fuel purchase. You can roll your big diesel rig up to the pumps.

The car can idle all night for less than a gallon of fuel for heat. I did not want to do it but was stuck in a storm in the week before Christmas years ago. Forced to stop driving in the middle of nowhere. While driving a 240d purchase home.

I tried to outrun the storm. I was headed north and it was coming in from the west. I was trying to reach the point I turned east before it got too bad. My 240 actually did generate more than adequate heat at idle for the night.

Remember on these now very old cars you do want to add a few ounces of heavy oil to those rear outer cv joints. For a trip like this. I would add a fan belt to the spare parts list as well.

Over the years I have done many trips while trying to keep the costs of them down. I totally agree you only live once and make the effort to do the trips we used to call busmans holidays years ago.

Where in Canada is your final destination?

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

If you take charge cards, call their customer service and let them know that you will be traveling so they don't think someone stole your card and cut you off while in Canada ( it happens, I know this... ). Also, check what they charge for using them in Canada. Some are no charge for the currency conversion.




A female friend of my wife's is a female friend of mine. If you get along and can agree on dinning and what constitutes civilized accommodations then do it. I have. No hanky panky, just a shared experience with a good friend.


If you want to, post your trip route. You will find people on this forum along the route offering assistance, if needed, and maybe a place to spend the night.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

Whitehorse. I've been to Anchorage, and grew up in South Eastern Alaska, Ketchikan. From Fayetteville, nc to Whitehorse (Google map) is 3695 miles.

On the Google map route, grab the blue route line in Chicago and drag it up and drop it on the Mackinaw Bridge. Get on hwy 2 and take it all the way to the middle of North Dakota before heading north to Canada. Avoid 1000 miles of high speed, busy, boring, freeway.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

Best of luck!!! Sounds like fun.

If not done already, a valve adjustment and replacement of injector return hoses would be in order.

Carry diesel fuel treatment and a container for extra fuel.

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

If you haven't fixed the issues with your glow relay, bring along a heavy gauge (8 gauge or heavier) jumper wire that can reach between glow relay and battery + terminal. This allows you to manually glow when the glow relay decides to quit. Have fun on the trip!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

If there is any way you could get a 2.88 differential in there it would make it a much more pleasant experience.

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Driver's seat cushion/spring. If it's not in great shape, you'll want one at the end of the first day. Driving around with a spring poking your ass is no fun.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

You can spray out those fuel pre-filters backwards in pinch if they look like they're clogging up a lot. Can of brake cleaner or wd-40 with the spray tube.

My car doesn't have a volt meter so I rigged a portable one and keep it in the glove box. I just plug it in to the lighter anytime for a quick voltage check, running or not. Good to know heading out on a long stretch, if there's a problem you'll know not to shut off the engine till you get where to want to be.


On a different note - Load your smartphone with multimedia for some efficient entertainment for those stop and relax times. With a sd memory card in your phone you can put a lot music and/or videos from your computer.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

Piston ring wear is usually the cause of high speed ( RE high load ) oil consumption. Connecting bearing wear also increases oil consumption because there is more oil being thrown onto the cylinder walls.

Making a list of car people along the way will be helpful in case of a breakdown. They don't even need to be Mercedes people, old car clubs, people on a car message board such as Hemmings would work out.

Making this run with coverage from a car magazine / U Tube channel might be helpful as well if you are looking for backing along the way.

If you are looking to do a 1950's style excursion with minimal electronic help that would be OK too but be sure to take a cell phone that will work in Canada in case of dire emergency.

Bring tools that will fix an on the side of the road breakdown. Don't bring tools to change a major breakdown such as a ring and pinion / rear wheel bearing as you will need to seek the assistance of a shop anyway.

Try not to brings things that are readily available along the way as you want to reduce weight. I'd use auto parts sites to see what parts can be purchased along the way then adjust the spare list as needed.
If the tires are more than 5 years old I'd consider replacing them. If they are showing any signs of cracking, replace them. I'm guessing you have 14" tires, these can be difficult to source along the way. As a dire emergency on the road, you could use a 14" trailer tire.

You might consider using a taller tire to reduce on highway revs but be aware that this will load the engine harder and increase oil consumption.
I'd bring 2 fuel filters, buy an oil filter when needed and only 1 gal of oil. Fuel filters are critical to vehicle operation, you can skip an oil filter change if you can't find one, buy another gal of oil when you have a qt or two left.
Small , light, OK to bring
OK to bring, probably difficult to source along the way.
I'd bring car water in 1 gal antifreeze jugs as this is easy to store and a leak in one won't result in the loss of all.
What has been changed in the past year or two? 2006 is back far enough that they might need to be changed again.

I'd be changing all coolant hoses, thermostat and bypassing / plugging the heater core. This eliminates a leak point, reduces AC load and reduces in car temps dramatically. I add a heater valve to all cars under my care and is the next best thing to AC.

Repack the front bearings
How many miles on this?
How many miles on this? At minimum I'd bring along a spare belt that runs the alternator and water pump.

How many miles / starts on the starter / battery?
I wonder if using car club / message board contacts would stir up a ride along for x miles person. They would fly to your current location along the way, you would drive towards their home, drop them off then continue on.