Was cruising down the freeway yesterday when I heard a CLUNK. Then I lost power. Saw my oil light. Oh Sh!!!t! Drifted over to the right. In the No. 1 lane, the engine quit. Managed to stop on the shoulder.

Shell Rotella syn was flooding from the car. The left front wheel was slathered with oil. Oil was splattered all along the driver's side of my newly repainted MB. Even misted over the trunk.

The oil cooler lay on the ground next to the front tire. The belly pan was gone. I had the car towed to Enrique in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. He will reattach to cooler and see if my 602 engine and turbo survived the blowout.

Can't believe it. I had rebuilt the engine after it bent a rod -- caused by a faulty injection pump ruined by an incompetent mechanic fiddling with an IP leak. I've spared no $$$$ on this car.

Now this (poor me...LOL)!

Only one option: Fix it. There's no value, to me or anyone else, in a glossy w124 300D 2.5 with a cream-colored near-perfect interior, that doesn't run.

Will keep you posted...

__________________
'91 300D 2.5 Turbo 330K
'00 VW TDI Golf, 190K
'67 BMW R50/2
'73 Norton Commando Interstate

I only have one word....BUMMER!!

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

Hey, sorry to hear about your engine. I have one question, did the oil cooler assembly come apart on its own, or did you hit something in the road? I had to swere just the other day to miss a 2x4 about a foot long that fell off a moving flatbed semi trailer at 75 mph and was coming at me like a rabid skateboard

I think I hit something. The belly pan sheared off. And my mechanic said there are holes and pits in the oil cooler and oil lines. New parts are on order, and only new oil and a test fire will tell whether I've ruined the engine.

__________________
'91 300D 2.5 Turbo 330K
'00 VW TDI Golf, 190K
'67 BMW R50/2
'73 Norton Commando Interstate

Hope everything is ok and the damage was just confined to the cooler, and other items phycically damaged....Goodluck

If you have collision insurance on that vehicle, your policy will pay for these repairs. If the engine is totaled that might be the way to go.

If you have collision insurance on that vehicle, your policy will pay for these repairs. If the engine is totaled that might be the way to go.
Better preserve the evidence that you in fact struck something.

I was talking to a gentleman who told me about his dad's 300CD, and how he hit something and totaled the engine. The insurance company paid for a brand new engine.

Old Deis makes good point, make sure to save save the old oil cooler.

I wonder if you have an automatic shut-down mechanism that detects when oil gets too low for safe operation...?
I have one on my pressure washer with a 11hp Honda make sense if they'd engineer them in cars too huh?

keep us posted>
good luck
dave

Those low oil pressure shutoffs are required by Coast Guard regulations on gasoline powered boats with electric fuel pumps. They're pretty easy to wire in to a gas engine since they simply shut off the ignition. I haven't seen a similar set up on a diesel.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Drag cars sometimes run a big red oil light. It lights up if oil pressure drops below a predetermined point. Seems like a worthwhile addition. Just make sure the light is big enough and bright enough to get your attention. RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Someone on the board is working on an audible low oil pressure alarm. I hope he posts the system, parts and how to do it.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Sorry to hear that. Best of luck during your repair.

__________________
Brian Toscano

If the proponents of synthetic oil are correct, your engine should have survived with no damage. To read some of the testimonials, some people manage to drive for hundreds of miles with no oil and no damage. It'll be interesting to see if your name is added to those testimonials.
Hope all turns out well.

dana, so sorry to hear about this. fixing the car is the wise thing to do because you are obviously attached to it. i think it's worth it to. hang in there! i take my car in for an estimate today on a road hazard damage.

eric

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1995 E320 Sportline Wagon "Bernard"
black on black leather

http://i.imgur.com/BdZ7jM3.png