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  #1  
Old 09-15-2003, 10:53 PM
Mr Goodfahrt's Avatar
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Smile My fixer-upper car... what would you do 1st?

I have been thrilled at the help, inspiration and advice I've gotten from this community so I thought I would share some of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly with you all and see which order you all would approach these various tasks.

Let me preface this by saying I am a 50 year old newbie... Haven't seen under a valve cover since college days but am looking forward to learning.
1982 300 D Turbo, white... 200,000+
Purchased the car for $2500 with new windshield. This car had sat for 5 months, but started right up after using the primer. The price may sound high, but the car runs great and is very driveable. Even the sunroof works (although slowly). Passed MD inspection OK after plugging rust holes with bondo (temporary I know).
Engine and trans strong, only little blue smoke on start up and brakes fine (new pads). Maintains engine temp @ 90 degrees very well even with full load (hot day with AC on).
Am getting around 28mpg.
EGR valve is disabled (vacuum line plugged)
Air was upgraded to R134 and blows cold. Climate control maintains the temperature fine... hot or cold... but occassionally blows a fuse on the HI/defrost setting (don't use any more).
Has fine oil pressure characteristics.... when hot pegs out at 1000 rpm. Cruises great at 75mph+

Starts great... will even start without glow plugs.
Shuts off immediately now that door-lock vacuum leaks fixed.

She shifted very hard until I plugged a vacuum 3way hose junction that had an empty connector. I still don't know what hose went in there. Now shifts fine... but slight flaring from 2-3.
Tires only 25% worn.

My main concern is the considerable blow-by oil in housing (and on driveway). I am using about a quart of oil per 500 miles.... (using Dino brew.... Penzoil 15-40 Long Life for diesels - can buy cheap at Walmart). Except for this blow by, all the other characteristics of the engine seem very strong. Perhaps after the valves are set and I do a compression check I'll know more. Much oil on driveway though... more than I would like. I did replace the air filter housing bracket and made sure pipe was connected underneath, but still pools oil in housing.

The ALDA screw has been exposed but I haven't attempted to adjust it. Have cleaned banjo fitting though... was very dirty.

My first project was to change the oil/filter and do a coolent flush. Also installed new thermostat and new air filter housing bracket.

My first "incident" involved a plugged fuel filter which resulted in being stranded for a few hours while I figured out that the car would run fine by bypassing it till I got home (didn't have a spare). This was very embarassing... was first outing with family to show off new car!!!

"Issues" were/are:
Door locks didn't open/close automatically. FIXED
Tach didn't work FIXED
Cluster bulbs dim FIXED
Odometer stopped at 161,000 FIXED
Blows fuse on HI/Defrost blower setting
Antennae mast busted off
Center Vents didn't work FIXED(permanently open)
Water leak in front windshield FIXED/new windshield
Rear defroster didn't come on
Oil in air filter housing
Air filter housing bracket broken FIXED
Cruise control inoperative (have pulled amplifie)
2inch rust holes in rear wheel wells FIXED(temporary)
Pinholes in muffler, but pipes ok
Primary fuel filter clogged (small clear one) FIXED
CV boots slightly leaking
slight oil leak from front crankshaft seal
Vacuum pump weak - Only12 pounds (?)
"weeping" oil from lower oil cooler hose (not dripping)
"weeping" oil pan gasket
"weeping" valve cover
ball joint rubber bad
Dash cracked - FIXED (got cap)

I am not viewing these issues as "problems", but "challanges".

I'm proposing to set the valves this week and then do a compression check if I can locate a proper gauge. They are much more expensive than what is available at Sears.

Will also do a Diesel-Dr shock treatment this tankfull and then change out both fuel filters. Will also clean strainer in tank.

Next will do Deisel Purge treatment.

Will drop oil pan and replace gasket this week.
Also want to do a transmission fluid/filter change soon.

Have acquired a Mity-Vac Gauge/Zit Popper and have already used it to diagnose and fix my door locks. Got the actuators from our local boneyard for a few bucks and a case of sunburn.

Vacuum pump is only putting out around 12 pounds I think. Will double check this tomorrow. If true, will have to rebuild pump (can't afford new one).

I have found the info from **************.com extremely helpful and have ordered their valve wrenches and several of their books. The one on vacuum systems was particularly helpful, as was the main book on general 123 diesel performance. I also redid my instrument cluster with info from his guide and from this board.

This brings me up to date... hope is not too wordy but I suspect my story is not unusual.
Any advice on my blow-by/oil problem or other things to check will be appreciated.

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Mr Goodfahrt (pronounced FAIRT... means "good trip" in German)

1982 300D Turbo Pastel Gray (off-white) 200k+(?)
newbie but willing

Last edited by Mr Goodfahrt; 09-16-2003 at 11:21 AM.
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Old 09-16-2003, 10:45 AM
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Location: Northern Virginia
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The blow by of actual oil can be reduced by using the newer "flat" hose from valve cover to oil separator in the air cleaner housing. The original one is made of round plastic hard tubing. The replacement style (also used on later models than 1982) has a rectangular / flat cross section and is softer - flexible. I can get you a part number from a previous thread if you need it.

What I thought was valve cover seepage turned out to be a loose and leaking intake manifold. The valve cover seal has a trough beside it on the passenger side that should direct oil to the back of the engine. If you see an oily mess on the passenger SIDE of the engine when the air cleaner housing is off, then that's probably a loose / leaking intake manifold and gasket. Try tightening the nuts a bit that hold the manifolds on - they may tend to loosen with time.

I also notice the oil separator drain tube is dryer than I think it should be, so I am going to take the thing apart and see if it is blocked. If that is the case, cleaning it should reduce oil consumption some. These drain tubes also tend to get rattled loose and disconnect from the air cleaner housing, but I'm sure you have checked that already.

My oil consumption is considerably less than yours though, maybe a quart in 2000 miles or so on the 1982.

Ken300D
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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles
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  #3  
Old 09-16-2003, 11:14 AM
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Thumbs up

Thanks for the suggestion... I'm pretty sure my oil consumtion is ending up on the driveway through the air filter housing. Will try tightening the intake manifold bolts, but...
NEWBIE QUESTION: What and where is it? What size bolts should I be looking for?

Already have a flat style hose installed, but will pull air cleaner housing and check the drain tube again. After reading up on blowby on this board I read that there is also some kind of gasket on the end that can dry out. As per your suggestion, will also give a good cleaning and check for a blockage. Let me know what you find when you do yours.

Hope this oil blowby isn't bad rings or something else serious. Would surprise me though because the engine runs so strongly otherwise.

Thanks again....
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Mr Goodfahrt (pronounced FAIRT... means "good trip" in German)

1982 300D Turbo Pastel Gray (off-white) 200k+(?)
newbie but willing
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  #4  
Old 09-16-2003, 12:15 PM
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Location: Northern Virginia
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My 1982 is in a good position to take a picture of the intake / exhaust manifolds and post it here for you to take a look at it. The turbo and shields are off but the manifolds are bolted up. You will be able to get an idea of the oil leakage that a loose intake manifold can cause (oil that should be burned in the engine runs out the intake manifold instead if its loose) and where the bolts are located. On my car the original manifold gasket had also failed so the better-designed replacement is in now.

I started all this work just to replace the turbo drain seals and grommet at the oil pan. After getting the turbo off to do this job it was apparent that the oil was coming from somewhere else because that entire side of the engine was coated and wet. It doesn't take much oil at all to make a mess.

Ken300D
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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles
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  #5  
Old 09-16-2003, 12:27 PM
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Mr Fahrt,

I would fix the tri vacuum connector to the transmission first. I screwed up my auto trans by putting that connector on wrong. One leg has a restriction and that leg must connect to the vacuum supply. The other 2 go to the transmission and the vacuum valve on the injection pump.

P E H
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  #6  
Old 09-16-2003, 12:28 PM
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Great... will look forward to pictures.

BTW, is there some instructions somewhere on how to post a photo? I have a digital camera but haven't done it before.

Thanks again...
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Mr Goodfahrt (pronounced FAIRT... means "good trip" in German)

1982 300D Turbo Pastel Gray (off-white) 200k+(?)
newbie but willing
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  #7  
Old 09-17-2003, 02:12 AM
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I would try Delo 400 15/40 next oil change, I did not know that Penzoil made a diesel grade? almost every professional mechcanic I know swears at Penzoil............
William Rogers......
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  #8  
Old 09-17-2003, 02:40 AM
ForcedInduction
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I used Pensoil my first run. Its sloppy, dark from the start. I have heard it starts as recycled oil and thats why I stoped using it. It is a diesel grade but I will still stick to Shell Rotella. I would use Delo but its kind of hard to track down except at truck stops (Wal-Mart and Autozone don't sell it), even then its not cheap.When my diesel instructor heard I put Pe*is-oil (What he calls it) in my Benz, he just laughed and offered to drain it out for me since "It would be the same as running penzoil in it".
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  #9  
Old 10-12-2003, 02:52 PM
Registered Diesel Burner
 
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Location: Northern Virginia
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Here is a picture of the passenger side engine area, minus turbo. At the time of this picture I had replaced the manifolds gasket and had bolted the intake and exhaust manifolds back up to the head. I only cleaned up the gasket seal surfaces, so the outside of the manifolds and below that on the side of the engine shows the extent of the leak.

While it might look like the turbo-to-intake manifold inlet port might be the source of the leak, this was not leaking. The burned oil running down the front of the exhaust manifold is from the leaking intake manifold port immediately above the leak trail.

Oil leakage below the car is now limited to the driver's side, apparently caused by a leaking oil filter cannister housing. Another project.

On the Interstate at night I used to see a faint cloud behind me that I thought was the diesel exhaust. It is gone now, apparently it was oil burning off the exhaust. It doesn't take much oil at all on an exhaust to smoke a lot. That oil is now
going into the combustion chamber and burning up rather cleanly.

Ken300D
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My project car... what would you do 1st?-oct12_01.jpg  
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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Last edited by Ken300D; 10-12-2003 at 02:58 PM.
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  #10  
Old 12-01-2003, 01:08 AM
84W123DT
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Re: My fixer-upper car... what would you do 1st?

Mr Goodfahrt:

Have you by chance documented the repair items you have mentioned as FIXED. I will very much appreciate an e-mail copy of it if you have it as I am currently looking at an 82 300DT with much the same problems (or challenges) as did yours.

Your help is appreciated.
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  #11  
Old 12-01-2003, 03:21 PM
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Some of the stuff on that list look familiar.

Have fun,
GD
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  #12  
Old 12-01-2003, 05:10 PM
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Location: NYC and VT
Posts: 185
Do first?

I'm torn between dealing with the oil in the air filter and dealing with the ball joint.

I think I'd go with the ball joint. If you are OK pouring the oil in, the gaskets and such might be able to wait. But, ball joint failure could be bad. Does the steering shake at high speeds?

I'm sure others here will have an opinion on this.

BTW, the antenna is a five minute job to fix. Pull out the old one and snake the new one in. There's instructions on the bag. I got one from MB Manhattan. (Just about the only thing I got from them with no hassel.) Can't remember how much, but it seemed pretty cheap.

Go on, everyone! Tell me why I chose wrong.
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1984 300SD: Hilda the veggie vundercar
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  #13  
Old 12-01-2003, 09:28 PM
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Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,373
Very impressive list to date with all the things fixed.

I echo the sentiment to switch to one of the 'community approved' oil brands. The 'P' word sends chills up the spine. Walmart sells a couple of our more agreed upon oils such as Delo or Rotella and pretty cheap.

My hunch is that your oil consumption issue is not major internal problems due to the strong performance and start-ability.

I find these cars very, very hardy and robust. When you get one that runs strong, go with it. Although I would track down the oil problem, I would not obsess with it.

All five of mine look like an oil slick from underneath. Self applying rust proofing program.

I don't under maintain, but neither do I go overboard. I am squeezing out tons of miles on a very affordable maintainence budget.

Don

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'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
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'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

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