I just bought an 87TD with 268k. It has been maintained to extremes and the body is mint.
The problem is zero compression on #2 cylinder. I removed the injectors and found no washers under #1 and #2. #1 is carboned over but has compression .#2 is wet. I removed the intake and its gunked up, but you can see the intake valve and it looks ok.
I tried putting air into the injector hole with the valves closed, but didn,t hearing any thing from the dipstick or intake and exhaust. Maybe it could have gone out the rear but I have no idea.
What is the most likely cause , head piston or valves? Or does anyone have any suggestions before I take off the head.

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Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

You need to pull the valve cover and take a peek -- it's possible that you have no cam lobe on #2 anymore so that #2 intake doesn't open much. You can also listen better here that out the dipstick tube for leaks.

Does it burn significant oil?

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

It is a little shocking to see all that carboned oily gunk in the intake, isn't it. Especially when its right there where the valves have to move up and down.

As psfred suggests, pull the valve cover off next and carefully watch the operation of the valves. Make sure that the valves for the bad cylinder are actually moving up and down. If the car was left to sit for any amount of time it's slightly possible the carbon-oil gunk locked a valve open.

Another valve issue is the possibility that a chunk of harder carbon (soot actually) oil is lodged in the valve seat and holding a valve open. Usually something like that will get blown out.

We try to investigate the lower cost and lower effort things first.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Mabye an Italian Tune-up would get the carbon and gunk out

Valve cover off, cam looks good
Intake off valve closed
Thought about the soot under exhaust, but not sure if I take off the exhaust if you can see in the valve. The car actually was running well with no oil usage and it just started skipping. It has not been run as it was turned off to prevent any possible damage. I'm not sure what to do next. I could take the head off , but if I do and find a stuck valve that could have been run out I won't be happy. Broke my foot 16 weeks ago when I fell off a ladder building a new garage and still can't walk. Just trying to use the eaisest path. Any ideas what to do now.

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Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

Off with the head. I doubt if soot is causing the problem and best case would be a failed/bad valve and the head has to come off for that anyway.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

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Jim

ricali,

If the engine started missing all of a sudden, I would suspect that a valve has a chip out of it or a big crack. Even if a ring broke, the compression would not be zero.

If the head gasket was leaking that bad or the head was cracked, you would have a lot air going into the cooling system which would bubble in the cooant overflow tank.

P E H

Nothing in the oil and nothing in the radiator. Just no sign of anything. I'm now thinking along the lines of broken or bent valve. Are the valve an interference fit ,that the piston would hit?

Whats really weird is that I now have one of the first and one of the last #124 models. 95 E300 nonturbo and the 87 turbo wagon . Both with odd ball engines

I found a 87 engine for $900 and now wonder if I should buy it and just replace the original engine. The parts probably cost that much alone. Would like to hear any comments.

__________________
Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

ricali,

Yes these MB Diesel engines are interference engines. With such a high compression ratio and the prechamber adding volume, its difficult or impossible to make them non interference because there is little room between the piston and the head.

P E H

P.E.H.

Are you the guy who travels New England and burns veggie oil? If so I have 100 gal. that I can,t use (because of my foot) and you,d be welcome to it . Its in 5 gal. cotainers.

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Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

ricali - If the $900 engine can be verified as being good I would seriously consider purchasing but only after a visual inspection (head off) necessitated it.

__________________
Jim

With all the input , I've decided to pull the head. Then if the repair is limited to the valves I'll fix it. We have a guy that repairs alum. heads. Any more than that I'm going for the swap and keep mine for spare parts. The only problem now is the weather is going to be a high of 15 for the next 3 days and lows 0f -5. At my age I'll freeze up before the first head bolt.

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Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

racali,

NO, I'm not the guy that travels to Mass and burns veggie oil. If you werent so far away, I would take you up on your offer.

P E H

The guy who travels NE on WVO is Fredmburgess.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

have had pre chambers completley blocked in the past
gives the impression that you have no compression on that cylinder
just an idea
regards
wagger