18 APRIL 2015 UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE !!

OK - So I've got some good news, and more information about the SLS leak and the performance of the engine (specifically the smoke).

SLS Update:

For the past week I've been working on all of my cars, including this one. Today I took it out for a long drive all over Fredericksburg, VA. I wanted to see how the SLS would behave. This morning I filled the SLS reservoir tank with AW46 hydraulic oil. Then I jacked up the right rear and started the engine. The SLS tank emptied quickly but none came spilling out of anywhere, so I repeated the process until the tank stayed full. I lowered the car and let it sit on it's tires, the rear end came up to level and stayed there. I monitored for leaks for about 20 minutes but saw none. I was expecting more. So I took the car for a really long, hilly ride to exercise the suspension. It road just like my other 300td. I took it to the car wash and gave it a good soapy wash (looks great now that all the dust is gone). After I got home I jacked it up again and pulled the right rear wheel off and gave everything a good looking at. Here is what I learned; The right rear hydropneumatic strut does indeed have a slow, weeping leak. It looks like one of the inner seals is blown and is allowing fluid to seep down the shaft. The pleated skirt is all wet and nasty from the leak, however the parts underneath (like where the strut attaches to the suspension) is not soaked. After running the car for about 4 hours today the level in the reservoir stayed at the full line and no pools of fluid have appeared in my driveway. I suspect that the leak only occurs when the strut is really exercised (big changes in travel, like over shallow hills at highway speed).

SMOKE Update:

Like I said previously, I've been running and driving this car more and more (it has really been sitting, un-driven or exercised for the past 2-3 years) - between people wanting to test drive it and me moving it around, taking it out on test runs, etc. Now, first thing in the morning and every start thereafter, there is virtually NO SMOKE. Only the normal amount of diesel smoke (runs and exhausts JUST like my other two 300 series diesels). With daily driving I feel this will remain the case, it just doesn't like to sit for months and months.

OTHER Updates:

• The cruise control works (until today I'd never tried it - Yeay !)
• The rear wiper and rear defroster work now (flakey old fuse).
• Passenger side electric rearview mirror works (hadn't tested it before today)
• I swapped out both of the rear tires with good spares that I had in my other cars - now the wobble I described is gone.

What Now ?

So - my pan is to continue to offer the car for $1500 for the remainder of this week. If it does not sell, I'm going to replace the leaking strut and then pull the sunroof and replace it too. Then the price is going up. I hope that sounds fair?

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1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

Fair enough.

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http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...aman/Fleet.jpg

Peach Parts W124.128 User Group.

80 280SL
85 300SD
87 300TD
92 300D 2.5 Turbo
92 300TE 4Matic

20 APRIL 2015 - U P D A T E - SLS Hydropneumatic Strut is now replaced and no longer leaking !

Alright - now even more good news - about the SLS Hydropneumatic strut - and the leak......

SLS Update:

I got an email from a craigslist person Saturday afternoon who showed big interest in the car, but was only interested if the SLS was fixed. He wanted to come see it Sunday afternoon and asked how fast I could get it fixed. I said I'd get to work on it and it would be ready. We talked on the phone, I gave him an address to the local WalMart where we could meet and we agreed on a time (I never direct CL buyers to my home) - you can probably see where this is going.

I worked all Saturday and into the morning of Sunday to replace the strut. Got the job done (wasn't that bad after I figured it all out) - and called the guy back - his phone rang and rang, the VM box was full. I waited at WalMart for 60 minutes, continue to try calling, but he never answered. No more emails either. What a prick.

Now that leaves me with good news for anyone out there who wanted this car, but were staying away because they did not want to face the work of replacing an SLS strut. It is now fixed, the car rides great and it is full of new fluid. No leaks. I took photos and will be writing up the details of how I did it on the diesel forum very soon.

Price for now is still $1500 cause I said I would leave it there at that price for this week.

__________________
1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

this is killing me

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1991 300D

...and if you hurry, you can still see some of the cherry blossoms !

__________________
1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

I just got back from the Inspection Station - now car has a current Virginia Safety Inspection Decal ! Good thru 04-2016.

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1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

Bump, still for sale. Go look in your couch cushiness and under the floor mats in your cars, this is a bargain.

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1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

This happened to me twice last month, people don't value anyone's time but their own.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

To quote Bill Clinton - "I feel your pain"

I'm selling off an old camera (I collect and use old cameras) - and have been stood up several times too.

This is why people hoard ! It's too hard to deal with the great-unwashed masses ;-)

__________________
1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

"Spouse" is still for sale ;-)

__________________
1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

Here are some often requested photos of the jack points, visible rust and some detail shots of the paint;


Roof of car looks like this - checked paint, no clear coat. The sides are smooth and shiny.



Driver side of hood - this portion is the worst of the hood, clear coat is gone.



Jack point, driver side rear.



Jack point, driver side front.



Jack point, passenger side rear.



Jack point, passenger side front.



Passenger side front door inside corner, rust does not appear on outside at all.



Passenger side rear most portion of front fender.

Thanks for looking !

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1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)

SOLD !

Both Spouse and Klause were sold together today to a pair of Mercedes enthusiasts today. A deposite was left and the cars will be driven outta here in a few weeks. It us nice to know that they both are staying together

__________________
1987 300TD named Klause
1987 300TD named Spouse
1987 300D named Seabiscuit
1980 300TD names Chloie (now sadly gone)