The "Diseasel" - '86 300SDL - Page 14 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vwnate1 · #**196** 01-27-2019, 12:26 PM

Boy howdy are you right about the learning curve ! .

OTOH, when I turned the ALDA screw clockwise, the power dropped off and the smoke increased ~ I don't understand why / how but that's what happened .

I'm about 360* in from fully CCW now and it seems to run O.K., some times after a long red light I see a cloud of fuel smoke as I pull away from a stop, others not .

Filters look clean .

Maybe a crappy injector ? .

In time I'll pull them and pop test .

Diseasel300 · #**197** 01-27-2019, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

OTOH, when I turned the ALDA screw clockwise, the power dropped off and the smoke increased ~ I don't understand why / how but that's what happened .

I'm about 360* in from fully CCW now and it seems to run O.K., some times after a long red light I see a cloud of fuel smoke as I pull away from a stop, others not .

What color is the smoke? Because of how the diesel operates, if it was going to smoke at idle, it would do it all the time, not after a delay of sitting at a light. Rich (injection quantity) smoke is black. Injection/Timing smoke is grey or white. Oil smoke is blue/grey. Based on the red light statement, I'd be more inclined to suspect oil smoke than fuel smoke. The ALDA has no effect on injection quantity until the turbo starts to build boost, it has no effect on injection quantity at idle and very little effect at low throttle positions.

qpooqpoo · #**198** 01-28-2019, 10:17 PM

Great car! The 300SDL really is the perfect mercedes diesel to restore. It has all the classic charm in design and the engineering ruggedness, yet its modern enough to daily drive and just old enough were you can do everything yourself. Its a timeless car. I've restored two of them, so let me know if you have any questions.

I respect what you've done with the interior. Though I would have gone the "purist route" and installed good condition used stuff, you have added a ruggedness and a utilitarian feel which is very nice not to mention stress free.

Oh, and you should delete your EGR asap. Very simple, and very good to do. They still might have kits for that floating around...

Diseasel300 · #**199** 01-28-2019, 10:43 PM

The utilitarian "Wal-Mart Special" interior "upgrade" is only temporary. While I'm working on the car and getting it all dolled up, I carry the dogs back there. Eventually front and rear seat will get new covers, new pads, and new springs so that they're comfortable and look nice again. Then the dogs will have to find a new ride!

EGR was deleted before the car even made it's first drive. An old extra piece of aircraft aluminum and an extra EGR gasket did the trick, and with the vacuum lines still connected but plugged internally, still looks totally stock.

R&R on this car is painfully slow, I pretty well only work on it when I have the time/effort/money/determination to do something to it. Since it's all up and running, I tend to drive it more than work on it lately.

vwnate1 · #**200** 01-29-2019, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diseasel300

What color is the smoke? Because of how the diesel operates, if it was going to smoke at idle, it would do it all the time, not after a delay of sitting at a light. Rich (injection quantity) smoke is black. Injection/Timing smoke is grey or white. Oil smoke is blue/grey. Based on the red light statement, I'd be more inclined to suspect oil smoke than fuel smoke. The ALDA has no effect on injection quantity until the turbo starts to build boost, it has no effect on injection quantity at idle and very little effect at low throttle positions.

Thank you .

The exhaust some -looks- black to me, it only puffs a cloud when I accelerate off idle or am moving slowly in traffic andget the chance to speed up .

I had the engine re sleeved and so on less than 20,000miles ago and one cylinder has slightly lower compression than the rest, I hope it isn't oil smoke

.

Because it doesn't emit smoke every time I accelerate off idle I'm won dering what it is .

It's my daily driver and I'm now retired , no longer have access to a full shop with leak down testers and the air supply to operate them .

Fuel economy has tanked of late, down to 22 MPG's, I can't stand that .

Phillytwotank · #**201** 01-29-2019, 07:37 AM

Question for you about the ALDA o rings. Do you have a size for them or part number? Are they something special or just any metric sized o rings?

Diseasel300 · #**202** 01-29-2019, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phillytwotank

Question for you about the ALDA o rings. Do you have a size for them or part number? Are they something special or just any metric sized o rings?

They're metric O-rings. There's a thread on this forum that I got the information from, I'll look it up and give info on what I installed in mine this evening when I get home from work. I didn't bookmark the thread or comment in it, so it may take me a little while to find!

Diseasel300 · #**203** 01-29-2019, 06:24 PM

Ok, found the thread for the ALDA re-seal. The shaft O-ring size is given in the OP's post, I give the body halves O-ring size in the last post. If you can't find the right sizes locally, McMaster-Carr is your friend....I bought Viton ones from them so hopefully I'll never have to do the job again.

Thread:
OM602 ALDA o ring size

Phillytwotank · #**204** 01-29-2019, 07:07 PM

Got it. Thanks

vwnate1 · #**205** 01-29-2019, 08:28 PM

Thank you ! .

I'm working with an OM617 so I'll have to look at the old ones but I'll give it a go when I get a moment, kinda stacked up with works right now but I love learning and have two OM617's so I might as well learn this .

Diseasel300 · #**206** 01-29-2019, 08:31 PM

The 617 and the early 60x series with the "square" ALDA are the same unit and use the same O-rings. The later 60x series used a "round" ALDA which is crimped together and non-serviceable. The Phillips screws that hold the ALDA halves together will be stupidly tight. A sharp #3 Phillips bit, a bench vice, and a manual impact are your best friends to get them to part company without stripping the heads.

vwnate1 · #**207** 01-29-2019, 08:52 PM

Thanx, I have the manual impact driver .

Diseasel300 · #**208** 01-31-2019, 11:32 PM

And it's over.

This morning on the way to work, I was sitting in the center turn lane behind a Mustang and an F350 lost it, crossed over the center turn lane hitting the Mustang and making him spin into the front of my car.

Long story short, the damage to the car is more extensive than it looks in the pictures. Oil cooler broken off, radiator popped, extensive body damage, bent unibody, bent front subframe, bent suspension components. Structurally damaged enough that it isn't feasible economically to try to repair. Insurance will total the car. Whether or not I take the money or buy it for parts remains to be seen.

Yes, I'm ok. Physically uninjured, the car took all the damage. Emotionally shaken up, I've never been in an accident in the 20 years I've been driving, but I'll get over it.

Diseasel300 · #**209** 01-31-2019, 11:34 PM

The truck that caused the accident and the Mustang that took the brunt (Mustang driver was rushed to the hospital).

Diseasel300 · #**210** 01-31-2019, 11:36 PM

The fate and future of The Diseasel is currently unknown. It's tied up in impound until the police report is complete and insurance adjusters have seen the car and decided what they're gonna do.

In the meantime, I took some mementos from it, including the high mileage badge that I only fitted Sunday evening.

The Diseasel: January 30, 2016 - January 31, 2019.