This is my first MB, 69 W115 220D, 4-speed manual, mileage unknown. Addressed many problems before leaving on an emergency 2400 mile road trip with it (SW Oregon to Illinois) in mid-summer. In southern Idaho I knew I had a problem. Very hard starting and unburned fuel coming out of exhaust. No money, time or tools to find and fix problem(s). So, when I got to Illinois (yes, it made it the whole way), I subscribed to this Forum, as well as studying the engine FSM, I took valve cover off to find the portion of tension rail that rides against chain tensioner pin broken (and this was the old style steel with rubber face tension rail). So, with your help I replaced the chain guides and tension rail and chain tensioner. The cam sprocket was good. The camshaft timing after replacing everything was dead on zero. Note, I did not replace timing chain for three reasons (good or bad, I don't know): Cam timing was perfect and I saw no evidence of damage to the chain and it's a duplex chain (plus, I was a bit worried about quality of aftermarket chains). Through this Forum's Tool Rental Program I got a set of valve adjusting wrenches today and adjusted the valves (I have no idea when they were last adjusted). One Exhaust was on spec, the other seven very, very tight, some valves may not even have been completely closing. Changed fuel filter today, put new fuel hoses on (all the cloth weave rubber hoses seeped fuel, which made me manually pump fuel into system at every start), put on clamps that were missing, drained fuel tank (no algae, tank strainer was clean), new tie rod on right side. So, will get some fuel tomorrow, install glow plugs and see what happens in a day or two. The glow plugs were heavily carboned as a result of the out of time cam, so cleaned and bench tested them. I imagine it's going to take some additives to help burn carbon out. The injector's were rebuilt by Oregon Fuel Injector before I left. The truly amazing thing, besides the car making it, is that I still got 33mpg with the engine in this state from Idaho to Illinois (and the tight valves for the whole trip). So, thank you all for your help in getting me this far in my R&R. I expect it will start, but will likely have my friend pull start me first time (we're both old hands at pull starts and use braided nylon tow rope) so as not to weaken an already weak starter (no starter money for a while yet). If all seems well after starting (I expect it will) I'll give it a mild Interstate ITU. Will keep you posted on results. Oh, I will also have the front end aligned, it either has heavy toe-in on left front or camber out of adjustment, or both. Then, in ten days or so it's 1400 miles to Bozeman, Montana. I'm aware of the dangers of a winter long-distance trip, but my life circumstances since leaving Oregon last July haven't left me many options. I'll keep you posted if I don't wind up a popsicle somewhere in Wyoming.

like you are doing fine.

i wouldnt worry about the carbon. it sounds normal. i would just drive it. i would add fuel additive and always buy quality fuel and just go. if the timeing is spot on it would seem that the chain is good. and with 33 mpg your engine must be in fine fettle.

good luck on the trip.

i had a 72 220. it was a very nice car. i have fond memories of driving it. my first benz diesel. and the first of my second and present run of benzes.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Hey--where in IL are you? I'm in Champaign, and I'm an old diesel hand. Had a 220D once. Let me know.

Joe Bauers
j.bauers@insightbb.com

Ralph ;

You'll prolly find that taking the old starter apart and cleaning it well then re-lubricating it with some good quality Moly based grease (good stuff will be black) it'll work a _lot_ better . (I've done this in highway rest stops many times on my old klunker-junkers)

Clean the battery cables with baking oda and hot water in a saturated solution untill no more fizzing then rinse clean , dry well , coat with grease and wash the battery with soap & water as it only take a little bit of smutch on the battery to have ' leakage ' whilst it's sitting overnight and you're in cold weather country .

Sounds like a good car ~ tough little bugger's aren't they ? .

Mayhap I shoulda bought that '63200D sedan I saw last year....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Nate,
Yeah, the little 4 cylinder diesel is a very tough engine. It ran 70 to 75 the whole way. Thank you for the advice on sprucing the starter and neutralizing the battery posts and cables.
Ralph

You're entirely welcome ~ just trying to pay back a tiny bit of the help I've received over the years .

As I started back in the 1960's working on dilapidated farm trucks in New Hampshire (no $$) then moved up to gas station mechanic (customers with no $$) and finally into my favorite job of all time ~ running a VW shop in a college town and doing salvage - reconstruct on the side (NO ONE had any $$) , I learned that much can be done with time and patience , rather than blindly throwing $$ into the car like most American ' mechanics ' seem to do .

We just hired on a whole buncha new dealer mechanics and they look at me askance when I have the temerity to suggest _FIXING_ somethin rather than just replacing it and hoping the truck is now O.K. ~ one mechanic is from...
Hell , I dunno , The Phillipines or Vietnam etc. and we get along like a house afire ~ we both have a big old fleet of old cars no one wanted and keep them running on pennies and sweat equity .

German cars are the very best for DIY repairing as everything comes apart into tiny little pieces so you can fix and repair or simply mix 'n match parts untill it's race ready again...

I cannot wait to check & shim my injectors next week......

I'm going to make up my own battery cable out of # 0 gauge welding cable , prolly next week but soon as I can .

-Nate

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better