To any helpful soul out there - I am new to these mercedes diesels - I have just degreased & powerwashed the engine on my '83 300cd turbodiesel ...then I drove it home a few miles and it seemed to run just fine...I decided to check the aircleaner, it was pretty dirty and lots of oil residue in there, apparently from the valve cover breather hose. I decided to remove this hose as I had on my VW Jetta TDI(where I had replaced it with a simple breather element), since it seemed like an obvious way to quit sucking sludge into the turbo and intake manifold....I then drove the car and it has absolutely NO power and it shifts WAY too high in the RPM range. I am assisting it in shifting by releasing the throttle! I then replaced the breather hose, thinking that might be the problem...same NO power situation! HELP-did I screw up something by removing that hose, OR is it possible that I have broken a vacuum or electrical connection by powerwashing the engine, even though it drove well immediately after the wash? ANY ideas or suggestions as to where to start, as I have looked around quite extensively underhood and can find nothing broken...maybe an electrical part is wet? Thanks for any input! ,Loren

first, does your central locking work correctly? it runs off of vacuum. if it doesn't work now,you have a loose vacuum hose or your power wash cracked a plastic fitting that the hose connects to. i power wash my diesel all time.
transmission should shift up at 2000 rpm.

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72 250 CE-5spd-gone
79 280 CE
82 300TD
83 300 CD
83 380 SEC

Thanks for your reply regarding the central locking...I will check that today...I haven't even thought of that ...I also purchased a hand-held vacuum tester that I will try on the system! I will let you know how it goes! Loren

Along with the vacuum issue, check for moisture in the electricals. Powerwashing if effective in getting out all of the hidden grime, but with that pressure comes the unintended ability to have moisture penetrate components that aren't designed to work under those conditions.

I'm not familiar with diesels per se, but check for cavities at the head where fuel injectors(?) and glow plugs reside to see if water has pooled.

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Thanks everyone...I am currently going thru the tedious process of checking all electrical as well...I hope that it is obvious to the eye...I did find a few broken circuits - one was a wire coming from some sort of switch at the top of the thermostat housing, and also a broken electrical connector that I can not determine the whereabouts of the other end!

...In response to the transmission, I found one abraded/broken wire that comes off of the main harness to the trans and plugs into the back of the transmission....I will have to splice or buy a new one! I will keep updated...tomorrow I will have everything put back together and see if she drives well again.

There is a connecter behind the air cleaner housing for the Turbo. More than likely you have soaked it ....Let it dry out for a day and it should be ok. I've done this several times. When your driving listen for the whistle of the Turbo. If you don't hear it, it's probably wet.

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Brandon



2008 S550
1957 Dodge D100
1967 VW Microbus 21 Window
2001 Suburban
2004 Beach cruiser bicycle
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"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here." Patrick Henry 1776

The car seems to drive fine when it is cold in the morning...I drove about 3 miles to the gym and parked for about an hour...when I came out and drove away, I have no power again...is this temperature related somehow? I have no clue but don't yet want to spend the money at the shop! Thanks