The "Diesel Dark Side"

[Mark DiSilvestro]

I've been saying that I need another car like I need another hole in my head!
Well, last week there was a full moon, I turned 50 and so, for my birthday, I bought my first Diesel. A 1982 240D for $225! I've already posted on the Diesel Forum but thought I'd post here too as, while it's an '82 model, the Sept '81 production date makes it 25 years old now.

Main reason for the cheap price was the broken left rear suspension and rust-through under the front seats. Car was re-painted 8 years ago after the P O's teenage son had a fender-bender, so the body still looks good. The rocker panels and the all-important rear wheel-arches are still pretty solid and the jack-ports still support the car. I stood on the bumper while it was jacked-up at the front, to 'double-test' the front jack-ports. The car also came with 4 new Michelins. Sellers claimed that the car still had under 180K (odometer broke 2 years ago and shows 157K) and claimed that the auto-box was rebuilt 3 years ago. So far the engine has been starting instantly in our 60-ish cool mornings and has good oil pressure but, except for a few feet forward or back, I couldn't really test drive it until after I spent most of last Sunday replacing the left rear control arm. Monday I sneaked a test drive (no inspection yet) and the tranny works OK. Yes, it's really slow unless I kick it - then it's just slow! There's a bit of a jerk on the 1 to 2 upshift but it's going into all the gears and not slipping. A better engine test will have to come later - starting it when it gets down to freezing!

Some on the Diesel Forum have welcomed me to the 'Diesel Dark Side' and suggested I give up all my gassers, but I will happily clatter and plod along in stately dignity with my 240D, as long as I can still enjoy the silence, and feel that rush of power that makes me feel like king of the road in my Fintail!

Happy Motoring, Mark

[rs899]

Mark-

Yer hooked , buddy. Say your goodbyes to your volatile playpals. We are taking you to the oily side.

Rick

Actually- I may be crossing over someday myself. All this recent discussion of fintail coupes made me go look at a local 250SE coupe that was on ebay. I was tempted. Maybe....

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Rick,
May I assume that your two Triumphs and the Ford aren't diesel powered.

It's not certain that I'll be able to repair the AC in my 'new' 240D. As a working AC is critical in the DC area and they also over-salt the roads around here in winter, I think my '98 Nissan Altima is going to remain my regular 'commuter-car'.

When I drove a pretty nice W114 250 sedan back in the early '90s, I had a neighbor that owned several diesels, including a 300D, 240D and a pair of W115 220Ds. He refused to ride in my 250 because he "didn't want to get spoiled!"
IMHO, there are very few engine configurations as smooth or inherently well-balanced as a straight-six.

I acquired 'Miss Daisy', my '60 Fintail 220S, in late 2001.
After replacing the motor mounts, I experienced a level of smoothness and refinement that was totally unexpected in this 41 year old car. I can just imagine how nice my Fintail must have been to drive when she was brand new.

[300SDog]

Yeah the inline 6cyl develops amazing torque. An incredibly smooth engine compared with 4cyl gasoline cars too. Personally i dont buy into any of this Diesel Vs. Gasoline discrimination. Consider also this is your first(?) w123, last of the square body cars before MB started building vehicles that look like cell phones.

1982 was a pretty good year for the 240D. Improved case-hardening of camshaft lobes and did something with the engine to add a few extra horses. Adjusting the valves and replacing fuel filters is about all a tune-up amounts to. Weaknesses on the 123 include nylon steering box bushings and electrics like windows and sunroof. And the AC compressor on 123's is hopeless. Rim on the thing is press-fitted and never holds a seal, said to be interchangable with another unit but i forget which one.

Are you expecting this to be your summertime driver? Thing about diesels is they work best if driven long distances. Around town at low rpm's the piston crowns, pre-combustion chambers and valves often foul from carbon deposits build up from unburnt fuel. Highest and best use of the car is probly long haul cross-country runs, say driving 75-80mph all day.

Will be interesting to hear your impression of the 123. Personally I prefer the 114/115 for tighter handling. 123 advantages include a more soundproof and better insulated passenger compartment. Also better seats then you find on 1973+ w114's and 115's.

50th birthday huh? So instead of getting a walker or wheelchair, you've settled on an automatic 240D.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Yeah, a 240D sure beats a walker or a wheelchair!
For now, I'm not planning this 240D as my daily commuter-car. I'm self-employed and don't have a regular 9 - 5 work schedule so I drive a varied city and highway route, nearly always outside of rush-hour. I'm also making almost monthly trips to Virginia Beach.
With it's cold AC and a premium audio system, if I HAVE to drive in miserable summer traffic, that's what my Nissan is for. But if this 240D works out, it could take some of the highway load off my Nissan.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[wbain5280]

Great new Mark. The 240 will get you there, eventually. The price is good too, like the $800 89 420SEL I just got.

[nhdoc]

As an oilburner since learning to drive in a '74 240D, I welcome you too!

Your upshift problem may be caused by leaky vacuum control valve (mounted on top of the valve cover). One valve controls the EGR and one goes to the tranny shift modulator. They are cheap parts and easy to replace. You can test the theory by hooking up a mity-vac to the line running to the transmission and pulling a vacuum on it, then go for a test drive. Then relieve the vacuum and drive again. If the shift becomes so smooth it is slipping between gears with vacuum but is very late and firm without then the shift modulator is working fine and the problem is probably that valve!

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Well, I spent an hour last night rummaging through my attic clutter and found the galvanised steel channels I'm going to use for the floor and sill repairs. Also found a pair of 5-inch 2-way, 100-watt Pioneer speakers to replace the crappy 3-inch ones the P O left down inside the holes in the rear shelf and a matching Pioneer AM/FM/Cassette in case the P O's 'Chinese-Jukebox' CD unit turns out to be a dud.

As for the shifting, My sole 240D repair manual (for now Haynes) only shows the older type of shift-control rod, like that used on my '72 250C, directly connected between the throttle linkage and transmission.

Chuck Taylor also described for me the 240D modulator vacuum contol on the valve cover and suggested I might be able to adjust it. First, I need to fix the floors, get tags, and go for some longer test drives, but work and the recent rains have delayed further 240D explorations and repairs for now.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Jim B.]

I think you have stumbled into a way of life. These are WAY more than some disposable 5 year car, they can run for decades, if you keep them up.

They cost a fortune when new, and for that you got Teutonic durability, safety, comfort, engineering, cars built to last forever yet easy for mechanics to work on, really SLOOOW, but dependable, chase away the rust, and with the parts network and tech support around, and the 1-800-mercedes # lgiving you lifetime AAA type battery jumps, flat repairs, fuel if you run out, what more can you ask? You'll never need another car to replace it, it will outlast your interest in it, and then some. Plus they are a timeless design, and precious when new, the brand new 280e cost $18,000 back in 1977, that was a fortune - but look what you got for the money.

I want to buy one so bad it's killing me. Where would I keep it? Only crazy fortune took me to a gas 126 coupe. I'd been sniffing the gas and diesel 123 cars for YEARS and couldnt quite afford one. I can remember several I wanted to buy, big steering wheel and bouncy 123 front seat notwithstanding.

Those things look and run great even today. Damn do they get the job done.

I have the addiction for them, so far I have confined it to 1/43" models, I have a sedan, coupe, POLIZEI marked wagon and sedan so far.

See "premium-shopping", a great seller on www.ebay.de (modelbau, modellautos) he even has a cool 240D diesel limousine (Long version) like they use in Palestine and Lebanon you see on the evening news. Uber cool

[Dee8go]

Originally Posted by wbain5280

Great new Mark. The 240 will get you there, eventually. The price is good too, like the $800 89 420SEL I just got.

Please don't let Mistress Heather hear you say that you go an '89 420SEL for $800.00. She'll be distraught. Have any pictures of it?

[kalpol]

Originally Posted by 240Dog

Weaknesses on the 123 include nylon steering box bushings and electrics like windows and sunroof. And the AC compressor on 123's is hopeless. Rim on the thing is press-fitted and never holds a seal, said to be interchangable with another unit but i forget which one.

Yes, AC is bad but not too bad if vacuum elements all work (in that car they can be replaced without taking off the dash, if you find someone who knows how). I had my 85 300D converted to R134a and it worked all right except for the crappy ACDelco R-4 compressors. They can be replaced with a Sanden, I forget which model but it's the one that has the same GM hose flange, so all you have to do is find a bracket I think. The ACC units break too sometimes. Do not buy rebuilt compressors, the new ones can be found on Ebay for under $200 (I got the Sanden for the 280SE for ~175).

I love the 123 cars - they aren't as refined as the more complex 126s but are simple and generally bulletproof solid with well-defined weak points. I wish I hadn't sold mine - it was the most reliable car I ever owned.

[Rashakor]

Glad you embraced the Dark Side (not so-) young Padawan!

I can also recommend you the 116 300SD. Basiquely the mother of all turbo diesel...

Treat your diesel well and she'll serve you for all eternity...


BTW: technically you new baby is not vintage but who cares...
PS: Note to the Administrator; we should probably extend the criteria for vintage to cover the entire run of the W123, W107 and the early W126. 1985 is probably a good cut off year now...

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Please don't let Mistress Heather hear you say that you go an '89 420SEL for $800.00. She'll be distraught. Have any pictures of it?

a person i know through a friend bought a Euro 500SEL at an auction for... 500$ because it woulndt move.. window said bad tranny.. bought it added 4 quarts of fluid and viola everything checks out. funny thing is its badged as a 560SEL but the vin check said its a 500SEL plus it has lorinsor wheels euro everything ... it was at the gtg i had over the summer

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Well, after I finshed wrenching on Mike's '95 Corolla yesterday, I went to move the 240D back to the driveway and decided to sneak another quick test drive. Varied my accelerator technique and discovered I can get more gentle shifts if I want to. Gotta fix that rattling accelerator pedal though. This diesel is rattly enough without the added chorus from the footwell! Also wondering if that other clicking is coming from the inoperative odometer, or some sort of counter/sensor in the speeedometer cable. It's a low frequency click - approximately once every two road-wheel revolutions.
I'm getting really anxious to drive this car now.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Well, it poured rain this afternoon so I couldn't do any floor repairs. Spent some time inside, replacing the crappy teenager-installed 3-inch speakers with a pair of 6-inch 100-watt Pioneers that I salvaged from a neighbors trash last year. As expected, the CD portion of the teenager-installed Eclipse unit is dead, but at least the Eclipse has a tolerable radio. Same neighbor also discarded a matching Pioneer AM/FM/cassette unit that I might install, or I could fit the W123 Becker Europa cassette that I installed in my 250 sedan, many years before that car got retired. Been accumulating some of this stuff for years - might as well use it! The rain has let up for now so maybe I'll go back out and try to see what the speedo-ticking and pedal-rattling is all about.

Happy Motoring, Mark