1980 450 sel no start
 

Quoted from the ad....any suggestions?

Also....I have thoughts about swapping an OM617 diesel from a 79 into this car. :rolleyes:

I was wondering if you were nuts, until I saw the second post...:)

Bringing a slumbering K-jet back from the dead is not easy or cheap, and then when you do it you are rewarded with , 12 mpg- why? The fuel is still not flowing as it should in that car, hard to say why. Fuel distributor? Still stuff floating around jamming up new parts?

Ok let's chat swap. How difficult would this be?

I don't think it would be too hard. I recall you have done some transmission heavy lifting before.

Driveshaft length/size/fittings the same? SEL vs 300SD

Air conditioning an issue where you are?:)

What about the rear end ratios?

I know it has been done before....probably lots of times

I have swapped one out before, and swapped similar engines before, but never a gasser to diesel conversion. However, it's going into the same vehicle, plus about....4.5" in length?

I'm trying to find that out from a forum member here.


I live in Canada. :D

Actually, the summers do get quite warm, but if the windows work (they don't on my current 300sd) and the sunroof - no worries at all. :)

I assume they are the same, but it shouldn't be hard to swap those over too if need be.

I know it has been done before....probably lots of times[/QUOTE]

I'm also wondering what the tranny on a 450 is like....be very cool if the bellhousing matched up, and if it was more robust of an auto.

Well, the tranny on the 450 is a 722.1xx, but 3 speed. If you need to use it, I guess you could swap bellhousings with the one from a 300SD.

I think the guts of the tranny may be rated for more power, but still that crappy torque converter...

I have lots of suggestions, but the last one would be to stick another engine in there.
You can start with the basics, Check if the fuel pump is getting power, disconnect the line to the fuel distributor and see if it's getting fuel etc.

^^ sure, probably all the same stuff the PO tried and failed. Dunl's a dieselhead, he's just itching for an excuse. You, OTOH......

Right now on Diesel Discussion there's a guy converting a W126 , some good blather on there. Good suggestion on the vacuum shutoff.....

Well, took a quick look today. Like all w116's....rust on the rockers. Too bad about them up here....it's a real shame. Back bumper is cracked and needs replaced. It died about three weeks ago....so there shouldn't be varnish in it yet. It almost sounds like it is going to start, but then stops. Spray ether in it and it keeps going. Definitely a fuel delivery problem of some kind.

Just not sure if it's worth the effort to make a 300SDL.

Probably the best thing to do is find a nice southern 300SD. Those extra couple of inches don't make much of a difference to justify the effort.

I agree- I was under the assumption that this was that rare rust-free car in Dunl's backyard. Much as I like the W116 , at the price of premium, with the expense of trying to figure out what's wrong with it, seems a bad investment. Have you looked at what it takes to change the timing chain on those? I am putting up with it in our R107, but there are better options in hulking sedans.

My experience with K-Jets is purely theoretical, but there have been many reports of failed OVP (overvoltage protection) Relays, and Fuel pump relays. There are also many reports of blocked input/output filter screens on the fuel distributor. And more than a few mentions of vacuum problems.

But if you're a diesel head, you know about the vacuum thing:D (Is it true that part of the tool kit for diesel is a fistful of golf tees?:rolleyes:)

And BB's.