Is this a non-US car? The 300D was sold in the US from 75(?)-87 but not in 86, then again from 90-93. Can you provide the first few characters of the VIN (WDBEB3x or 1241xx)?

1) If it has a 603.96x engine then a cracked head is not uncommon. Similar symptoms to a blown head gasket. Overheating will make a paperweight out of the cylinder head in short order.

2) I weigh ~150 lb; can't bench my weight. I replaced a head 603 head pretty much by myself. I needed a second pair of hands to position the head over the block.

3) Quite possibly the head itself It's a little easier to get to the water pump with the head off. Glow plugs. Turbo seals. Valve lash adjusters if their noisy though you won't know if the engine isn't running now. I think you can test them but I wouldn't trust a test on an engine that's not been running for a year. You're that much further into pulling the front cover to replace the tensioner rail and oil pump drive chain but that's a heck of a lot of work.

4) Most definitely!

5) If the car has US DOT spec headlights, lift the front wheels, put a headlight assembly under each wheel, release the jack. Repeat until the headlights are in a million pieces. Then get a set of E-code/Euro headlights which actually illuminate what you need to see to drive safely at night. IF they are E-code headlights, it's possible to remove the lens from the reflector. Clean as best you can. Be very gentle with the mirror as the slightest wiping will destroy the reflective finish.

6) How about taking a 27mm socket to the crank pulley to accomplish the same thing? Remove the injectors (takes a 27mm deep socket) to make it easier to turn the engine.

Sixto


Sixto