I was going to open a new post, but it look like this topic is appropriate. I finally got my 240D back on the road. I bought it in November of '07. I drove it twice before purchasing it, and two or three time after that. Then I started in on it, replacing belts, hoses etc. Cleaning, timing chain, more cleaning, vaacuum pump rebuild, more cleaning, brakes, caliphers etc, etc. Oh yah, more cleaning. I took out the interior, all excecpt the headliner. I put in the sound deadening stuff. I took out the floor board liners , even to the fire wall. I mean every thing. Then I cleaned.
I have had it ready to run for about 6 months, but couldn't get the clutch to bleed or function. A recent thread talked about the ecentric and the different length rods. I went back in there and the rod was way to long. I couldn't find the other rod, so I shortened the rod from the old master clutch cylinder. It finally worked. I did have the engine running in November. I filled the radiator and added the citric acid on Saturday. I drove it awhile and felt confident enough to drive to a hobby shop, about an hour away. I drove that night to a dance in Indy. I had some problems with the alternator slipping. I pot in the baking soda to nutralize the citric acid.I then drove it the next day to Indy for another dance. I drove it to work on Monday. I had to get a jump start though.
I still have to install the speakers and some other work to do. The steering is a bit tight. I did get 28.5 MPG, with tires that had 25 psi. I could maintian highway speed and pass some. I did feel I required about twice the distance to pass comforably than with either of my Ford Contours. I did get some complements on how clean the engine compartment and interior was. Also, the engine barely moves when running.
I still have a lot of work to do on it. I bought it for $1600 and probably have $6K to $8K in it at this point. If it last 10 years, then I'll be happy. Maybe it will go another 25 years. I'll change the belts and hoses before then though. Seriously, they looked like some of the Chilton pictures.
Tom