I took the fuel pump out of the 280 SE today and ran it back and forth until it unlocked -- stuck from really slimy dead fuel. Works like a charm now.

Put it back in, cranked her up, and it started! Just a little puff of dirty smoke, exhaust is shot (sounds like an open pipe on one side!), and I can't run it for more than a minute or two since it doesn't hold water, but it runs! I don't have to worry now about it getting towed as a junk car (stupid Indiana law -- non operational cars more than three years old can be towed with no notice if they can be seen from a public road.........!).

Brakes are scary -- very soft with lots of pedal travel (blown seal in a caliper, for sure!), but it will spin the tires something amazing!

Plan to extract the engine from the junkyard in a couple weeks, swap a cam and rocker arms, and then do the brakes. I can't wait!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!