Thanks for the advice guys - I know I dont have a lot tied up in it just yet - but I wanted it to save money on gas - Now I will have to keep it for no less than 1 year - maybe 18 mos just to break even - assuming not too much else goes out.

The sound is a nasty grinding sound. It didn't do this when I drove the car to work the two times, but really started up good just in the last couple days. In fact I think the worst of it was just after I changed the injector nozzles. It sounds like the muffler is dragging on the ground - that loud. I ran down the block once and it came and went. Was really bad at low speeds but went away around 15 mph and came back in and out as the speed went up.

Since it was totally silent with the wheels off the ground - i cant see how it could be anything but the bearing.

Today I pulled the flex disk - its starting to go - not bad - but not safe. I pulled the brakes on the drivers side and tapped out the axel. The joints seem really good. No play and they make no sound at all when i rotate them.

The hub on the other hand - it moves freely and doesnt appear on first inspetion to have let the bearing go - but you can hear just barely a sound when it rotates. This has to just scream with the weight of the car on it.

In any case - the car is on jack stands until I can get the new flex discs in place. I will probably order the wheel bearing tool too - so I can at the very least re-pack all the bearings.

I placed an ad on CL for parts cars - $400 merc. 240d or 300d. I got an email from a guy a couple hours away wanting to sell me his 240d for $850. He just bought it and didnt realize just how slow they are. He wants out now - drives it daily - says the floors are gone and the interior is beat - but it has a newer engine, new exhaust, new alt. new tires - manual windows - busted AC. His wheel wells are just as rusty as mine - I'm very tempted. I could pull a ton of parts off of it - and junk the rest of the car - or junk mine.

....

Sorry - started day dreaming there - I think mine is in better shape than his - but his at least rolls.

with the new nozzles the car really runs better than before. I just need to buckle down and get it done.

It doesn't help that the stator just blew on my Harley ($500) and the wifes car needs new tires. Funny how life goes.