Originally Posted by netboy

Gave a 1983 300CD to a 18 year old for a commuter car who needed some help. The engine had a fresh tune up and usually driven 70 mph for 60 miles a day. The oil lines were less than a year old when one of the lines blew out of the swedge 30 minutes after the kid left with the car.

When I got to the car oil was all over the engine compartment and was overheating but it was not locked up, it would crank. I towed it home replaced oil lines and it overheated the next morning and shut off on me after loosing power. I replaced the thermostat thinking it was stuck. It still over heated. Thinking it might be the head gasket I borrowed a cooling system gauge that replaces the cap to see if the cylinder pressurized the cooling system. No pressure increse, but it does lack power and smokes excessively out of the breather with a loud tapping sound coming from block. What would cause excessive blowby all of the sudden?Any ideas? Could a valve adjustment fix it, is it rings or is it D.O.A.?