So I finally got to test drive my New 5 spd! But on the test drive around the block I heard a slight knocking sound, and noticed my oil pressure hovering between 0 and 1. BAD!!! I shut the car down and got it back to the house. Pulled the oil pan and sure enough there are shavings of metal and the #2 rod bearing was totally shot. When i removed the oil pan there was a 2" rubber grommet sitting all by itself in the bottom of the pan. I pulled the rod cap off, The crank journal has some slight grooves in it. My Mechanic friend recommended polishing the crank journal with some 220 grit sand paper the best I can, then buy a new rod bearing, put it back together and drive it.

The last time i worked on this car about a year ago, I removed the oil pan because I was replacing the turbo oil return grommet thingy, and I'm wondering If I did not install all the rubber pieces for the oil pick-up system properly. It looks as if that rubber grommet I found sitting in the bottom of the pan may have been hindering the oil pick up.

I got this engine from a diesel mechanic friend of mine who bought his 126 new in 1984. Four years ago the car had 186K miles when his wife totaled it and he sold me the engine. The thought that I may have damaged/ruined this engine is devastating, I thought I was going to drive that engine for the next 30 years in my 5-spd 123. Now I'm just sad.
I took the rod cap off and the crank journal does have some small grooves. The car was not run very long with low oil pressure, but there is no way to know the extent of the damage in the rest of the engine that i can not see,

Thoughts?

__________________
Kevin

1971 300SEL 3.5
1972 280SE 4.5
1968 280S Parts Car
1983 300D (5-spd conversion almost completed!)
1986 Toyota pickup 22R 4-spd
1968 Mustang 302 (soon to be 5-spd)
1981 Euro-spec 300d 4-spd parts car

Sold:
1987 300D (had 415,000 miles when I sold it, now has 462,000 and still driven every day!! Original head)