One other thing I will add, and this is true for any Diesel engine.

Whenever you do locate one, put on your short list to change all 6 fuel hoses and the pre-filter and o-ring. After 15+ years the rubber gets brittle and begins to develop pin hole leaks. Not enough to show fuel leaking on the ground but sure enough air gets in.

The stock hoses are translucent milky white. If they are brown or yellow that means they have aged.

I changed all my hoses and still had air bubbles in the fuel supply line. Turns out the pre-filter o-ring was bad and was admitting air into the system.

Night and day performance difference.

I also did this to my 87 300TD a while back, same thing. Had air, after changing the hoses it ran 100% better.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech