Somewhere in Vacaville, there's a diesel dying from starting fluid abuse

[joshhol]

In a parking lot at lunch today.

Old dude: "What year is that?"

Me: "It's a '63."

Dude: "I've got an '01 S430."

Me: "Oh, that's a nice car."

Dude: "Ya, it's got everything. My brother just picked up a '79."

Me: "A Mercedes? What model, a 280CE?" (just taking a stab at it)

Dude: "A diesel"

Me: "A 300 or 240?"

Dude: "I don't know. The body is really straight, the paint is nice and the interior is good. The only thing wrong is my brother has to use starting fluid to start it."

Me: GASP! "That's the worst thing you can do to a diesel engine! Tell your brother to stop doing that right now."

Dude: "Well the thingy, er uh the starting. . ."

Me: "The glow plug system?"

Dude: "Ya, the glow plug system doesn't work and they want $500 to fix it."

Me: "Really? The glow plug system is dead simple, it shouldn't cost that much to fix it."

Dude: "Well, there's something wrong with the uh, thingy in the uh. . .thing."

(Does he mean the relay?)

Me: "Tell your brother to stop using starting fluid."

Dude: "Well, he just got it."

Me: "It is going to destroy the rings."

(The best part)
Dude: "Well, my brother's a mechanic, he doesn't mind replacing rings."

Me: ?

Dude: "Ya, that S430 is really nice, have a good one."

[dannym]

If it wasn't so sad it may actually be funny!

Danny

[boneheaddoctor]

You might be able to pick that up soon for cheap as a donor body needing a engine.

[J. R. B.]

That's enough to make me cry! A couple of years ago I tore an Olds 5.7 diesel apart that was hit with ether. Man what a mess. When it ignited it blew the main bearing caps and cracked the crank.

I doubt it would take ehter to nessecarily blow an Olds Diesel, but it sure would have sped that process along.
Get this, my dad has a 78 Olds Cutllass Diesel and it is still on the road. Only has 80 K miles. He is not willing to drive it much, keeps after me to use it for a week just to keep it running. I have been putting him off, had a Chev pickup with the Rocket Olds warmed over diesel blow on me once, don't want that mess again.

[RichMason]

There was an ebay car last week that I was considering buying for the engine for my 240D. Considering until his description indicated that it only ran after using starting fluid. I almost sent him an email but if he kills it it just raised the value of our cars...