Folks,

My car died last week on the Teconic Parkway in NY. The main symptom was huge gobbs of black smoke and NO power. Coudn't even climb a hill faster than 10mph. I drove it about 20 miles in that condition before it actually stopped running when I left the parkway.

I got it towed to Joe's garage and he changed the fuel filters and checked for bad fuel. (problem seemed to start shortly after refueling). He then removed the down pipe from the turbo and confirmed that the turbo is siezed. The engine now starts and idles perfectly, but still smokes and has no power.

Now, my mechanic Nick is of the opinion that the siezed turbo is a secondary problem and that the original source of the smoke and stalling needs to be uncovered and corrected before fixing the turbo. He claims that even with a siezed turbo the engine should perform as a normally aspirated engine with less power, but not all that smoke. This seems to jive with broken turbo threads I've read here.

On the other hand Joe thinks the broken turbo is the whole problem. His experience with his turbo deisel truck was the same as mine when his turbo broke. It ran so poorly he had to get it towed.

So what do you guys think? Can a broken turbo disable a 603 engine and render it useless or is there something else wrong?

Thanks,

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-Mike
'87 300TD 304kmi (RIP)
'95 Toyota Camry Wagon 125kmi

The bearing seals are probably shot as well so it's dumping oil in the intake.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

just curious, is see youre at almost 300K, but has the trap oxidizer already been removed?

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Johnhef - Yes, the first week I owned the car.

rg2098 and Sady - That makes the most sense. I remember checking the oil and not being able to notice the consumption, but I only drove a short distance.

Ok, so my idea about trying to get it to run well enough to drive home is out of the question.

So, should I let Joe take a wack at replacing the turbo or pay him to tow it forty miles to the dealer?

Thanks,

__________________
-Mike
'87 300TD 304kmi (RIP)
'95 Toyota Camry Wagon 125kmi

Just curious if anyone has purchased a rebuilt turbo from Phil here at shop forum?

Thanks,

__________________
-Mike
'87 300TD 304kmi (RIP)
'95 Toyota Camry Wagon 125kmi

If the turbo is really siezed, can you block off the oil flow to it? I would think that a homemade blocking plate cut from a beer can would do it if the connection is a 2 bolt, flat block affair like on my 82.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Exactly, the bearings are just spewing oil into the intake at an alarming rate, (watch your oil level) and causing the engine to burn this oil, which makes loads of smoke and kills power. This exact thing is what is happening with my car right now.

A siezed turbo is NOT going to run like a Normaly aspirated engine as the non moving turbo will pose a substatial restriction to both the intake and exhaust.

That needs to be swapped before anyone makes any further brilliant comments to what is wrong with it.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche