Well I bought a project.The car has 165,000 on it body is straight good interior sun roof alloy wheels 4spd apears to have a froze engine oil was full but coolant is low.car has been sitting for 6 to 8 mounths park because it made knocking noise.was unable to get it to move by rocking car.paid $250.Are these straight forward on working on them or due they have hidden bolts straps ex that you must be aware of to remove engine ,and tear down.

You will absolutely not find a more straight forward car to work on. Sounds like you got one for a good price too.

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Jim

May even be a good excuse to swap in a turbo motor with that 4-speed and have yourself a rocketship

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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

I was woundering about the turbo motor you are talking about the 5 cyl from the 300 right.Is it a bolt in or do you have to have a lot of stuff from a 300 to do it.

Try turning the engine over manually with a wrench (maybe remove the glow plugs to make it easier to turn).

If you can turn the engine over, fill up the radiator with water. Given fuel and glow, see if you can start it, and look around the waterpump and towards the back of the engine and see if you can spot a coolant leak from the headgasket area.

165k miles isn't much. Maybe the previous owner let the coolant level get low and it overheated? These engine are tough...

Did you get any maintenance history? Any recipts in the glovebox or under the backseat? Maybe even do a carfax and see what you can find out.

Good luck. I'm eager to hear what happens.

- Patrick

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1982 240D. 198k, Marine Blue/Blue, 4 Speed, Crank Windows, No Sunroof, No Rust, No Oil Leaks
2001 TDI. 197k, Lagoon Blue/Black, 5 speed, Chip, G60/VR6

It is a one owner car the guy I am getting it from bought it with 6000 miles on it.He did his own oil changes. Sence I was not paying very much for it I felt kind of weird asking all the questions that I did and looking it over like I was paying a lot for it.He really did not have much recent info his ex was driving it while they were seperated and she won't talk to him now.He ended up with it in the end .

I bought a 1982 240D two years ago with a rebuilt engine. I really like the car and have learned a lot about fixing it. Right now there is a 240D engine with transmission for sale on eBay. Check it out.

I would make an effort to find the cause of the seizure prior to pulling. Check that timing chain is still intact. Pull starter to give leverage on flywheel teeth. check by pulling glow plugs that engine not hydro locked and any other thing you can think of. Watch this site for more knowledgeble clues than mine. Take his ex wife out to supper and ask. think my wife would leave as well if forced to drive one of my 240ds. Maybe this guy had a plan.

ditto all of the above. find out why it is stuck. it might not really be stuck. if it is not it probably will run... unless a rod is hanging out the side.

if the motor turns out to be toast, if you want to do a 617 conversion the best way is to start with a complete car with cosmetic or rust problems. the shell is the same but the radiator, exhaust, speedo, driveshaft and rear end are all differrent and should be changed to get a properly driving car. also if you have to buy all the stuff piecemeal it will kill you$$$$$.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You have something to work with on a car like that. Unlike newer cars that fall apart in your hands, it was made to be repaired, overhauled, and kept going indefinitely.

Everything under the hood is easy to get at and easy to work on, for a diesel. If I couldn't get it running I would take the engine out, take it apart and overhaul it. 165,000 is not a lot of miles on one of those motors, there are plenty of them that have done twice that, been overhauled and gone on for another 200,000.

If that failed for some reason (rod through the block or other major problem) I would keep it for parts and hunt up another similar car to drive. I would not try to turn it into something it isn't. If you really want a 5 cylinder, go out and buy one. You can buy a decent car ready to roll for less than it would cost you to turn that one into a 5 cylinder.

You could also sell it or part it out . There are plenty of readers of this forum who are lusting after a 4 cylinder 4 speed car, or even just the transmission

Ganaraska may be much like myself. Only reason I think you should part it out is I need a good front fender. Preferably red drivers side if possible. On the otherhand you could advertise it on ebay as having a really tight engine.

Found that num one rod bearing out.They drove it for a long time oil hole full of metal was able to take off rod nuts with my fingers.Bought a short block with a useable crank has one spun bearing but still mics out at std just scored.Then I found a complete motor so I got that to get car going If we like the way it drives I will rebuild original motor the one I got is a early one and does not have the ac mounting bosses on the drivers side.

be careful with that early block. there are a lot of subtile differences. it may be a lot of trouble to use. im not saying for sure, just look things over carefuylly before diving in.... electrical connestions, hoses, etc.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.