Hello. Thanks for everyone being patient with all of my 190D questions.

Here is my question.

190d 1984 2.2 4-sp automatic 163k miles

How fast is this car supposed to be?  The reason I ask is because I have read about people doing 80, 90, even 100mph in these cars.

I know it’s not a turbo monster like a lot of your guys have. But on my highway trips, I have the car floored nearly 100% of the time. I cannot maintain speed uphill, and can only hit 80+mph downhill!!

So I’m wondering if I have a fuel delivery problem? I am planning on trying the Diesel Purge. After that, maybe servicing the injectors..but the car idles perfectly. No shaking or anything. So I’m just pulling straws here.

If this is how the car is supposed to be. So be it. But I would just like some other’s opions.

I found this in another post:
Thanks.
-Mike

Well at last a car with the high speed performance of an automatic 240d. It might be fuel supply of course but first I personally would go over the pump timing and cam timing plus make sure that air filter is clean. Sure change out the fuel filters if you have no indication of when last changed. In otherwords you just have a modest amount of power available when the engine is in ideal shape. Chances are it is just suffering from lack of real maintenance. With a 240 as well for example you should really try to keep it in the best tune. I imagine the valves are hydralic type on your block and if so just forget about them. But check that they are. Larger engines dropping down say ten percent in efficiency may be barely noticeable. with a 190d 2.2 or 240d you want all you can get. Also if your fuel milage is substandard that also indicates perhaps it would benifit from a tune up. I just would not zero in on the injectors yet or at least till the essential and cheap things have been done. Needless to say make positive that when your pedal is on the metal that the linkage on the pump is fully advanced. Slop and wear in that linkage system are not unknown. Also pat yourself on the back as the possible milage per gallon of your engine might be the highest that mercedes ever built until the smart car. Only built it one year as well I believe but as usual I might be wrong.

The rolls eyes thing is cracking me up!!

I just recently replaced the o-ring on the fuel preheater so I had to pull the intake and fuel line. What I'm getting at is that the linkage is all verified b/c I made SURE that my kickdown switch was working with pedal to the metal mode. And like I said the control pressure cable also works great too.

I would double check the linkages on the fuel pump again.

Air filter brand new.

This engine does have the hydraulic lifters/valve setup--verified in owners manual.

I have been 'saving' the fuel filter change for after the diesel purge (which I will receive today in the mail). But I will say the inline filter looks HORRIBLE. I guess you are right I may have jumped the gun.

I will do my purge and replace both filters and report back...before I turn my attention the to injectors/nozzles.

Thanks for the reply!
-Mike

I have a 1984 190D-2.2 5-spd. 75 is no problem, it's possible to sustain a speed in the high eighties (but the pedal is to the floor), anything over 92 would require going downhill. I usually drive at ~60mph.

__________________

1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

I guess I'm asking about speed and acceleration. How long does it take to get to 60? It sure does take a while to get up to 70...

I have been cruising at 70-78mph. We'll see what effect this has on my mileage. What mileage do you yield at 60mph?

I'd love to drive 60mph, but i'd get run over by semi trucks on the highway.

Also..are you able to maintain 60mph uphill? I cannot maintain any speed when heading uphill. I always watch the speedo slowly reduce in speed.

One more---how many miles/tank are you getting, and how many gallons do you stuff in there? Thanks!!

Thanks for the comment.

-Mike

Bottom line: this car is not going to go very fast ... some people may even say it is slow but to add my .02 to your questions

1. 70 -78 mph is pushing this car to its limits of comfortable cruising but miliage should be twenty something mpg. 60 mph could be near 30 mpg

2. you can maintain 60 mph uphill only if it is not to steep

I would definately use the diesel purge and change you prefilter and main filter often.

__________________
-Paul


1991 190E - Daily Driver
1976 240D

Long Gone:

1973 350SL
1981 300SD

Are you saying it is maxing out where the car can physically drive, or that I causing harm to the engine and other driving components?

I would settle on 70mph, but I honestly don't even think 65 would be safe on the highway--yes we have a 'right' to drive that fast..but in rush hour you have to keep up...If I get in the slow lane I run the risk of having the slam on the brakes b/c of even slower traffic merging...and the removed ablity to pass car w/o a downshift to 3rd b/c i'm beyond 55 or 60mph...

Thanks,
-Mike

Otto, is the fuel milage that punitive on the little 2.2 naturally aspired diesel? Does the automatic punish that much? Have heard claims in the forties I think on this site not ebay. They were five speeds though. Perhaps more 2.2 automatic owners could quote or thread starter could check archives. Most modest diesels I have owned and know of will maintain reasonable speed on reasonable uphill grades if in good shape but do not expect to make gains going upward. You quickly learn the art of running for hills and it becomes second nature. . We compare state of engines by refference to hill climing ability on a local pretty steep mound. What gear and speed you top it in does indicate if engine is producing normal output. That is in comparison to pretty identical models of course. To really make sure weak output diesels are producing everything they are capable of as it makes them so much easier and sensible to drive in my opinion. To let one slide back tune up wise could result in the owner wanting to divest himself of ownership.

I have already started that practice. I really reached max speed going down hill and it was great! But I wasn't comfortable going any faster than 80mph.

I will keep active track of my current mileage and will report back for sure.

I was going to look at fixing the cruise control but the pedal on the highway is really an 'on off' switch...as it seems.

I really like this car (so far) and just want to figure out the 4th gear slam...(other post)...and am willing to live with its speed for now.

More information soon.

Thanks again for all of the replies.

-Mike

barry,

my expirience with fuel milage on these little diesels have been quite varried. On my W115 240 which is several generations behind the 190 2.2 I got everything from 25 to 40 depending on how I drove it, where I drove it and what state of tune the engine was in.

mike,

I would say drive it as fast as you and the car feel comfortable. I don't think there is any danger to damaging the engine at 70 to 80 mph.

please keep us informed as to your mileage

__________________
-Paul


1991 190E - Daily Driver
1976 240D

Long Gone:

1973 350SL
1981 300SD

otto,

I definitely feel comfortable at 80mph--that's for sure. Honestly, the car drives like a dream for it's age. My 1998 regal rides like CRAP...(fast though!)

I will report back here, and most likely will start a new thread. There doesn't seem to be a lot of 190D information. I'm hoping to change that.

I drive 500 miles a week---so I will quickly be able to determine my 'mostly highway' mileage of my vehicle.

Thanks,
-Mike

Say the car has 163 k and the oil was not changed as much as it should have been. The timing chain is the most wear prone part with inadaquate oil changes. In most cases at 163k the interior should be pretty good. Also is the overall milage verified? Most my odometers function well other than have run backwards perhaps at some point in their life. If the timing chain has developed some stretch already that is going to retard the pump and cam timing. This could be quite detrimental in power availability. Try to read up on how to check it. Also you will find out in the process if the chain has stretch and how much is allowable. The cam timing will probably be correctable with an offset key if required plus the pump is adjustable of course. On the other hand you might find everything perfect up there. A lot might depend on your general feeling of how much care and attention other people have given the car before you. Kind of important to examine any recent aquisition for chain and guide/tensioner condition besides obtaining maximum output. A failure of them is pretty bad. The archives are excellent sources for guidance. I expect that over fifty percent of these older diesels are off enough to make a difference. Especially the weaker ones that really need everything they had when new. In most cases what is involved in this proccedure is labour rather than money intensive. . My kind of stuff.

I found an extra speedo cable in the trunk, I was like WTF is this? I cannot say if the mileage is 100% The car didn't look over it's mileage. If it had 200,000 I would have still bought it for the price and condition.

When I changed the trans mount it didn't seem like a 22 year old mount..I changed it anyway.

I will most definitely read up on the timing and chain stretch posibility...thanks for the tip. I think this chain might only have one spocket instead of two? (not sure what this part is called...but the chain is not a double chain? I dunno for sure)

EDIT..MY CHAIN IS A DOUBLE-LAYER

The has car been maintained and serviced, but definitely needed some TLC on my part. I will keep everyone posted on what I find with mileage, chain, and such.

-Mike

I've never really timed it, but it's not fast at all (the numbers you quoted earlier sound right). It's almost dangerous if you're merging into busy high-speed traffic. Getting from 60 to 80 is really slow; passing at highway speeds requires space and planning.

Lately, it's been about 40 mpg at 60mph. It's 37-38mpg at 65-70mph. You can definitely get into the mid 40s if you drive carefully at 50mph. This is with the 5-speed though, which has an overdrive gear. And these numbers are for 100% highway driving.

Yes, people are always passing me...

If I downshift to 4th, hills are no problem at all. If I don't, then it depends on how steep the hill is; sometimes I can do it in 5th and other times the car slows down. 4th gear is the same on the 190D-2.2 auto and 5-speed, so you should be OK going up hills.

I usually do mixed city/hwy driving (about 50% of each) and get around 37mpg overall (summer is better, winter is worse). I fill up at ~450 miles, which takes around 12 gallons. The most I've ever gotten is ~14 gallons - I think it was pretty empty at the time.

__________________

1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

When I am floored I keep track of my RPMS and what speed I can max out 3rd gear in....I noticed that I cannot 'kick down' to 3rd after a certain MPH I have not sighted in yet....I know for sure I cannot see 70mph and 3rd gear at the same time...unless I want a new engine! :-)

Maybe I should look into a 5 spd swap? jk for now.