While driving down the road I think the turbo quit working. Now the car struggles to maintain 70mph on the interstate. and fuel usage has gone way up.

The car still starts easily and idles smoothly, and there is no smoke.

How do I diagnose the issue?


Thanks,

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"

id look into reading what boost was being produced from the turbo. it is pretty simple to install a boost meter.

perhaps though, i would first look into plugged-up filters like the air and fuel filters.

__________________
MIKE
1987 300D Turbo, 225K
124.133/603.960

If one of the boost lines running from the intake manifold to the switchover valve, to the ALDA has blown off (from an improperly clamped fitting), then that may be the culprit.

Fuel usage goes up considerably, and there is almost no smoke whatsoever.

__________________
1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

I fixed an '87 300D for someone that was similar. Could barely get out of its own way.

Cleaned all the boost lines and ran it around town in second gear around 4000rpm for a while. Runs like a bat out of hell now.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

what makes you condemn the turbo and not the rest of the system that typically clogs? clogged fuel filter or loose or leaking pressure line will make it shift funny too at times.

nevermind, I'll give you $500 for it with a blown turbo

__________________


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

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will check the fuel filters, and the pressure line.

$500? This is my wife's car we are talking about.... that is nowhere near enough to put up with the greif I would catch if I sold her "baby"

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"

I finally had the time and mindset to delve into this problem and found it to be a bad vacumn line on the pressure switch that is located on the drivers side fender next to the WW fluid.

Thanks all for the suggestions

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"

You made your wife drive around for over 3 months with no turbo, terrible fuel consumption and probably drove slower than a 200D for a bad vacuum line? That's brutal

__________________
-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Are you kidding? I am too well fed to do that to her.... she drove the 240 or my truck.

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"