Hi Folks. I'm looking at a 77 300d in great shape except the owners forgot to check the oil, which ran dry, and siezed the engine. Is there any hope reviving it, or am i looking to put another motor in?

Thanks,

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Mike
Vancouver, BC
'79 300td 60k miles!
import from Japan

Figure on either a swap or a re-build. If it siezed due to no oil, you certainly aren't running that motor as-is.

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2009 VW TDI Jetta Sportwagon 172k miles (rear-ended harder than Elton John on 8/4/13. Total loss)

1991 Volvo 240 142k miles (T-boned by a stop sign runner. Total loss)

How long ago did it seize?

Is the timing chain intact? If so, can you turn the engine by hand? I suppose it isn't seized if you can

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

[quote=sixto;1401929]How long ago did it seize?

Is the timing chain intact? If so, can you turn the engine by hand? I suppose it isn't seized if you can

I am considering buying the car for cheap--$700-800. Haven't looked at it yet. One owner, then an older couple bought it last summer, drove for a month until it stopped running from lack of oil. Would i pull the glowplugs and turn the engine by hand to see if it's seized?

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Mike
Vancouver, BC
'79 300td 60k miles!
import from Japan

Just put a 27mm socket on the crank pulley and lean on it.

Sixto
93 300SD 3.0

Check out www.craigslist.com . I've seen some just south of you in the USA, some engines pretty cheap. Or www.car-part.com

You should try and get it for less that $700-$800. Mine was $300 with a bad engine.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

For a 77 with a bad engine, you can go much lower on the price.

Cool, ok, lower on the price. Can i still try to hand turn the engine at the crank pulley? Or should i put some oil in the cylinders first?

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Mike
Vancouver, BC
'79 300td 60k miles!
import from Japan

I would try to turn it first before going to the trouble of removing anything. At this point, you are already thinking it is toast. bargain from that point of veiw. If the motor will turn, think of that as a bonus.

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81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

I would just wheel and deal w/out touching anything. In fact, I would pretend it is much worse than it is. Tell them the tranny is wrecked, because the engine seizing and took it out with it. Lean under the hood and find all kinds of problems, pretend there's no hope at all for anything mechanical to be fixed, and act very confident in your tone when talking to them. Make sure you sound like you do this all the time and this is like one of the worst cases you've ever seen. Just to get them to lower the price. Let me come over there, and talk to them. I'll have them paying you to take it . Once you get it home, play games and make attempts to get it going there. Don't make it seem easy to fix when you're looking at it though.

As others have said, $700-800 is really ABOVE top doller for a broken 300D.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Thanks guys! I'm a great wheeler and dealer. These folks are into a new car now, so they just want to sell this thing. I'll go for worst case scenario for sure...Cheers.

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Mike
Vancouver, BC
'79 300td 60k miles!
import from Japan

Offer them $200.00 CASH and find another engine to put in it. You will get upside down in the thing trying to revive or rebuild the existing engine.

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

For two hundred bucks, Go for it.
Does it have a manual trans, If so do like I did years ago on a 240 w/Std Trans.
FIL blew out the oil pan plug by bottoming out ( bad shocks) siezed the engine. We towed it back, replaced pan, filled with kerosene, then towed it until about 30 mph popped clutch in third gear and the fourth time she was free.
Replaced oil and drove it about < 100K.
Not scientific, but it worked...

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Gary
Experience is something you get, Just after you needed it....
'99 E300 295K, '83 300D 220K, '75 240D 185K sold
'80 MCI Bus Conv DD 6V92TA, w/4 cyl. Kubota diesel GenSet 12.5KW