Hi, its been a while since I have been on here. I have driven the wagon back and forth to work for about the last since months. All of a sudden about a week ago on the way home, I exit the ramp from the interstate, and when I get to the bottom the car just starts running extremely rough and smoking some. I have to pop it in neutral and rev the engine to keep it from stalling and it is smoking like the dickens. I am able to make it home, but it is just limping in and running as if it is going to shake the motor right out from under the hood.

I immediately thought it was a fuel issue and tried changing the two filters in the engine compartment, but it didn't help.

Can anyone suggest what it might be that is causing this issue? It just started so suddenly and was running perfectly before that. I don't know alot about working on the diesel MB, but I'm a fairly good mechanic, so I ws hoping someone could suggest what to do next in hunting down the issue. I just bought my wife a new Honda and will be selling this car and two others in the next week and would like to get it fied before selling it. Any of your expert suggestions are highly appreciated!!!

injectors?

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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

Also prechambers. One of yours could have failed.

In addition, you could just have some bad fuel. Water-laden, perhaps. Feeding clean fuel from an external can can eliminate this as a cause.

Is it just at idle or at all rpm's? Try a diesel purge.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I haven't checked the injectors yet - I was thinking about doing that next.

I hate to admit my ignorance, but I don't know exactly what it would mean for a prechamber to fail. I understand how the engine works (concept) with the prechamber, but don't know what it would mean for one to fail.

I thought about bad fuel - it seemed ok (what I poured out of the filter into a clear container - no water that I could see/detect). I guess I can just use a can of fuel the same as in the diesel purge instructions.

It is at idle mostly - I think if you got it up to speed on the interstate it would be ok (at least it was that day before I exited) - but it very unresponsive when you press the pedal and is slow to respond and smokes a lot of fuel scented smoke (ie not oil)

Have you checked the air filter?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

There's a ball in the prechamber to catch the fuel from the injector. If it comes loose, your engine won't run right. If it continues to run in that configuration, worse things can happen.

Has got to be an air or fuel problem. Matt L, I'm looking at an exploded view of a prechamber, I don't see any ball. This is on the CD-ROM, for an '81 TD, from MBUSA. There seems to be a couple of different prechambers. In the installation part, does mention something about a ball pin that shuold not be "burnt or scaled" if removed pre chambers reinstalled, does not go into any other detail. Numbers will be stamped on flange, on the turbos 617.950/.951/.952 have 617/03. Have seen a pic somewhere on this site of a head that looked like it had said damage. Good luck.

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83 SD

84 CD

In order of complexity (lowest to highest) - what would be the next step or thing to check. I'm thinking this:

1. Remove air filter temporarily - I had checked this at last oil change, but perhaps blowby has clogged it or something or that nature - didn't check it yesterday.
2. Run it with a can of fuel like diesel purge (have never done before)
3. Do a diesel purge
4. If doesn't resolve, remove injectors, and I guess take them to a diesel shop to have them looked at, or I'm guessing there may be instructions on here for inspecting - but don't I need to have them tested?
5. The prechamber thing - I have no idea how to do this and would appreciate some direction on where to find on here if anyone knows or if it exits.

What do you guys think of that order? I'm bummed that the braingears site is no longer working as I checked that out a lot in the past.

Additionally, I was hoping to get like $1000 for the car regardless of whether it is running well or not, but I just hate to even sell a car that isn't running right. I paid $1500 for it back in the summer and have driven it to work and back ever single day with no issues. Engine previously had plenty of power and did not smoke hardly at all - seemed like the engine had been gone over before as the car has 380K on it and ran too good for that many miles it seemed like. It is an 81 300TD with a dent over the driver fenderwell (it had been repaired before and is one of the dished in dents across the panel). It doesn't have any rust on the body at all save a little on the dented fenderwell, good glass all around, and the interior is in absolutely excellent condition. The seats look like brand new - the nets on the back of the seat are not even sagging, radio works great, heat works great (monovalve and temp. dial are working fine - A/C doesn't work at it has the standard issue center vent problem, however). All systems are working and I put new glow plugs in it recently - used to start right up down to the 20's with two glow plug cycles.

What do you guys think? Should I fix it or would $1000 be reasonable for a car in this condition. I bought it mainly because the interior looked so great and I had always wanted a wagon. I love the car and the cavernous cargo area with the seats folded down and hope to get another one later to replace it, but with the wife staying at home with the baby I'm having to go from 4 to 2 cars.

All opinions are appreciated from the experts!! (and non experts alike!!)

Tom

Where is it located???? I'm interested.

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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

Non expert here. You might locate it to a cylinder by loosening off one injector line at a time. Just to see if one of them makes no difference. Not hard to do and might at least indicate if you have a problem with one cylinder.

I'm about 15 miles south of Memphis, TN in Hernando, MS. If you've got $1000 it is yours.

I'll see if I can post some pictures.

That is a good suggestion. How would I do that without spraying diesel all over everything and would I disconnect the line at the injector or at the IP itself?

Here are a few pics:

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a few more

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