Fast help needed -- engine noise on SDL I'm looking at right now!! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Bill Ladd · #1 06-03-2007, 05:59 PM

Fellow diesel heads -- I'm looking at an '87 SDL. Very different engine sounds than my 617.

Head has been replaced, but is has a knock at or near the front of the engine. Is there a down and dirty quick way to tell if it's injector nailing, bearing knock or piston slap.

Oil pressure is good. Starts easily and idles well. Knock goes away as revs increase.

I'm two hours away from home and have no way of swapping injectors to see if the noise moves.

What to do, what to do?

TIA,
Lux

Hatterasguy · #2 06-03-2007, 06:04 PM

Do you have any open ended wrench's? Start cracking the injector lines and see if it goes away. Does it have the updated vacuum pump? A failing vacuum pump can knock.

603 bottom ends are pretty tough, you really need to abuse one to have an issue with the bottom end. As long as the cars oil has been changed, and it wasn't overheated to badly it should be fine.

Bill Ladd · #3 06-03-2007, 06:13 PM

Yeah, well, actually no. Just an adjustable. But it's now pouring rain. I'm at a Borders down the street. Very nice family. They said they'd call me if anyone makes an offer.

More info -- It wasn't making the noise when I first started the engine.

Hatterasguy · #4 06-03-2007, 06:15 PM

You can't really go over it, thats a pain. Its probably nothing if I could listen to the sound I could probably tell you what it was right away. You need a 603 person to listen to it.

Bill Ladd · #5 06-03-2007, 06:21 PM

Yeah, right! Man that motor has a lot more oomph than mine! I like it.

They're asking $2000 for it, but it has a number of small cosmetic things that add up quick.

Sunroof doesn't open (motor runs, and I can hear the mechanism operating); driver's seat wont recline; dent in rear door that was poorly repaired; rust at bottom of opposite door; driver's door handle pulled away from panel; seats torn; musty smell in cabin; etc...

Hmmm.

Hatterasguy · #6 06-03-2007, 06:25 PM

Sounds like a good driver at best. I'd look for a better example.

Bill Ladd · #7 06-03-2007, 06:26 PM

What if I talked them down to $1000? I'm actually looking for a project. I've been wrenching for a long time. None of those things scare me -- if the price is right to begin with.

Hatterasguy · #8 06-03-2007, 06:29 PM

I'd worry about the rust, you can fix everything else. How do the jack points look? What about where the sway bars come out of the wheel wells? Under the rear windsheild?

If the rust isn't to bad and you could get it for $1k that would be a good deal IMHO, even $1,500 wouldn't be to bad.

How many miles are on it?

Bill Ladd · #9 06-03-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

I'd worry about the rust, you can fix everything else. How do the jack points look? What about where the sway bars come out of the wheel wells? Under the rear windsheild?

How many miles are on it?

Jack points excellent, sway bar openings excellent, nice and dry under the rear windshield. Undercarriage looks very good.

A bit over 200K miles.

I think I'm gonna sit on it a bit and come back up here with some tools.

Thanks for the help, Hattie.

Bill Ladd · #10 06-03-2007, 06:33 PM

Off to meet my brother for dinner. See y'all in a bit.

Brian Carlton · #11 06-03-2007, 06:34 PM

Very unlikely that it's a lower end problem.

Buy it.

Hatterasguy · #12 06-03-2007, 06:38 PM

Its starting to sound pretty good, see if you can't talk them down a bit.

NC Benz · #13 06-03-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lux

Fellow diesel heads -- I'm looking at an '87 SDL. Very different engine sounds than my 617.

Head has been replaced, but is has a knock at or near the front of the engine. Is there a down and dirty quick way to tell if it's injector nailing, bearing knock or piston slap.

Oil pressure is good. Starts easily and idles well. Knock goes away as revs increase.

I'm two hours away from home and have no way of swapping injectors to see if the noise moves.

What to do, what to do?

TIA,
Lux

If you dont buy it let me know. I am in the market for a MB Diesel for my son... and I am just up the road from you!!

guage · #14 06-03-2007, 07:00 PM

Should be a open end wrench in the tool kit that fits.

Bill Ladd · #15 06-04-2007, 07:38 AM

One other thing that hit me as I was driving back last night.

He said the head had been replaced about 16 months ago, the same time he'd stopped driving it. He mentioned while we were first starting it that he didn't want to run it for too long because he needed to add coolant.

The temp gauge was climbing on up there before I shut it off.

Why, if the head, head gasket and related components were recently done, would one need to add coolant to car a that's been sitting?

Could the knocking noise I heard be coolant introduced into the cylinder via a leaking head/head gasket? I believe I've heard of that before.

Hmmm. The kid in me really wants to buy this car, but my inner adult is saying steer clear.