I have an 86 SDL, and I have read repeatedly about people getting 28-30 MPG. I get 22 religiously. Are these people lying, or do I need to do something? The air filter looks good, but beyond that I would not know where to look. Since I am new to diesels I would appreciate the help.

Oh, and I did a search, but searching for MPG or mileage brings back about 1000 different threads that seem completely unrelated. If you feel so inclined I would also take some pointers on how to search for the answers. I don't want to rehash all the same threads over and over again.

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86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

I guess they roll down hill, with a tail wind. The trip to and from the destinations are always downhill...Just a guess. I get 28 in my 300D, and that is if I keep my foot out of it.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

now i get 28-30 with my sdl but i have no ac It gets as low as 25 in the winter. My fathers sdl seems to hang 24-26 year round with working a/c
Dont ask me just the way it is

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

28 mpg highway?

I get 22 city since thats all I drive and I romp on it

Yep, Highway. Since I live in the sticks, I do not have to endure citiy driving very often. When I do have to do city driving, the mixed result is 24 mpg.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

trip from Maine to Virginia I consistantly got 25mpg+ at 75-80mph, and i have an injector that isn't popping correctly.

I'm assuming you've adjusted your valves, checked for timing chain stretch, and checked your timing??? Valves can be a biggie.

Many cars from that era have major problems with the accuracy of their odometers later in life.

Someone who confirmed their 30mpg using GPS would be impressive, although I would still be dubious as my E300 which is 2 generations newer technology only manages 31mpg combined city/hwy and it is mucd more efficient areodynamically and drags around less weight.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Valves, change the diff fluid, make sure the tyres are inflated. With one of those BigBoys, you should be near 26-ish.n If you;ve never run any cleaner through the fuel system, its not a bad thought.

Remember, you wont get the 700+ miles on 20 gals that we get with our smaller more "modern" cars. So keep your references STRITCLY to the SDL line with the big 3.5L engine.

Now Terry has me wondering if my odo is shot! I'll say this,. it got the best milage running straight D2 out of the pump, which rattled the heck out of the motor. With bio in the mix, it runs MUCH better but milage dropped slightly to jsut under 700 miles/tank. And then with the AC on ( lately around here), it dropped again, to around 30.

I get just over 20mpg city on WVO/Diesel mix. I can get as high as 25 on the highway.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

My 5 cylinder 300SD went from 24.95 mpg to 29 when I replaced the
broken odometer gear (the 12 tooth gear).

It had 10 teeth.
Funny, I was getting about 400 per tank, cruising speeds seemed okay.
I thought I was driving 66 miles to work each day.....

The 300D gets 25mpg consistently, odometer has no broken gears.
But that engine has no turbo.

Not having a 6 cyl engine like your SDL don't know what to expect.
But that timing of the injection pump is critical. Although, I have never
adjusted mine.

I too get baffled by some of the mileage claims. I used to be told that the
300SD would get 33mpg. Never seen that.

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
02 Z71 Suburban 117,000
15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles
00 Harley Sportster 24k
09 Yamaha R6
03 Ninja 250

My ODO so far is correct. I have a 2 mile speedo/ODO check spot set up by the state of Texas on HWY 34 Between Quinlan and Greenville TX. It is not on my normal route, so every few months I go to Quinlan for lunch to do the test. I do not know if the ODO in my car was repaired or not. I do not have 1st owner records. 2nd owner records do not indicate any ODO repair.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

redassag00 confirmed 31mpg on the trip to Centerville with his GPS in his 1987 300SDL.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

i got 28 when driving 65mph for 9 hours.... i get like 22 in day to day life, dang city and traffic. but thats life

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as far as searching goes, do not bother with the search function on this site.
Brian Carlton explained and approved method: http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en use the advanced search link, type all the words you want to search for, then restrict the search to www.peachparts.com Domain.
perfect searches every time!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Sheeesh thanks for the tip! I was feeling like captain Tard Boy in my searches!

Oh, on topic..... 28 MPG 300D turbo

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NC Benz
Fuquay-Varina, NC
1979 300D
1983 300D Turbo 260,000 Miles
1984 300D Turbo 345,000 Miles (sons car)
OBK #31
1998 Ford Expedition 5.4l (fer Haulin'!) 145,000
1973 19' SeaRay with 115 Mercury TOWER OF POWER!
Club Car Golf Cart 36V
Ex toys:
1967 Mustang 289 (First Car)
Fiat 124TC
1975 Honda CVCC
1980 Audi 5000 Turbo