The 1982 300D Turbo that I bought yesterday has a strange whine when it is started and revved. The car also seems to idle way too low as if something is dragging. I have eliminated all of the belt driven accessories by disconnecting them and starting the car briefly, but the whine was still there. The car has good oil pressure, has the correct amount of oil and ATF (as best as I can check on a cold engine), and starts fine even with only 4 working glow plugs. The turbo is free and has no shaft play. Any ideas on what else could me making the noise? Vacuum pump?

Here is a video of the sound, you may have to turn up the volume at 00:12 to hear the sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJxCjn27VUM

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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

was the video made with all the belts off? odd sound. possibly a vacuum pump. I would pull the V/C and look at the timing chain. perhaps start it with the V/C off and see where the noise is coming from. do another video with the hood open camera under the hood.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
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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!

I had some issues with my turbocharger after I rebuilt it.. it would howl a bit, and basically caused a bunch of back pressure, and built no boost.. although the turbine/impeller spins freely.. some of it was a poor exhaust manifold gasket.. never figured out the rest of the problem..

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46 WDX Power Wagon

84 300TDT daily driver

Possible torque converter or transmission pump damage? How is its fluid level?

oooh good one forced, I ruled out the turbo since he barely revved the motor, but didn't even think of the tranny... see if putting it in N vs P makes any diff. see what it idles like in D. the tranny is the most likely candidate, since the motor seems to be dragging.
I definately want a under hood camera video now! move the camera around while holding the motor around 1KRPM...

It is full and the engine still made the sound with all of the belts off.

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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

ATF level is just below the "low" mark with the engine cold per the owners manual. The previous owner was driving it until the glow plugs blew out, and said it was shifting fine.

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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

I have seen hydraulic pumps whine loudly but otherwise continue to function normally, at least for a while. Since all the belts were off, and it still makes the noise, I'm going to agree with the transmission pump theory.

If it makes you feel any better, one of my dad's Caddy's has had a whine from the transmission for over 20,000 miles and is still functioning more or less ok.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Thats what it sounds like to me. like the trans. is whinning. Isn't there some kind of idle adjustment screw on the IP? my old 300D never idled that low, but when it was super cold out, it would rev that low when it was cold and then die out, but i just rev'd it a couple times and it stayed running. not sure if its related at all but.... What kind of oil you running?

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K

Here is a under hood and car clip. sorry it is so dark! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1L84SF1k-k
The video starts at the turbo, moves over the front of the engine, then to the back of the engine and under the car.

The car makes the sound in both N and P, but in D when driving it seems to be more quiet and goes away at 1500 RPM, but comes back at 3K or so if you are on the go pedal. I warmed up the transmission and checked the fluid level and it was low, so I am in the process of topping it off. The car seems to idle normally now.

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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

So if the transmission pump is the source of the noise I assume that the transmission will need to be pulled and disassembled to fix it, correct? If so is there any harm in driving it some as-is until it gives out?

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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

Sounds like a piece of sheet metal rubbing on something to me.

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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 am 99% sure that the transmission is making the sound. There is nothing rubbing on the pullys or belts, and the sound is loudest when revved in P or N. The sound is also louder under the car. I added some trans-x just in case it would clear up the sound. The ATF is clean and does not smell burnt, and the car drives just fine. I plan to just keep and "ear" on the sound and drive it.

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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

My 240 occasionally makes a whistle that I have decided is a stuck Bendix allowing the engine to turn the starter motor. The fix, obviously, would be to change out the starter, but it only happens occasionally & I'm broke, so I haven't gone after it.