I' ve owned a number of Benz diesel vehicles over the years and have three right now. ('76 300D/ '83 300Dt/ '82 300Dt) They have all smoked either a little or a LOT....mostly a lot... especially under hard acceleration, of course.

Just picked up an 82 300D turbo. This old girl runs like a sewing machine and pulls very well... really gets down the road with authority. NO smoke under any circumstances. I had a friend follow me around just to confirm. None! Full throttle, rev in neutral, whatever.

Many posts about "too much smoke" etc. but I could uncover nothing in reference to none at all. If she was slow, I'd suspect underfueling but this has to be the strongest OM617 I've ever had the pleasure of driving. This is on dino diesel, BTW.

I don't think I have a problem, just curious if there are others out there with "whistle clean" W123's. I've certainly never followed one on the road.

Sam
'76 300D
'83 300Dt
'82 300Dt
'91 190E 2.6
'90 190E 2.6

Thats how its supposed to run. Smoke is bad.

neither of mine smoke besides a very small puff of unburned fuel when I start the wagon - probably due to a bad glowplug. Haven't got around to that problem yet

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Sounds good to me. Mine doesn't produce much smoke unless I give it an Italian Tuneup after a lot of sedate driving.

__________________
'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.