I finally did it, I bought an 84 300D. Orient Red over what I think is Palomino. Car has 124k and runs really well. The power is great once you get to 2500+ rpms. It doesn't seem to have any mechanical issues other than a vacuum leak. I'll have to dig into that. The vacuum is only affecting the door locks at this point, but I'm afraid it might get worse if I let it go. The door locks work great if the car has been running for 15 or more minutes in the last hour, but you can't open anything but the driver's door otherwise. Even the trunk can't be opened.

Anyway, looking forward to getting lots of tips on maintenance and eventually running some biodiesel from the forum.

One entertaining note. I drove the 300d for about a week and then got in the E500. I almost killed my whole family pulling away from the curb. "Slightly" different throttle action.

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I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k

Best.Color Combo.ever.
(maybe)
Congrats!

__________________

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

The drivers door will doesn't require vacuum to unlock but it does contain the valve that feeds vacuum to the other doors, trunk, and fuel door. Mine has the same problem and I'm pretty sure it is the POD at the fuel door.

If it gets worse, the vacuum leak will begin to effect the climate control, shifting of the transmission, and eventually engine cut off.

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Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=296386

If you don't have a Mity Vac of your own yet, come on over to my place and I'll help you track down the leak.

I'm having a GTG on September 27th too. You're welcome to join us.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=228523

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Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

Congrats on your new diesel. We will of course require pics.
And you should certainly attend Chad's meet. Too bad it is so far from Texas.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

yes... pictures...

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Hmmmm.... I wonder if its the same color as this one....

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=231469

that's uncanny. Mine would be the spitting image but for the gold pinstripe it has. It did, also, reside in Colorado for a few years. On the other hand, how many of these did they make? By 84, this was one of the most popular MBs ever, no?

I'll get some pics up later today, maybe after a bath!

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I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k

Unfortunately, it is headed that way. If the car hasn't run much, the engine will not cut off. Kind of freaked me out the first time it happened.

__________________
I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k

I might just have to take you up on both counts. I don't know where to start on the vacuum issue. When I was a kid, my first car had a vacuum horror story. It was a Volvo 144. You couldn't get that thing to run right to save your life. The German volvo only mechanic I took it to tried for two days to get the vacuum advance working right and finally gave up and gave me the car back no charge. For a garage in Germany not to charge you, it had to be a serious anomaly. I imagine the MB issue I have with the 300D is slightly less compex, as it is a leak.

__________________
I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k

Got some photos, not great because of early day sun glare. Not bad for a wankberry camera, I hope.

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
I never go far without a little Big Star

1994 E500 199/Gray 82k
84 300D (Salty) Orient Red/Palomino 141k
88 300CE (Ersatzhammer) 904/Java 163k -- Turbo Technics twin turbo kit, AMG Gen I body kit, Sportline steering box and steering wheel, Sportline/Eibach /Bilstein Sport/500E suspension, Quaife LSD in 210 mm diff case, Silver Arrow brakes.
88 300CE Brabus 3.6 199 on Black 44k

Looks nice Mark. I like the pinstripe, it's different than what I've seen on any other w123. I definitely like the color combo.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

Nice! A car like that will be a pleasure to work on and once you get it all fixed up, you'll smile every time you slip behind the wheel. Usually the PO has kept up the big things. I really like the darker colors on the 123 also. Happy motoring

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Looks good from the outside, hows the body and undercarriage?

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

That is a nice looking car you got there! You will enjoy that! {sometimes more than other}

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John