Hey guys... I have done a lot of searches and thinking on this, but I wanted to get any last minute opinions before I jump into this.

I am looking at a 79 240d w/ a manual trans. It was apparently being driven daily, and one day it started running poorly, it was hobbled home, and then just wouldn't start after that. It turns over and fires on one or two cylinders, but won't catch.

He doesn't know the mileage for sure, odo is out, it is stopped somewhere in the mid 100k range, if I remember right. He doesn't know if it has worked since he had it (I will guess not).

The owner has done a valve adjustment to try to see if that would do anything, but it didn't help. I don't think he's done anything else substantial.

To me it sounds initially like a fuel problem (loosing power, running rough), but I don't know if there could be other causes for what he described. Fuel filters, tank screen, air in the lines, etc. Anything else?

Of course there is glow plugs to check, weak starter, etc. but that wouldn't cause it to run rough once it is going.

I guess it was consuming some oil, but he didn't know for sure how much (his sister had been driving the car and adding oil as she went).

The price is low enough that I could probably sell it off as a parts car for the same price without much trouble, but there is the hassle factor as well.

Worst case scenarios?

Cracked ring(s)?
Timing chain stretch?
Injector problems?
What else?

Thanks as always, you guys are always a great help.

__________________

If you're happy with the price as a parts car, buy it.

If you can fix it you're even further ahead.

I'd make no assumptions other than what you know. At this point you are buying parts and that's how you set the price.

You could volunteer to work on it and possibly get it running. Think the seller would still take the lower price? I doubt it!

__________________
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

I'm an optimist. If you can reliably confirm it didn't overheat (and hasn't been burning veggie) then I'd think more in terms of a combination of fouled injs or filters, DV's or primer pump leaks, and GP issues.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

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

For this possible "Jewel in the Rough"?
(Yeah,'Cause with the info you've got now it's ONLY a parts car!)

__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128

I bought China knowing the engine was totally seized. The deal was good enough, and the car was clean enough to make it worth it anyway.
Just came in from driving her and couldn't be happier with that purchase......
If the 240 is a clean rust free platform it is a good purchase.....

__________________
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

I would purchase the car just for the flywheel, clutch, bellhousing and transmission....and associated pedals and linkage.....then drop it in a 300D....or sell those parts either here or on e-Bay......

SB

__________________

Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

And S-can another MB to the wrecking yards??? For shame........

__________________
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

Here's the thing - I can deal with changing out fuel filters, lines, primer pump, and other little stuff. I think I can deal with putting in new injectors too... (don't know much about the procedure).

However, if it involves actually rebuilding part(s) of the engine, or replacing the engine, I don't have the time or know-how and it isn't going to be worth it to me.

So that is why I am asking about worst case scenarios in terms of specific problems I might be up against... I'm looking for informed opinions on my odds.

I know at least that the engine isn't seized, and I am not that afraid of just selling it again if it doesn't work out, but I am looking for something to drive and what to know my "odds" that I will be able to get it to that state.

__________________

You don't have any MB's in your signature. If the deal's good, you need one. I'd buy it

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

The price is less than most other parts cars I've seen around.

But I'm informed now that the trunk won't open with the key, since the key is a dup of one that broke off in a door lock. The trunks in these cars are not easy to get into without drilling, are they?

__________________

its not like there are a million of them, oh wait.. there is

you can open the trunk with a friend lifting up on it while you knock the area to the left or right of the lock with a 4' section of a 4x4 post( put something on the paint to protect it and dont like seriously hit it.. just thump it)

it will jostle the lock mechanism and pop it

If its that cheap, just buy it and fix it. Probably a filter. I have bought so many cars that had unknown issues. 90% of them were simple. About the only one I can think of that wasn't was my SD. Thought it was just a B2 piston, but it ended up being that plus planetary gears wasted. Still for the price was a good deal.

Just bought a very clean 86 420SEL with a bad trans for $400. Cost me $18 and about 10 hours of my own labor to fix. I took a chance but I knew it was worth more than that in parts, as a worst case scenerio.

If the car is parts car cheap, you could probably make money just off the manual trans and associated parts. Then add up everything else.

What kind of price are we talking?

You can also order a duplicate key from MB. Spendy but it will be right also.

My 240D acted just like that. Wasn't getting fuel. Changed the filters, etc. Still not getting fuel. The new low sulfur diesel had purged my tank of 25 years of crud--and a summer's inactivity while I was away. Had to be towed in, where they cleaned the tank and screen, purged the system, etc. and finally had to tow it to start it. I changed pre-filters every tank of gas for a year thereafter (they are reusable by washing out with detergent and drying thoroughly), and have used an additive ever since. No further problems.

Pursue the simple alternative first. Can you bleed the engine by pumping the manual fuel pump? If not, it could be the pump or further upstream. See if you can suck fuel out of the fuel hose going to the pre-filter. If you can't, neither can the car. Then follow the fuel line back to the tank, and see if you can get fuel to run out of the tank. If not, pull that tank filter and clean the tank. Or do what I did, and take it to a shop. I think that visit cost something like $500, but it's running fine now.

Good luck,

John Bonds
'82 240D manual, 200k

$400 including a tow to my house. It isn't a beauty queen, but I am thinking it is fixable and worth it.

Also 81300sd thanks for the tip about ordering a new key, I hadn't thought of that.

__________________