1987 300SDL Runs poorly recently - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ggspeed · #1 01-14-2009, 11:17 PM

My 87 300SDL doesnt seem to have the sweet clatter she used to. When she starts up she seems to smoke more, and stutter more.

I can tell she must have a stuck lifter and that clicking is making me crazy. i've been changing the oil a little early and switched from Rotella to Delvac on a friends advice. to see if it would help. I also ran an amsoil engine flush and the lifter click stoped for a bit but came back the next time i started her up.

Even know she is in a heated garage now she doesnt start up like she did in the summer.

My question being that, is this problem something that could be fixed by replacing aging glow plugs? I know they won't fix the lifter, but will they make her think its summer again? I have been putting an anti gel additive in the fuel to make sure she doesnt get too gelled. What else can be done? Is this due to the fact that i only take her out once a week or so now as opposed to driving her full time?

Thanks

Hatterasguy · #2 01-14-2009, 11:57 PM

Wasn't this the car that was just in storage for awhile? If so put 1k miles on it and report back. These cars hate to sit.

Lifters are not always fixed by synthetic, I replaced all 12 of mine. Synthetic will sometimes fix them, sometimes just make them better.

Lastly its cold, its going to smoke and probably skip a bit.

ggspeed · #3 01-15-2009, 12:18 AM

she hasnt been in storage much, a little but never sits for more then two weeks at a time. How hard is it to replace the lifters? should i do them and glow plugs. Also I have been noticing my oil is leaking more. The previous owner used Delvac, i used Rotella and it only leaked a little. Now the Delvac seems to leak more.

I took her out today and drove her like atleast one hundred miles. She wasnt much better. I'll have to pull her out again. She seems to run nice and has power, just doesnt sounds like her old self.

NJ300sdl · #4 01-15-2009, 11:07 AM

I just had the same problem, but no lifter noise. Pulled head, gasket failed. Oil going into #1 cylinder.

LUVMBDiesels · #5 01-15-2009, 11:44 AM

Take it on the highway and really run it. I had a lifter click that started when I switched from Rotella syn to Mobil 1. After taking it up to 80 for a few miles, the click went away.

ggspeed · #6 01-15-2009, 02:12 PM

i drove her real hard yesterday she wouldn't go any faster then i pushed her. She seems to be going as fast as usual, but doesn't sound nice like the summer. Could the 15 degrees be the culprit?

Oracle12345 · #7 01-15-2009, 06:47 PM

Since it has been in storage I would drive it more to see if it goes away. But if doesnt then could be a head gasket not sealing efficently in the oil channel of the head. You could be possibly facing have the head checked out or replacing the headgasket

Hatterasguy · #8 01-15-2009, 07:03 PM

How are you guys getting a cracked head and head gasket failure from a diesel coughing on start up?

When you start the car, ignore the GP light, let it glow for 30 seconds and try then. Report back on how it starts.

If this is your first winter with the car, it will start differently now because its so cold. Your also running winter fuel so your mileage should have dropped off a bit.

Oracle12345 · #9 01-15-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

How are you guys getting a cracked head and head gasket failure from a diesel coughing on start up?

When you start the car, ignore the GP light, let it glow for 30 seconds and try then. Report back on how it starts.

If this is your first winter with the car, it will start differently now because its so cold. Your also running winter fuel so your mileage should have dropped off a bit.

a mercedes benz techinical bulletin on this issue and it tells you to replace the headgasket after elimnating everything else that could cause it

Hatterasguy · #10 01-15-2009, 07:15 PM

Please post it I would love to see that bullitin.

Without coolant consumption, or coolant and oil mixing, and without overheating, I'm wondering why rough starting would be linked to the head gasket?

I would think rough starting would be linked to:
Weak GP's
Bad fuel
Poor injector/s spray pattern
IP losing its prime
Poor timing
Low compression
Or any combo of the above.

Oracle12345 · #11 01-15-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Please post it I would love to see that bullitin.

Without coolant consumption, or coolant and oil mixing, and without overheating, I'm wondering why rough starting would be linked to the head gasket?

I would think rough starting would be linked to:
Weak GP's
Bad fuel
Poor injector/s spray pattern
IP losing its prime
Poor timing
Low compression
Or any combo of the above.

head gasket has nothing to do with rough starting...

headgasket is linked to the smoke, low power problems and the hydraulic lifter problem

Hatterasguy · #12 01-15-2009, 07:47 PM

Well since the OP is complaining about rough starting, than the head gasket is unlikely.

A ticking lifter isn't much of an issue on a 603, and its unrelated to his poor starting.

Oracle12345 · #13 01-15-2009, 08:01 PM

" My 87 300SDL doesnt seem to have the sweet clatter she used to. When she starts up she seems to smoke more, and stutter more"

dont see anything about rough starting....

Where are you getting rough starting issues from?

hes complaining about driveability issues

btw changing what oil you use wont solve your oil leaks problem and the only way to fix the leaks is to isolate the areas and fix the gastkets/seals.

Hatterasguy · #14 01-15-2009, 09:39 PM

"When she starts up she seems to smoke more, and stutter more"

Um, in the part you quoted?

I'm quite familer with the 603...that problem is very commen...

ggspeed · #15 01-15-2009, 10:31 PM

I took her out today and took a ten minute ride, how ever i had her in a heated garage all night that didnt drop below 50 deg F. She started up real rough even in the garage, smoke bellowed out from everywhere and the tach wasn't working. I took her out and drove down my mile long dirt road. At the end of the road i turned her off and fired her back up because this is what worked to fix the tach last time.

After the five minute ride to my grandmother's house i let her idle in her driveway for about a half hour. On the way home i noticed she sounded a lot better. Maybe when its this cold i just need to give her a long warm up period? Like wait 20 mins or so? She still has a clicking lifter, but thats been going on a while and will need to be repaired.

Do any of your diesels sound worse when its cold and even when up to temp seem to not idle, run as smooth?