Buying diesel help

[snookwhaler]

Hello... I'm new to the board. I have been reading here for a few days trying to absorb all I can before I go look at these cars. My family has had bunches of Mercedes in the past to include 4 diesels. Those cars were all bought new though and I was a kid back then.

I am looking at 2 different cars. One is a garage kept 1984 with 183,000 and the other is an 1984 with 159,000.

What are some specific things to look out for when shopping for a W123 turbo diesel (besides the obvious)?

Some things I know to look out for: Cracks in the dash, vacuum leaks in the locking system (if it bleeds off or not), trans. vacuum leaks, rust on the door bottoms, rust in the fender and rocker corners, operable A/C controls (vacuum).

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. How much blow by is acceptable with these engines? At start up and when warm? Can I do the oil cap trick to get a seat of the pants idea? Are there any things to look at regarding the transmission? Shift points, hard shifting, etc.... IE: would hard shifting indicate a vacuum leak or something more serious?

I have had several diesel pickups and I am very familiar with the Cummins 5.9. So, I know a have pretty good general diesel knowledge just by working on and doing repairs and upgrades.

Thanks again for any help.

Regards,

AJ