Tales of woe in my '86 190D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

weird beard · #1 08-07-2010, 10:53 PM

My wife, pet parrot and I just enjoyed the afternoon at the Festival of Friends in Hamilton Ontario. Had a great time until the ride home. Hamilton is divided by an escarpment 330ft tall. I live atop this escarpment. This is where my tale of woe begins.

We began our ascent, everything was fine until we reached the steepest part of the incline, I started to loose power fast. The transmission started shifting up and down, so I pulled it back into 3rd, but things only got worse. We slowed to a crawl, idle was all the engine could manage with only short bursts of power. We got to the top and it stalled.

I let it sit for 5 minutes, restarted, but running really rough and no acceleration. I could only keep it running for 2-3 minutes at a time and had to wait about 5 minutes between stalling out.

Then things became really interesting. I had just let it sit for 5 minutes before attempting an intersection, when the muffler broke off just after the oxidizer. I pulled over, tore what remained off.

We continued our adventure, loosing more and more power as we went. The engine sputtering and the exhaust wide open, car surging, my wife getting motion sick. I'm sure everyone appreciated the noise and smoke. By the time I got home, it was barely running, idling very low. But at least we made it. Barely.

Tore into the engine checking the fuel filters. The in-line strainer was plugged solid. I could barely blow any air through it. Blew it out and reinstalled (just to see if it was the problem), thankfully it appears to be. I figured it was either the filters or injection pump. Now I can at least rev the engine up.

I Plan on replacing all the filters tomorrow. This is something I have neglected to do since I picked it up. I changed the oil but not the oil filter and never even checked the fuel or air filters. (at first I didn't even know if the car was going to stay on the road, kinda like a 90 year old buying green bananas) I know it is now, so really need to do some maintenance on it.

One good note is the 1000 amp commercial battery wedged under the hood didn't let me down with 20-30 starts.

I guess I learned my lesson running WVO mixed with diesel, and not taking spare filters along.

whunter · #2 08-07-2010, 11:42 PM

Now that it has happened to you, you understand what a plugged filter/strainer can do.

Glad you made it home..

weird beard · #3 08-08-2010, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Now that it has happened to you, you understand what a plugged filter/strainer can do.

Glad you made it home..

Should have known better than to push it, I'm a diesel mechanic by trade. This is why you never buy a mechanics car, wait, that's who owned it before me...

whunter · #4 08-08-2010, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weird beard

Should have known better than to push it, I'm a diesel mechanic by trade. This is why you never buy a mechanics car, wait, that's who owned it before me...

Oh, stop, that hurt my sides laughing so hard...

weird beard · #5 08-08-2010, 02:21 AM

Guess I should do a diesel purge. If I can't find lubro-moly what is the next best?

Sev · #6 08-08-2010, 02:47 AM

lessons learned:
-there are hills in canada--it's not all flat
-never buy a mechanics car
-women get motion sick in 190d's
-regularly do a diesel purge
-don't use wvo in canada or elsewhere
-buy a parrot, so it can repeat all these lessons to you

layback40 · #7 08-08-2010, 03:55 AM

X2 SEV,
I think there maybe a mix up between the primary filter & the strainer.
The strainer is inside the tank. It will be full of gunk. you need to get at it from under the car. & then drain as much of the gunk/WVO/water as you can.
The primary filter is just before the lift pump. It sounds like that is the one that you found blocked.
Your secondary is probably blocked as well or it will be very soon.

If it was black gunk, best get some anti microbial stuff. There are plenty of recommendations as to the best one.

Your WVO has fed the little critters & they have bred like mad. Its like Viagra for bugs. Your fuel tank has been one giant orgy for them!! Time to return some morality to your tank!!!

Sorry I couldnt resist that.

t walgamuth · #8 08-08-2010, 06:53 AM

Before removing the tank I would try the biocide and a water disperser....good chance you can drive it clean.

Then I would change the oil and filter....really skipping the filter? For shame!

babymog · #9 08-08-2010, 10:59 AM

Well since it is largely acetone/napthalene/other solvents, I guess anything on the paint shelf in the garage.

Or you could use ATF.

I'd choose RedLine Complete Fuel System Conditioner in the tank, it's a detergent not a solvent (like ATF is), ... but I'm not a purge believer.

Problem is as others have noted, if the tank is cruddy, you'll pay with lots of filters and un-scheduled down-time as the tank gets cleaned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by weird beard

Guess I should do a diesel purge. If I can't find lubro-moly what is the next best?

whunter · #10 08-08-2010, 11:28 AM

bratwurst · #11 08-08-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weird beard

Guess I should do a diesel purge. If I can't find lubro-moly what is the next best?

NAPA started to carry Lubro-Moly very recently in Canada.... I just picked up two cans last week.

Cheers,

Michael

weird beard · #12 08-08-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Then I would change the oil and filter....really skipping the filter? For shame!

15W40 was free (I work in a shop) the filter was not. Better than nothing as I was unsure at that point if the car would make it to, or stay on the road. I wanted to spend as little as possible at the time incase I scrapped the car.

piccolovic · #13 08-09-2010, 02:26 AM

Sounds like you need to put that car up on a rack and drain it from bumper to bumper and replace all fluids. Do you have the five-speed? Wait til you have to remove the check plug on the tranny . . . . stop by Tool Shack, buy the 30+ mm allen key, measure the short distance between the body and the tranny check plug, take to machinist and have him cut the allen key down so it will fit . . . LOL. Then guard that allen key with your life. I have provided it to mechanics to check the tranny oil level, and every one has tried to keep it!!! I had to threaten one shop with refusal to leave (depriving them of the workspace) or refuse to pay them until they turned up that tool. Amazing how fast a mechanic finds the "lost" tool after management drags them out of the diner!!!!

And I'm sure that if the filters are that plugged, it's not rocket science to deduce what shape the coolant is in.

Does the 2.5 need valve adjustments? If so, I'd pull that cover off and check/adjust the valves. Time to do that 110-point inspection with a checklist and see what you'll have to start saving for.

How much did you get the car for??? What kind of mileage?

And despite what an earlier post stated, this woman did not get motion sickness her 190D over a 6-yr period, although if I had the auto tranny, I would have been suicidal before the second week!!!

Good luck with your new car.

Torie

Tpawlik · #14 08-09-2010, 08:40 AM

I just bought an 87 300D in FLA and in hindsight, foolishly drove it 1,200 miles to Cleveland, OH. It made it but, it was slowly loosing power. By the time I got it home, 60 mph was the top speed and it did stop running a couple of times about 30 miles from home. I guess adding more fuel helped keep the algae from completely settling to the bottom of the tank. The tank screen was only a little fouled, but the primary filter was about 80% clogged.
I owned an 83 300SD for six years back in the late 80's and early 90's. I always had it serviced by a good independent shop. Consequently, I was never aware of this common problem.
Despite the inconvenience, I am glad Wierd Beard made it home.
Gotta keep that fuel supply clean!

Paulc66t · #15 08-09-2010, 01:09 PM

The WVO acts similar to biodiesel when it gets in your tank. It will loosen up all the built up crud from many years. It will eventually stop but you will go through many filters in the process.