Short story: sudden loss of power on the highway, pronounced knocking on what was a very nice sounding mercedes diesel with 245K :cry

Limped to a gas station and added about 5 quarts of 15w-40 and drove it home. Been so mad and disgusted I haven't popped the hood since we got home.

Just bought this 1985 300D not a month ago and ran a marathon of maintenance on it, including an oil change.

Any ideas guys? I'm sure the top end was starved of oil. After I added added the oil at the gas station, power returned to normal, but there is a loud knock now.

That really sucks... You probably screwed up one of the main bearings and or scored a cylinder. Don't fret over it too bad. There are lots of salvage engines out there. Some pop up on here occasionally. Lots of guys on the forum deal in used parts.

Search the the site for "parts for sale" and put up a want ad for your particular engine.

__________________
AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

How often did you check the oil? I check mine at least once a week. These cars are too old to never check things often.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I hadn't checked it since the oil change (a month ago), this was only my second trip I've taken that was over 15 miles.

Same here... Or if I plan any day trip over a couple hundred miles, I pop the hood and have a quick peek at everything before I hit the road.

__________________
AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

I drive over 500 miles a week, so I check it at least 1-2 times a week.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I check mine every day before starting the engine. probably some stupid thing I learned at work years ago.

How long does it take to pop the hood and take a quick visual of things?

As they say, "an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure".

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Yeah, but Charlie, you're running that Amsoil setup that filters down to 2 microns... if I had that under the hood I'd pop it every morning just to look at the beauty of it all, too!

Kurt

__________________
- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride!
- '86 190D (W201-126) - 2.5 NA engine, 5 speed, cloth interior, manual climate controls, 33-34 mpg (sold to forum member).

Come on people. Just check it while your waiting for your gas to pump. And clean your windscreen too for christ sake

__________________
1981 300SD 512k OM603

You lost 5 quarts of oil in 5 weeks! That's over a quart a week. If all that oil was coming out the tailpipe the motor was on it's way out anyway. If it was in your driveway it would be pretty hard to ignore.

__________________
'70 F100 shortbed
'82 Diesel Westy
'83 Euro 300TD
Curtlo Viper
Yeti ARC
Surly long haul trucker

Engine was probably a lost cause at that point due to the knocking sound.

Insured loss of engine during the limp.
Sorry

__________________
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

What was the oil pressure gauge showing? Maybe it wasnt working?

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

5 quarts in a month is a lot. That is about the same burn rate as my wife's 03 Accord with the seized rings.

Sorry man. Strip the motor of everything you can then replace the engine.

Let us know how it goes. Updates, particularly the cost of the new engine would be helpful.

__________________
Ben
1987 190d 2.5Turbo

hey, quit tearing into the guy!
that amount of oil loss should have been making a serious mark wherever you drive... 5 quarts of loss should not have damaged your engine. lemme guess, you only put in 5 quarts, because of the price of oil at the station? stick was still low?
my guess is you forgot to take off the old o-ring from the oil filter can, and did not notice the oil trail when you first changed the oil. that or your motor mounts sagged and cut the oil cooler line with your power steering belt dumping all your oil in 1 mile of driving on the highway... am I close?
sorry for your loss, are you going to transplant?

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Im guessing the oil cooler line went as well. Makes the most sense, and he could have easily lost all his oil in the time it took to play with the radio, or be looking at traffic between gauge scans.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.