So I'm picking up a '79 300td this Saturday. I used to have an '81 300d sedan (that we loved) when I lived in San Francisco and have been looking for another now that we moved to NYC. This car has 125k original miles and looks great. There's a little rust around the back windows and some surface rust on the back gate but none under the car. I'm planning to do much of the maintenance myself but am looking for a reasonable indy mechanic somewhere around the upper west side of Manhattan or Rockland county, NY.

I'll post more pics once I get the car (and probably have some questions). It looks like someone swapped out the main fuel filter for one with a glass bowl. And I'd love to find a thread with pics of someone pulling the back windows of the wagon (a job I'll try in the spring). So glad that I found this forum with so much info!

-Matt

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Congratulations on your wagon. Manhattan seems to be a tough place to own a car. I've been on this forum quite a while and you're the first poster from Manhattan that I can recall. Sorry, can't help on the indy.
Which fuel filter was replaced? The primary plastic one down near the lift pump or the screw on secondary filter up high near the front of the engine?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That's a nice looking wagon! Welcome!

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[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

The secondary, screw on filter was replaced.

Perhaps it's a water separator too.

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83 SD

84 CD

When I was a kid my father bought a 1979 300TD new. He immediately removed the secondary filter and installed a Racor setup that had much better filtration than the factory set up and it was also a nice water separator.

It was nice to be able to see the condition of the filter and if there was any water in the fuel.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

I've got one of those I pulled from an olds diesel...

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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!

Welcome to the forum Matt,
You should be able to get all the help you need from members here.
I have tractors with those plastic bowls, nice idea but its no substitute for clean fuel in the first place. Its not something you should use as an indicator of when to change your filter. The filter canister that goes with it is very generic; cheap & easy for replacements. make sure you only get a reputable brand though.

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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

Welcome... Nice 300td.. Lots of great tips on the site & great people to help you out.....

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'76 300D
'82 230CE
'84 300DT
'91 300D 2.5
'86 300D 5 speed
'86 250D 5 speed
'90 300E 24v
'88 560SEC
300TE euro 5 speed
91 350SD
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