Hello,

This weekend I replaced some more suspension parts on the car. I had ordered and installed the boge shocks on the rear about a month ago. I messed up and ordered bilsteens for the front but rears came in(my fault). I was tempted to send them back but decided to give them a go. What a huge difference, I went ahead and ordered bilsteens for the front and installed them aswell. Major dif, have control of the car now. What I have done so far since owning the ride,

bilsteens all around
steering dampner
stabilizer swaw bar links
motor mounts
primer pump
glow plugs
made adj to the valves (new valve cover seal)
new radiator hoses including the overflow hose
thermastate replaced
new fuel return hoses
air filter
both fuel filters replaced

Anywho I will replace the belts next along with the transmission mount. I will then move to the inside to replace a couple of items.

I am averaging around 27 mpg but I am driving around 500 more miles a month because I can't get enough of this car. Dogs like it aswell.

I have an 84 SD and love mine as well! I've spent quite a bit of money catching up on deferred maintenance, and suspension will probably be my next focus. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to pay someone else to do it because I don't have the know-how or tools (floor jack) to do it myself...

Great car, though! I wish my wife liked it as much as I do. ;-)

__________________
1986 300SDL - 116K
2014 Prius Plug-in (company car)
2014 Q5 TDI (wife's car)

And lovin' it!

My '81 is my DD. Close to 303K on the clock... Drove to Pennsylvania and to Chicago twice last year from Alabama...

If you take care of it, it will take care of you... And this forum is a treasure of information!

__________________
Mine: 1987 MB 420 SEL - 62K (Dec 2019)
Mine:1991 MB 350SDL - 244K (Aug 2011)- Totalled 9/14/2016
Mine:1981 MB 300SD - 326K mi (July 1997)-sold
Wife's: 2008 MB C300 Sport - 92K mi (April 2009)

I have had my 82 for 11 years now, and have done very little to keep it on the road.
it's treated me SO well, I'm giving it a well deserved rebuild of the suspension. I can't wait. I've replaced the seats with MUCH better leather ones from a 90's SDL/SEL... awesome. it needs paint, but not much else. I ordered a new alternator al115AMP model... that's on my list to upgrade.

__________________
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!

Loving my '83 SD also. Presently it is in storage and I'm using my '83 D as a daily driver. Having a great SD in storage is like money in the bank. Great cars.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

Assume you are saying you are getting 27mpg on the expressway. I get an average of 20mpg with a combo of intown and expressway driving (70mph max) in my 81 SD.

Personally drove my bought used '83 212K miles to 305K in '99. Great car.

I'm averaging low 20's as well, city/hwy rarely driving over 65mph. I was hoping to average around 24 or 25 after reading everyone's mileage testimonies on this board but you know what they say, " Men lie about three things: how much they paid in taxes, the size of the fish they catch and their mileage".

On a positive note; I've owned my '81 300SD for 4 months now and really enjoy the car. It's a great highway cruiser. In the past week I addressed a cold slip between 2nd and 3rd with a modulator adjustment, installed a new radio and replaced the oil filter housing gasket. It's great to have this forum, otherwise I couldn't afford to own one of these cars.

__________________
'81 300SD

Your wife drives a Prius and doesn`t like the SD OH MY.

The SD is Class and what a great ride, the Prius is, Ahh... Hmmmm... well I don`t know.


I need to get our SD back on the road, my Wife loves that car. for now she is stuck driving the 240.

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

This is my 8th year owning my SD....it has NEVER let me down, and I just recently passed 100k since purchase while driving to the International Auto Show none the less. Again I didn't find anything superior.

307k and still going strong. I am going to be replacing some suspension components this spring....its getting sloppy. The other day I had to make a massive abrupt swerve in traffic to avoid an idiot, and it still handled it beautifully, despite the tired suspension. Amazing. Engine remains as strong as it was 8 years ago. Fires up at 0F no problem with no heater.

__________________
-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)