Couple of weeks ago I posted about a weird screeching noise at startup. I have pretty much satisfied myself it's the fan clutch.

Replaced a caliper last weekend.

Last week I started to feel a vibration at idle, a rumble that says 'motor mounts time' to me.

Meanwhile I still have a set of clean injectors from Greazzer to install.

And still haven't got the new glowplugs in.

Now tonight the front end suddenly started creaking really bad on slow right turns.

What next, I wonder?

On the brighter side, I put in the extra brake lights upgrade last week and it looks great.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

I can't predict what is next but it looks like your Car wants to stop you from driving so you can give it attention.

But, that is not possible because Cars don't have a have an Ego; or do they?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If nothing ever went wrong then what would there be to fix!?

I have a list so long of backed up repairs on the 7 cars I maintain that it never ends.... Currently ramping up my completion of the diesel conversion project in my sig.

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-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)

About 15 years ago an old scraper I had suddenly had no drive.
So pulled the motor & transmission ~ big job!! After rebuilding the trans, couldnt find anything wrong with it, Pulled the diff cover & checked it, Finally noticed that a large bull gear on the final axle was not locked to the axle. Turned out it had come loose & sheared all the spline teeth off. Easy fix to have the axle rebuilt.
I had started at the wrong end of the drive train looking for the problem. $2k job for what should have been a $500 job.
I was very ***** off !

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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

It is very easy to jump to a complex problem and not notice the simple one which should logically be checked first.

I've done it many times too.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yeah, I was tired and had a pounding head last night on the drive home. The creaking front end really did it for me.

Honestly I've hardly touched the car for months. I should know better than to whine.

We're getting nights like November right now around here. I've found in the past that the onset of cold weather has a way of 'focusing' issues with old cars.... then it happens again when the first really cold snap of the winter sets in. (My preglow relay died on the coldest day last winter, windchill of around -20 F.)

The other thing that made me grouchy was realizing, after I filled the tank on the way home, that this will probably be one of the last summer diesel tankfuls I'll get. The winter diesel last year was brutal and I'm not looking forward to finding out what it's like this time around.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

A big lesson I was taught 30 years ago, and have to keep repeating to myself, driving old iron.

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1985 300D-189k The 'UD', Ivory and Pinkamino
1979 300D-211k Dark Gray, Parchment
A 1980 Harley-~166k and
A 1994 Ford diesel pickup-349k and
A 1990 gasser Volvo wagon-145k

Bragged that neither of the 2 123's needed anything. A guarantee that something will go wrong.

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1985 300D-189k The 'UD', Ivory and Pinkamino
1979 300D-211k Dark Gray, Parchment
A 1980 Harley-~166k and
A 1994 Ford diesel pickup-349k and
A 1990 gasser Volvo wagon-145k

I've worked on the mechanicals and almost finished them on two of my W123's. That means that the cosmetic stuff has suffered; my cars look so bad but run so very good. (Thanks to the helpful folks on this site.)

Fall is a great time to get stuff done in Texas. It's not so insufferably hot anymore. (someday I'll have my own air conditioned shop) So, I'm hoping to get alot done.

Damn the leaves, full speed ahead!

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Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)

I am really worried that I will be joining this club any day now... I need to get some photos of my front end and get advice on what needs to be done first (steering feels loose and have been vaguely advised to look at tie rod wear closer), and at the same time am stressing that a belt or hose is about to go (they don't look horrible but it's probably time). I have never changed the transmission fluid or coolant yet either.

I look at getting a second cheap car (to build a RAIC, redundant array of inexpensive cars), then remind myself I need to use the time and money to cover the basics on the first or I'll be causing the failure by neglecting preventative maintenance. For the RAIC/interchangeable parts aspect, it pisses me off that this 85 California SD has a bit different transmission (and turbo) than the rest.

EDIT: The anti-lock brakes and seat belt pretensioners were nice surprises though.