1983 300 TurboDiesel Newbie Project - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tobers · #1 12-26-2012, 11:03 AM

I bought an 83 turbodiesel as a project to do with my sons before the youngest heads to college. It is a $400 mess and the memories built will surpass the sensibility of it all. We do want it to be a daily driver sometime in a few months. We could of purchased something in better shape, but then it wouldn't be a project and what fun is that? So I know this is borderline sensible. We'd like to drive this thing and i don't want to throw money into nothing. We are pretty mechanical but totally rookies to diesels and MBs.

So here's the basics. 250k miles. interior quite nice (split in drivers seat/cracks in dash/missing a little from console), exterior pretty nice except the hood flung open when the guy was driving down the road (yikes) and it shattered the windshield. hood might be pretty close to true but springs are bent. he said it ran great in august and after the windshield accident never got back to it. he was running used motor oil (?!) or something like that through it and when it got cold it would no longer run. Turns over fine. Had it towed to my driveway.

I'm looking for "big picture" advice on how to go about this.

Here's where we are after 1 week: Right now the interior is virtually stripped. The thing is a rust bucket and I'm thinking our first steps would be to i) cut out the rust/get it stable and safe and ii) find/stop the dang water

In tackling this first I'm thinking i) the guy's probably telling the truth and when we get to it we'll be able to get it running and the drive train is going to be useable and ii) we've got a reasonable chance of getting a running, fun, safe vehicle with some work and maybe $1000-1500. We could, after all, just part it out and come out ahead (i'm guessing) but the idea is to do it with my boys.

So what do you think? How would you go about it? Would you start with rust/water? In Durham, NC. Many thanks for any input.

mach4 · #2 12-26-2012, 11:25 AM

Uggghhh, sounds like more of a parts car than a project car.

I commend your idea of a father-son project as I did exactly the same thing with my boys. We did a Baja Bug with the older boy and a Manx dune buggy with the younger. Priceless experiences. That having been said, a project needs to be practical and doable and of a scope that will fit within the time constraints.

I fear that your description of "rust bucket" makes it potentially a failed project out of the gate.

I'd suggest something like pulling the engine and transmission and getting it on a stand and start cleaning it up and getting it running. In the meantime start searching for a rust free chassis with a blown engine. Assuming the engine is good, you've got a good start on a great project. (I've got one sitting in my driveway you can have, but it would be cost prohibitive to ship it across the country.... it's the donor car from my diesel conversion of a 380sl)

I'd also suggest figuring out what the focus of the project is. Are you more interested in mechanical or paint and body, or interior. Is it a restoration or getting a beater running.

I'm sure vstech will chime in with some great advice. He's in your neighborhood and familiar with the rust issues there and what's fixable and what's just plain dangerous.

Ping me if I can help.

Good luck!

whunter · #3 12-26-2012, 12:14 PM

Pictures will help us give solid advice.

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vstech · #4 12-26-2012, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobers

I bought an 83 turbodiesel as a project to do with my sons before the youngest heads to college. It is a $400 mess and the memories built will surpass the sensibility of it all. We do want it to be a daily driver sometime in a few months. We could of purchased something in better shape, but then it wouldn't be a project and what fun is that? So I know this is borderline sensible. We'd like to drive this thing and i don't want to throw money into nothing. We are pretty mechanical but totally rookies to diesels and MBs.

So here's the basics. 250k miles. interior quite nice (split in drivers seat/cracks in dash/missing a little from console), exterior pretty nice except the hood flung open when the guy was driving down the road (yikes) and it shattered the windshield. hood might be pretty close to true but springs are bent. he said it ran great in august and after the windshield accident never got back to it. he was running used motor oil (?!) or something like that through it and when it got cold it would no longer run. Turns over fine. Had it towed to my driveway.

I'm looking for "big picture" advice on how to go about this.

Here's where we are after 1 week: Right now the interior is virtually stripped. The thing is a rust bucket and I'm thinking our first steps would be to i) cut out the rust/get it stable and safe and ii) find/stop the dang water

In tackling this first I'm thinking i) the guy's probably telling the truth and when we get to it we'll be able to get it running and the drive train is going to be useable and ii) we've got a reasonable chance of getting a running, fun, safe vehicle with some work and maybe $1000-1500. We could, after all, just part it out and come out ahead (i'm guessing) but the idea is to do it with my boys.

So what do you think? How would you go about it? Would you start with rust/water? In Durham, NC. Many thanks for any input.

every US MB Diesel in 83 except the 240 was a turbo, so calling it a Turbodiesel doesn't help us much. what kind of vehicle is it? SD? TD? CD? D?
I'm only about 150 miles from you, so if you feel like getting together, just send me a message.
I know of several better condition vehicles you could spend your time and money on, or I can assist you with tackling the issues you are facing on that car.
either way, just lemme know!

Ozarkdude · #5 12-26-2012, 12:42 PM

Children get easily discouraged dealing with junk, as does most everyone after a while.

I consider the body/chassis to be single most important issue, it is the backbone that everything else attaches, and must, by virtue of its intended purpose, be 100% structurally sound. While even major rust can be dealt with by panel or sectional replacement, the tools, experience, and knowledge to do a job of equal "structural" quality to the factory are quite suspect. When one considers that 99% of bodyshops do hack body and structural repairs, and they have the right tools, it makes one pause.

I guess the point im trying to make is that your kids might have a lot more fun fixing up something thats half way decent to begin with. As stated above, might be better to consider this a parts car and find a better candidate for the parts

KAdams4458 · #6 12-26-2012, 02:23 PM

Sounds daunting. I would probably try to get it to run first. At least then you will know if you have a drive train worth owning. It's been wet this long, so being wet a little longer probably won't hurt it much.

kerry · #7 12-26-2012, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAdams4458

Sounds daunting. I would probably try to get it to run first. At least then you will know if you have a drive train worth owning. It's been wet this long, so being wet a little longer probably won't hurt it much.

X2. Not worth doing anything else if it doesn't run.

NC-Diesel · #8 12-26-2012, 03:53 PM

As a guy who bought two rust buckets I can assure you any of these cars with major rust issues will be no fun at all. For all the rust you can see that means thee is 50% more lurking in places you can't see. The price of a totaly restored car just doesn't justify the extreme price tag to get it done right. I agree with the other assessments that this may make a great drive train to drop into another body with better prospects. My 1982 was bought before I knew better. Pristine engine and interior. It's been sitting for a year now because structurally it's not safe to drive. So I got a pristine 1978 California car body for $250 that had a trashe dinterior and I'm int he process of switching things over. A LOT of headache. NOw when I go look online at these things the first thing I ask is for pics of the rockers, hinge pockets, trunk wells, door frame interior bottoms, and floor pans with no carpets.

whunter · #9 12-26-2012, 05:00 PM

Can we please, at least wait for some pictures before any rush to condemn this car as scrap metal.

I understand you are trying to help, but it may come across rather aggressive to this new member.

Thank you.

.

KAdams4458 · #10 12-26-2012, 05:28 PM

No condemning here. My first vehicle had rust holes I could fit my fist through, but I wouldn't have change that for anything. You see, that was a sort of father/son project, too. I'm fully onboard with this. (Pics would be nice, though.)

tobers · #11 12-26-2012, 10:00 PM

thanks for everyone's input. the input has been so helpful. please continue

I think we should change course; the wisest thing to do is to drop the rust pursuit for the moment and see if we can get it to run. this way we will have better information when we decide to i) part it, ii) look for a good body for a swap, or iii) tackle the rot. I've got to drop the car repair challenge for a few days due to work responsibilities but I'll be chewing on it. Thanks again, and thanks for the honest comments.

ImBroke · #12 12-27-2012, 08:47 AM

Depending on what kind of waste oil he was running (I'd suspect WVO), if it was running and then quit running, I'd be suspect of the injection pump being clogged. If he was just running waste motor oil mixing small amounts with the diesel fuel, that's different. If it's turning over fine, I would put the input line for the injection pump into a fresh container of diesel, remove the injector lines from the top of the IP, and crank it over to see if it's spitting diesel fuel out of the holes. You will probably have to pump the primer pump to get fuel into the IP to start with. Once again, this is only what I would do. PS, I do have a "decent" body I may be willing to let go cheaply.