1987 300TD Turbo - losing power won't turn over - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chewable · #1 06-26-2013, 01:20 AM

Hello,
I am new to this forum.
I currently have a 1990 300TE that I love, but I really have wanted a diesel. So, tomorrow I am going out to pick up a 1987 300TD TurboDiesel that currently will not turn over.

The last owner described the problem as - "the car was losing power and then it just stopped being able to turn over. My mechanic says it is the timing chain and it will need to be replaced."

As it sits now it has about 132K in mileage on it and it has the OM603 engine.

I am guessing that I will need to pull the engine in order to replace the timing chain if that is the real issue. In all likelihood the engine will need to come out to fix whatever is going on, but I was wondering if this is a known issue - Losing power like this?

Also if I do have to pull the engine what else should I be preparing to fix?
I am sure I will be back with a million questions and as soon as Possible I will post photos of the car when I pick it up.

barry12345 · #2 06-26-2013, 08:51 AM

I do not know if your mechanic has actually examined the engine.Anyways you have to run down what is actually going on.

Description does not sound like the timing chain. Timing chain issues in general tend to be instantainious in nature.

winmutt · #3 06-26-2013, 02:58 PM

Nothing good.

Chewable · #4 06-26-2013, 04:20 PM

I should clarify. It is not my "mechanic" this was the quote from the former owner.

I should actually be picking up the car today.

I agree that if the timing chain were to go it should usually all go at once and not be gradual.

What would cause a gradual loss of power?
Could it be a bad head?
It just seems odd to me. I will see when I finally get it to my house (next week most likely) if I can do a compression test on it.

Chewable · #5 06-26-2013, 10:03 PM

Finally picked up the car today.

It looks like they were trying to get it running and they disconnected a bunch of stuff in the engine. I am going to have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what they did.

It also has a K&N filter put into there.

vstech · #6 06-26-2013, 10:09 PM

welcome to the forum, and welcome to the 87TD club! clean up all the bits of fuel hose, and replace them. it's standard 3mm-1/8" Fuel return hose. they go from the filter to each barb, jumping from injector to injector until the last one, that gets a plug in it.

looks like you have a late model 87, that's had the wrong green coolant in it, and it's low. post some more pictures of what you have, and we'll pick apart the pics and tell you what is in the wrong place. aside from the SLS tank on the right, any 87-93 124 sedan will have very similar routing of hoses and wires. (aside from the lack of the 6th cylinder that is...)

vstech · #7 06-26-2013, 10:10 PM

the gradual loss of power sounds like a fuel leak/filter plugged up.

Chewable · #8 07-20-2013, 03:19 AM

Great News.......

A friend of mine came by today and we tried to start tearing into this project.

We tried to get the car to turn over and noticed some exhaust gas coming out of the turbo intake. We removed the section of the turbo that move the air from the turbo to the intake section of the car to see if the exhaust gas was coming out of the head (bad or burned intake valves) or if it was coming up from the turbo.

There was some oil and gas coming up out of the turbo not out of the head. We then disconnected the turbo from the exhaust - the car then started. There was a major blockage in the exhaust.

After we cleaned out the exhaust and reconnected everything the car ran like a champ.

I will have some questions and update some photos showing some odds and ends I have not been able to figure out exactly where they go. But for now I have a great running 87 300TD and am super happy about it........

winmutt · #9 07-20-2013, 08:35 AM

Pull the cat and take rebar to it or citric flush it.

Chewable · #10 07-20-2013, 10:36 AM

Yep we cleaned the blockage yesterday.

This car is already turning into my favorite.