A quick intro and some thanks
 

I thought it was due time that I post up a quick intro and offer my thanks to the forum. I've already pulled tons on good info and DIY guides for the "new" ride. Thanks to all :2thumbsup

Due to an accident in Feb. that totaled my old beater, I found myself searching for a new daily driver. I've always loved old diesel MBs, and was lucky enough to find one in great shape, so an 83 240D found it's way on to my driveway.
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A few quick notes: original paint, very little rust, A/C works, all windows and sunroof work, 229k, all original tools/jack and first aid kit!
It's been a great car so far, easy to start and smooth on the road. It's certainly not fast, but that's not an issue for me. I'm either using it to commute or riding around town. I've put a few thousand miles on it so far and I've been keeping track of the miles/gallons added to get an idea of MPG. I have no clue how accurate that method is, but I've seen numbers anywhere from 25-35, which seems about right. I'm 90% highway at speeds 55-60 where the car seems happiest.
It did need a bit of work, so here are a few things that have been done:

New tires were sorely needed, so new michelins went on. Is 195/70 the OE size?
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Next, some general maintenance: fresh oil pan and gasket (old one was leaking), oil change, new air filter. The original muffler was hanging by a thread, so I though on a new one. Also tackled the valve adjustment.
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The oil pan was easy enough, just a little messy.
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I picked up a set of the valve adjusting wrenches off ebay
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The adjustment itself wasn't so bad. My BMW needs them every 30K miles and uses these tiny shims that have to be slid into position. Major PITA.
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I had the car parked in the garage for a few days and noticed fluid on the floor under the diff. Turned out to be a CV boot. After a bit of research this seems to be a somewhat common issue around 250k miles. My passenger side was shot and the drivers side very close, so I decided to replace both.

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Here is the old drivers side
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I've been really happy with how easy the car is to work on. Things seem simple and well made. I'm hopeful it will remain a reliable addition for the next few years, maybe longer. I do have a small oil leak, but to be honest I just haven't taken the time to find out where it's coming from. That will take some cleaning to really find out whats going on.

Cheers! :beerchug:

Very nice! Not many people sporting an auto 240....it sits very nice....

Thanks! The auto box isn't gonna win any drag races, but it's not too bad once you adjust to it.

That car is awesome. I like the color and in my opinion frankly you're better off with the automatic. well done.

- Peter.

Sweet 2 other people who like the auto! I love mine....I had the a euro 300d with a factory 4 speed stick....while I loved that car, a euro spec is like night and day to an us spec...but man a manual got so tired some...trying to stop n go on a huge hill and getting stuck in rush hour traffic....it was a pain! Granted I miss it when I approach a step hill, harder to kick the auto down...but I love the auto! Just put it in drive and go...oh yeh my car is the same color as your...minus the patina :P

You can always shift the auto down manually if you need to. I did it often with both my 280's years ago and my brothers 200. There is no need for the supposed "greater controlabilty" of the manual tranny.

- Peter.

Agreed. So far the kickdown has worked just fine. Don't get me wrong, I love a 3 pedal machine as much as the next guy, but it's sure been nice not having to shift on my commute. A few weeks of using the M drove me crazy.

Looks like I may have spoke too soon about the transmission. Over the past 2 or 3 days it's slipped a few times in the 2-3 shift. A few forum searches show this isn't too uncommon, so I'll be doing a little TLC this weekend. First up will be a fluid and filter change (supplies I actually bought when I got the car since I figured it was due anyways). Hopefully this will help. If not, there are a few other items that can be checked (vacuum system, B2 piston...still learning this car).

I would adjust/check vacuum before playing with the fluid. It might be enough to just tweak the vacuum setting. However if that fails to resolve the issue and you're going to drop the pan...

You should purchase a spring kit for the transmission. I would put in the K1 and K2 springs while I had the pan off.

Superior Transmission - Superior K722A-D

Thanks James! That looks promising!

Looks good! IS that dirt or a melt spot on your cluster? You may want to check the bulbs to make sure someone hasn't installed brighter ones that are melting the light tunnels. Also the rear axles you put in are homo-kinetic, which does make later replacement easier. However some have had the bolts tat secure the axle portion to the "can" portion to have come loose. In a couple cases catastrophically. So Either keep an eye on them, or perhaps take out the bolts and lock tight them and put them back in.

Nice approach, quality parts.

One thing is for certain - Benz diesel owners love to work on cars....

A man that uses as many jackstands AS I do!

It looks like some sort of glue around the edging of the cluster. Not really that close to the bulbs. I'll keep an eye on it.
Funny you mention check those bolts, I had just read that a day or two ago. I'll look at them this weekend.

:thumbup1:

Good to hear! I also had some extra wheels under there at one point. Something about laying under a car...