The claims seem perfectly plausible to me. Manual gear box alone will contribute to a 3-5 MPG improvement. Low speed driving, in top gear are ideal conditions for fuel economy maximizing.

I did a fuel economy "race" with Hyundai once with the Hybrid Sonata, tanks were sent out half full to reduce weight, driven 100 miles and using the car's onboard trip computer to calculate MPG (no argument this method isn't considered "accurate" by most). Still, my winning run was 62.4 MPG AND I also average the highest average speed of the group of 54 MPH. How? I changed the prescribed route, avoiding the route with many stop lights, and taking the freeway, sticking to the right lane and treating the accelerator as though I had an egg under it.

Fuel economy is as much about the foot on the pedal as it is anything else...and is the biggest "variable" there is when discussing MPG experiences.

Further I don't see the need to so vehemently challenge the voracity of a claim that isn't preposterous.

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1983 W123 300TD US spec Turbo engine, with Euro bumpers and manual climate control, and manual transmission.

I'm in Brandon which is about 15 miles north of Rutland. If you're in the area stop on by.

The transmission I have is a Getrag 717.400 from a Euro 300D mated to a 74 OM616 I bought from JB3 a couple of years ago. It's the one he took out of his turbo 115 project car. Other than some small changes the rest is pretty much stock.

Being a work in progress it's also pretty much ugly!

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1969 220D 5 Speed (OM616)
1983 240D 4 Speed
1985 300D Auto 376K
1985 300D Auto 275K

holy shlt! long time

I wondered how that engine install worked out, glad to hear its been running decently

glad you got that working, because the car it came from hasn't moved under its own power since. Some day.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I rarely bother trying to cram extra in there....I'll fill till it clicks, wait a moment, then pull the trigger a few times and some more will go in, then I call it good.

With the gassers I just let it go till it clicks, and stop, no point in doubling the time for fuel to evaporate.

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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)

I was thinking about this and did some quick math. Let's say that an automatic 220D can get at most 28 MPG on the highway. Then, let's say that a manual has a 10% advantage over an automatic and that a 5-speed has a 10% advantage over a 4-speed.

28 MPG + 2.8 MPG = 30.8 MPG.

So a 4-speed should get 30-31 MPG.

30.8 MPG + 3.1 MPG = 33.9 MPG.

Hmm. So a 5-speed 220D could realistically get 34 MPG.

Add to that that he does almost all of his driving at 50 MPH, and his claim is extremely realistic.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Only put enough fuel in your tank for your week's drive length. If you only drive 50 miles a week, don't put more than 1/4 tank in it.

You always want fresh fuel to be added on a steady basis.

The worse thing you can do is fill up, and then drive around for 8 months on that same tank of fuel.

I add $5 worth of fuel when my reserve light goes on, but no more. But I only burn about $5 every 2 weeks.

That seems like a valid method if you're sure that your tank/screen/sender are clean and clear. If not, I've found it safer to keep my tank more than 1/2 full as I don't particularly trust my fuel gauge anywhere below that.

As far as fuel consumption is concerned, I've recorded ~30mpg on average during highway (not interstate) driving (this was by calculating distance covered via GPS and comparing to gallons filled during each leg of the trip). City has been around 24-26. That said, my fuel supply is also clogged up, chronically starving the engine. Anorexic Benz.

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Better to keep diesel tanks full. Diesel, unlike gas, will last a long time if stored properly. Keeping it full helps prevent condensation, which helps prevent growth and limits oxygen. If you burn a tank a year, keep it topped off and add some stabilizer and biocide. You'll be just fine.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

I trust my sending unit because I have taken it out, several times, and cleaned it. It works perfectly. If you haven't done that and the fuel gauge is either jumping around, or the reserve light isn't working, you need to take it out and clean it.

Yes, diesel will last maybe 7 years under perfect conditions. But I have found that having very fresh fuel, even with more air space above the fuel, seems to keep moisture and the resulting algae growth to a minimum. I tried the other way of keeping it topped off, but that way seemed to darken the pre-filter faster than keeping the minimum amount in the tank, and adding new fuel more frequently.

BTW, 240Joe, are you still refusing to change the oil in your cars? How's that going? Not trying to be sarcastic/start a fight, I'm just curious.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I'm not refusing because no one is trying to make me change it.

My question for you is why exactly do you post a pic of you kneeling down in front of a large piece of worthless american iron. Is there a point to that?

I'm leaning on it, not kneeling before it.

Why did you attempt to pass yourself off as a woman in OD and use some Scandinavian supermodel as your avatar? Was/is there a point to that?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Yes, there was, but you'd never understand it.

I'm sorry but I can't take anyone seriously who puts bible quotes in his posts.

Cool, and I can't take seriously anyone who passes himself off as a woman for mysterious reasons. Guess we're even!

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Some times I just feel like a women....

Besides, sometimes them lace panties just feel so right....

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