In the city, I realized keeping up with modern gassers in the 300SDL is possible but pointless, I'll have to use heavy throttle to keep up. Which just wastes fuel, so now I drive SLOOOW. I mean I end up right behind them regardless.

I don't think a big cushy Mercedes should driven like a zippy beater box anyhow.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I had a 1968 W110 chassis 200D fintail and I would drive that car in the fast lane between 65-75 MPH all the time. I had no problem keeping up with traffic. I'd do 80 MPH for hours on end doing cross-country drives.

I daily drive a 1980 W116 300SD and it has no problem keeping up with traffic. I even had it up to 100 MPH going through Utah where the speed limit is 90 MPH.

On the other hand, my roommate has a 1991 W126 350SDL and for some reason the car is sluggish even with the ALDA and EGR deleted and rebuilt injectors and new fuel hoses, filters, and O-rings. I'm trying to figure out why it doesn't seem to have a lot of power. It sure will put out black smoke when you romp on it, though. That car seems to have issues keeping up with traffic at the moment.

As a rule, I don't like going more than 10 MPH above the speed limit because I am very safety-conscious. Even if traffic is going 30 MPH above the speed limit, matching their speed is only going to decrease reaction time and stopping distance. I think keeping up with the flow of traffic is a good rule within about 10 MPH of the speed limit. Sure, cars traveling at the same speed have less chance of running into each other, but that leaves out the fact that roads are only rated for certain speeds because of several factors.

I often see large groups of cars doing 70 MPH on a 45 MPH road (US-60 in Phoenix). Sure, doing 70 MPH and going 25 MPH above the speed limit will decrease the chances of getting rear-ended, but there are pedestrians and traffic lights all over the road and driving 70 MPH on that road is dangerously stupid. Speeding just because everyone else is doesn't make it right, but a lot of people I talk to seem to think that if everyone is going double the speed limit on a road with pedestrian traffic and traffic lights, that it's okay to match their speed. Their reaction is often to run the stale yellow or red light.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

The beauty of the diesels is your foot is an actual indication of how much throttle you want. I am thoroughly convinced that all modern cars are programmed to give like 20% throttle at the slightest touch, thus making them seem fast around town (and consequently wasting fuel). Combine that with modern cars having 15 gear transmissions now, lol, and you can also run silly axle ratios to make up for having no low end.
Anyway, my modified SDL is a little slow compared to how most people drive but once I get around 2700rpms things get fun.

As fast as I want to Gosh!!!!!

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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.

Off the line my SDL is a bit gutless until the turbo gets spooled up, but once the spooling takes place, it has no shortage of power, even with the A/C cranked to max. I have no problem keeping up with traffic, or doing 85MPH out on the hilly interstate. Car doesn't even drop speed or gears pulling up a long steep hill doing 80+.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Only in relation to the performance of a 240D.
I drive like I am killing snakes. First gear starts nearly every time, or I get lost in the dust. Like a "mini Italian Tune-Up" at every light.
Noise and fury, but not speed. Sigh. But this is my choice ride, and I don't want to be a rolling habitat for heavy carbon deposits.

Believe it or not, I often need to let up to avoid making contact with the car ahead of me.

Still rides like a Mercedes once I'm going!

Cheers!

snapped_bolt

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'81 240D For now, a good place to borrow new parts
'80 300TD Probably will be put back into service!
'79 240D BACK IN SERVICE SINCE 09/16; limited use, oil leak. Guide pin r/sealed/replaced. Still a leak. Front crank seal....

I also want to add that my 1980 W116 300SD has a lot of low-end power. I can actually chirp the tires and lay down rubber for about a second if I romp on it. I also don't see any smoke out the back.

The 1968 W110 200D was rather peppy on the low-end, too. It would throw me back in my seat and maybe even chirp a tire on the odd occasion. If I floored it and was fast on the shifts, jumping out in to fast-moving traffic wasn't a concern.

But, the 1991 W126 350SDL is fairly sluggish from a stop and smokes quite a bit until the turbo spools up. But even then it doesn't seem very fast and if you give it too much throttle it smokes black. I am wondering if maybe the mixture adjustment on the injection pump is too rich because it would seem to reason that this should be the fastest of the three cars as it has the biggest engine with the most horsepower?

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

And finally, I was hauling all this while maintaining 70 MPH up the "grapevine" in southern California on a trip between Washington and Arizona. The engine didn't even get hot!

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Mine is 125hp in a 4k+ lb truck with the aerodynamics of a garden shed. I don't have any trouble keeping up with traffic or cruising at 70mph, but I pretty much put my foot to the floor in every gear, and how fast I accelerate depends more on how soon I shift vs. winding out the gear.

There's not a whole lot of actual acceleration difference between driving it slow and "fast", just a difference in noise and fuel consumption, so not much reason to push it. Truck was built for economy, not drag racing.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

I see what you guys are saying.
The car performs well on the highway in my experience as well.

I pushed the car today after grocery shopping, and it was surprisingly quick, I held on the brake and revved to 2000rpm and floored it, very long and liner power curve compared to a N/A 4 clinder. The highway was wasn't even a one traffic light away and I was in the far left lane so I had to gun it.

Now that I think about, the sluggish speed from stop light to stop light is just turbo lag...

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Pretty much spot on.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Hide and seek in the slow lanes til open road is visable for 2 mile stretches ,open her up and pass by most cars.Its happy at 70 ,unknown body suspention parts needed in the rearend area keeps it tamed, 85 when its clear of traffic.

So sorry...sounds like your sdl needs more work. LOL...Or your driving around town below 2,000 rpm & in 4th. Maybe try keeping the trans selector in 3rd unless on the freeway.

My old SDL scoots around just fine with the gassers, etc. Every other early Saturday morning I run her up to about 95 for a short distance. It seems to like it. Just need to remember its a older diesel with no bottom end (<1500 rpm) power. I've never seen any significant fuel usage change due to power on or off style driving.

There is an art to driving these old diesel mb's. Some of us got a lot of schooling on 60's era VW air cooled bugs, fast backs, square backs, van/bus. (You know who you are) There where times I had to ask a girl friend to stop talking so I could focus on getting a run on a hill in and around traffic lol.

Don't get me wrong...these cars are a blast to cruise slow, especially when shined up.

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1986 300SDL 440,xxx

What no kitchen sink?

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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.

I always drive around town below 2k rpm. That's probably why.

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.