Hi Folks, My '82 300d turbo has just started this loping kind of idle, you have to drive with 2 feet to keep it running smooth.
Also I can here a rattle from the engine that sounds like ALL the rod bearings have excess clearance? I know it has 260,000 miles on it, but it was ok before, didn't run low on oil.

Thanks,for your help.

Post a video. If it wasn't run low on oil it's fine. It's probably combustion knock

__________________
Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Unfotunatly there is quite a few things it could be.

Does this happen only when the Engine is up to operating temp?

Could have got a load of bad fuel.

In the meant time if you have the type of Fuel Pressure Relief/Overflow Valve that you can take apart you can try stretching the spring till the spring has a free length of 27mm.

Next air leak. If you have the old style hand primer pump that has the hard plastic usually white knob they are known source of air leaks.
Look at the plastic fuel filter. If you can see bubbles moving through it you are sucking in air on down the line.

I am not sure if somewhere in your throttlw linkage there could be a problem or not.

You might try disconnecting the Vaccum shutoff hose on the Vacuum Shutoff on the fuel injection pump and see if that clears up the problem. If it does you have a problem with the Vacuum Shutoff Valve on the Steering Colum Lock.

Try removeing your Oil Fill cap. If that fixes the problem you are having too much engine blowby.

That is some of them.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel