URGENT - Please Help - RARE - Mercedes OM601 Diesel Van - Imported from Europe - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diesel911 · #16 05-14-2019, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marco5

Hey guys,

I assist other people with their Mercedes diesels in the area and I'm having difficulty with this one. This gentleman is driving down as he's travelling the country in his van and wants some assistance. He's an older fellow so not familiar with forums and such. This is a 1981 (or 83 but the owner says 1981) Mercedes OM601 diesel.

VIN= 60131618174302
TP=601D 28
YEAR: he says it's a 1981 but looking at this 601 did not start until 1983.

My questions are the following:

a) What types of injectors should I order for this? Can I simple order ones for a 240D W123 1981? Or should the injectors in this car be rebuilt?

b) Fuel Lines - that go from injector to injector. Can I use the same 2.5mm ones used for the W123?

c) Does this engine have adjustable valves? If so, what are the clearances?

d) Does this engine have 2 fuel filters similar to the 240D Engine?

e) What is the proper oil filter to use for this? Just order from the dealer via VIN?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Concerning the Oil Filter if you remove it there is usually who made the Oil Filter and a part number on it.

Loss of power especially if it was OK a few days be for and now has a lose of power is usually plugged fuel filters or fuel tank screen. Which is a common issue to all diesels.

If the Filters have signs of gray green to black residue you have stuff growing inside of the fuel tank that can be treated with Stratton for Diesels or Bilbo to kill it. After the treatment you can still have more filter plugging so there is a need to have extra fuel filters on hand.

You can also just plain get contaminated fuel as is in the attached picture that came out of mine. Best to buy Fuel only where the Large Tractor Trailer Trucks buy their Fuel. If they get a load of bad fuel they get on the Radio and tell the other Truckers not to go to that Station and that Station looses thousands of dollars. So Fuel Stations that the Trucks to are really much more careful about the fuel they sell.

Fuel Stations in out of city locations frequently have old dirty storage tanks and or Fuel Pumps that don't have good fuel filtrations on them.

Cheap Fuel can often cost you much more because of the cost to frequently replace fuel filters not to mention the trouble to do the replacement.

t walgamuth · #17 05-14-2019, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marco5

Looks to have a 616 gents, this means it's a regular 240D with adjustable valves.

FIN WDB60131618174302
Model 207D30
Engine 616934 10 096639
Transmission 711200 10 176957
Order Number 7 0 293 01300
Order Location FACTORY SALES CIVIL BODY F.
Paint 1 9018

It doesn't get any simpler than a 616. You'll be in trouble on the interstate though. It doesn't happen to have a turbo does it? Sure is a nice clean looking unit.

marco5 · #18 05-14-2019, 03:36 PM

I just wanted to say thanks for all the replies everyone. You should see this thing, it's absolutely mint. It has a Mercedes Benz toilet, MB labelled fridge and MB Stove made in germany. I'll take some more pics. I'm going to tell the owner to contact me if it's EVER available for sale.

We are doing the following this weekend:

-large canister fuel filter
-small fuel filter
-MB OEM Oil Filter
-MB 15W40 Oil Change
-Valve Adjustment
-Valve Cover Gasket
-Diesel Purge
-new Fuel Lines

t walgamuth · #19 05-14-2019, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Concerning the Oil Filter if you remove it there is usually who made the Oil Filter and a part number on it.

Loss of power especially if it was OK a few days be for and now has a lose of power is usually plugged fuel filters or fuel tank screen. Which is a common issue to all diesels.

If the Filters have signs of gray green to black residue you have stuff growing inside of the fuel tank that can be treated with Stratton for Diesels or Bilbo to kill it. After the treatment you can still have more filter plugging so there is a need to have extra fuel filters on hand.

You can also just plain get contaminated fuel as is in the attached picture that came out of mine. Best to buy Fuel only where the Large Tractor Trailer Trucks buy their Fuel. If they get a load of bad fuel they get on the Radio and tell the other Truckers not to go to that Station and that Station looses thousands of dollars. So Fuel Stations that the Trucks to are really much more careful about the fuel they sell.

Fuel Stations in out of city locations frequently have old dirty storage tanks and or Fuel Pumps that don't have good fuel filtrations on them.

Cheap Fuel can often cost you much more because of the cost to frequently replace fuel filters not to mention the trouble to do the replacement.

I once got a half tank of water in my 240D. As soon as the water hit the injection pump the car died. After looking around I discovered a whole row of dead diesel vehicles on the side of the apron. They had a filler in a low spot or something similar and it filled the big tank with water. That was a gigantic pain to get cleared up. It was in a nice cold stretch of winter and all that water turned to ice. l The first place I took the car to clear the tank put a heater on the end where the outlet was and thawed out a place big enough to make it run. It worked out ok until the weather warmed up and then we drained out about 8 gallons of water.

marco5 · #20 05-14-2019, 08:24 PM

Update:

-It's a OM616 engine with adjustable valves
-It has the ORIGINAL FUEL FILTER - YES ORIGINAL - I will show you the pics - I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SMALL FILTER ALSO!! I'm shocked it runs. You should see how black, dirty, gross it is.
-It has never had valves adjusted (130,000KM)
-It starts fine and does not blow any smoke - going to leave the injectors alone
-Original starter
-He's replaced the belt and does oil changes himself every 5k

The performance will be unreal after the tune up. My last question. I ordered a valve cover gasket for a 1981 240D (om616). Will this fit his engine?

Diesel911 · #21 05-14-2019, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I once got a half tank of water in my 240D. As soon as the water hit the injection pump the car died. After looking around I discovered a whole row of dead diesel vehicles on the side of the apron. They had a filler in a low spot or something similar and it filled the big tank with water. That was a gigantic pain to get cleared up. It was in a nice cold stretch of winter and all that water turned to ice. l The first place I took the car to clear the tank put a heater on the end where the outlet was and thawed out a place big enough to make it run. It worked out ok until the weather warmed up and then we drained out about 8 gallons of water.

Darn interesting story.

t walgamuth · #22 05-14-2019, 11:07 PM

Thanks!

I have more.

Its one thing you accumulate with age. After a while though people stop listening (if they ever did!)

pawoSD · #23 05-14-2019, 11:43 PM

That is one awesome looking vehicle!!!

NZScott · #24 05-15-2019, 01:37 AM

130k with no valve adjustment? Jeez, I'd love to see those valves+seats...

moon161 · #25 05-15-2019, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marco5

My last question. I ordered a valve cover gasket for a 1981 240D (om616). Will this fit his engine?

Yes it should. Relatively light torque on the nuts for the valve cover. You're just compressing the gasket enough to bottom the studs on the inside of the valve cover on the head.

If you're not familiar already, W123 shop manual online (You'll need to install a flash plugin):
https://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12265/?requestedDocId=12265

Everything about the engine should be covered if you look up a 240D for the production year. An easy way to tell when you have the valve cover off is the cam followers. Early production it's a single piece of metal, later production (81 or 82 on) it's a piece of metal with a stellite insert facing the cam. I think the difference between the two is mainly cam lift for more power.

strelnik · #26 05-15-2019, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marco5

Hey guys,

I assist other people with their Mercedes diesels in the area and I'm having difficulty with this one. This gentleman is driving down as he's travelling the country in his van and wants some assistance. He's an older fellow so not familiar with forums and such. This is a 1981 (or 83 but the owner says 1981) Mercedes OM601 diesel.

VIN= 60131618174302
TP=601D 28
YEAR: he says it's a 1981 but looking at this 601 did not start until 1983.

My questions are the following:

a) What types of injectors should I order for this? Can I simple order ones for a 240D W123 1981? Or should the injectors in this car be rebuilt?

b) Fuel Lines - that go from injector to injector. Can I use the same 2.5mm ones used for the W123?

c) Does this engine have adjustable valves? If so, what are the clearances?

d) Does this engine have 2 fuel filters similar to the 240D Engine?

e) What is the proper oil filter to use for this? Just order from the dealer via VIN?

Thanks in advance everyone.

This vehicle would be a good candidate for a couple of cans of diesel purge

math · #27 05-15-2019, 09:40 AM

do a diesel purge + 1

with the valve cover gasket, it's fairly easy to still have leaks after. I put some max oil resistance permatex sealer around the gasket seat and on the inner inside part og the gasket so when it sits back on the engine it goes

valve cover > sealant> oem gasket> sealer> engine block/head

I done this when it was 2 days before christmas and all mercedes dealerships were miles away ( i was on road trip with my girl 1000km ) I got up early, done the work as she slept, we spent the day at the beach ect: and the next morning were on our way. No leaks and i had to reuse the old gasket and it's holding up still 6 months later.

Maxbumpo · #28 05-15-2019, 12:37 PM

Original injectors + original (!?) fuel filters = test the injectors, in my book.

It would be a damn shame if shortly after this work, an injector fails and puts a hole in a pre-chamber and a piston. Those injectors have had a nice long service life, he's gotten his money's worth out of them, at a minimum I would test the, if I had the cash I would replace them.

t walgamuth · #29 05-15-2019, 02:05 PM

how do you know the filters are original? (seems unlikely).

marco5 · #30 05-15-2019, 08:05 PM

Update:

Maintenance went very well, only the first valve was out of adjustment (exhaust too tight). We changed the fuel filters and all rotten/cracked fuel lines along with the valve cover gasket.

Thanks for all of the support everyone. The filters were not original as I thought, but I was shocked to find the valves in proper spec after so many KM of not having a valve adjustment.

There really is, and never will be a better engine than the OM616/OM617.

Oh, there's a belt. It turns the alternator. That's it LOL. Pics will be coming, he redid the wiring, added a heating system and new stove/bathroom (those were not original as I thought).

Regards,
Marco