I own and love a non-turbo, (we prefer the term “normally aspirated”) 1979 300D. I think I'm lucky not to have turbo. Seems like too many turbo related problems appear on this board. But maybe I like it just because it's mine.

Are turbo’s indeed worth the hassle?

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Toblin

'79 300D, "Liesel von Diesel", 235K

I kid proofed the house....but they still get in

What turbo-specific hassle is there, besides making sure you let the engine idle for a couple of minutes to cool the turbo down?

I've never driven a n/a 300D, but I love my turbo!! It'll outrun a '00 Honda Civic (not that I regularly race, but still), and I can maintain her myself.

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Only turbo complaint I have is... I wish the sound was a bit louder.

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

i used to drive a 91 VW jetta with a N/A 5spd. diesel in it....not a bad little car,but slow as molasses.....i dont think i could ever drive another diesel that isnt turbocharged....the power difference is amazing,i believe the mileage is better in a turbo engine....there are numerous pluses to having a turbo engine....i cant really come up with a downside to having a turbo versus a nonturbo

go buy an intake with a cone filter on the end of it....thatll get 'er just as loud as you want it

or better yet,if you have the OM617 engine,i have a filter setup that i could sell to you for pretty cheap....i used it for a month or so,and just got tired of my turbo being so loud,sounded like a Freightliner comin at you

Do you have any pics of your filter setup?

The only complaint I have is the engine can't handle more than 13psi (If the turbo can create 30psi and we only use 13 of it, why not want more?)

The power difference is very much night and day. I've been spoiled to mine so much now, I don't think I could stand to drive a NA diesel anymore unless it naturaly has more power.

if you click this link,i have just one pic of it right after i put it on to check the fitment,its somewhere near the bottom of the page....also i taped the holes that were in it with aluminum A/C tape

http://members.sounddomain.com/drtysthbenz

I have 2 turbos and so far no problem, knock on wood. The only small problem is a small amount of oil seepage somewhere from the turbo of my 82 300D, but it's small enough that I don't have to add any oil between oil changes. It's true about the day and night difference in power between a turbo and non-turbo. As you can see from my sig I own the fastest and slowest MB diesel, plus the 82 300D which is about the average of the two in power. The fact is, I like the 240D as much as the other two and I would even like to add a non-turbo 300D to my collection just for the variety, but I wouldn't have the space or time to work on it. Help, I'm addicted.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

The banjo fitting was pluged tight when I bought my 81 SD as I had hoped for more power than my 240 I was diapointed.But a little checking on this forum and well you turbo owners know the rest............
William Rogers

yeah,i just cleaned the banjo bolt on my 85 SD last week....that thing was clogged almost completely up with crap....a little WD-40,and it looks good as new....i swear i can feel a difference in the power now

The biggest problem I have with 'normally aspirated' engines is that, well, they're SO normal.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

First, the MB turbos are amazingly hassle free. They run much cooler than gas engine turbos and seem to have been made very very well... We see very few complaints on this forum compared to the number of miles and number of vehicles equipted with them.
One of the few hassles concerning turbos is the lack of hand space when dealing with stuff under it.. like the starter...
But in general turbos are made to go with Diesels... some day I hope to redo my 240 engine with turbo pistons, oil squirters, etc, and add a turbo. The are available in India stock from MB that way.

Dunno about the KKKs but Garrett has been making them since dirt was new. Experience certainly pays off in this game.

Agreed. It would be nice to be able to get to that block drain plug too!
Now that would be the cat's pyjamas!!! All the accessibility of a 616 and a turbo! Do you know if the NA 616 has the galleries for those oil squirters?

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

IMHO turbo chariging offers the best bang for bucks and if a little tender love and care is given, they last as long as the normally aspirated ones. The 91BHP OM 616 turbo is one prime example of how a slow engine is transformed to a peppy engine without any reliablility issues as MB did its homework in full.