Found one local that is being sold because the female owner doesn't like the diesel thing any more.

It is a three owner car and she knows the previous two owners. California car orginally...

Anything about this model that I should be looking for in particular? I do not know the 126 body or the turbo engines as all my current MBZs at N/A. This is one reason I am interested. I'm kind of tired of finding 2 mile straight stretchs in order to pass someone going 50 mph...

Body is supposedly perfect, but where does the rust appear on this 126 chassis?

Also is this engine cast iron head or the alum one that everyone cautions about?

Thanks for your help...

BTW - Mommy is NOT happy about me looking at another MB...

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

Something odd here too...

I just looked at the paper this morning and there is an 88 300SD advertised as needs work but engine is good.

I can't find a listing for an 88 or even an 87 SD on fastlane. Did they even make them these years? I have a feeling ther person is either confused or the paper got the year wrong.

They only want 750.00 for it. My guess is the body and tranny are shot.

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

On a California 126 I'd look for rust around the rear window seal. They get dried out and leak over time. Look from the trunk area upwards from the inside of the trunk. Most of our SoCal cars are really rust "free" for a 20 year old vehicle.

__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

Figuredout the 88 SD conundrum... It's an 81 just a misprint. I think I might take a look as the front end apparently lost a ball joint but this car is in decent shape for only $750.00...

The last 116 I looked at was really questionable wiht rust around the sunroof etc so I passed but I sure do love that body. My guess is she would take 600.00 for this one which after a few hundred in parts could be functional.

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

Hmmm, might have to buy them both so I have a donor just in case...

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

Yeah 81 SD is the 126 body.

__________________
RT


1984 300D---Sold
1995 E420 - 106K - Brilliant Silver Metallic/Orion Gray --- Sold
1984 300SD - 151K Manganese Brown Metallic/Mostly Black --- Sold
1982 240D - 79K - Manila Beige/Palomino---Sold

A California version may have or have had the trap oxidizer. I don't know if they were put on 84's but if they were, you want to know if it was replaced in the recall.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I think the traps were used '85 and up. Easy way to check, open the hood and if you see a large canister air filter on the passenger side in the front of the engine compartment, its a trap model.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I bought it...
The driver's seat sags and many of the wood trim pieces have popped off the car but overall it started very easily albeit a bit rough but after warm up was smooth as silk. Slight amount of blowby like a wisp of a cloud.

leaking return lines on 2 injectors, brake sensor comes on at startup abnd then flashed for about 15 seconds before going out. is this normal? Anyway doing brakes is not a big deal on these cars so what the heck.

Tranny shifted very smooth and consistant. I did not really feel the pickup in this car when the turbo kicked in so I'm thinking it might need a little tweaking or banjo bolt cleaning, does this model have the infamous banjo bolt? No matter rally as it was consistant on acceleration but I guess I expected more zip as compared to my naturally aspirated 300D.

Normal smoke and virtually invisible under full acceleration. Maybe a wisp at the high rpms before shifting.

One item, the car seems to run at around the second mark bewteen the 80 and 120 on the temp guage, is this abnormally high for these motors? I checked it after running and it didn't seem like it had gotten hot so I don't know if this is a sending unit thing or something else. Fluids all clean except the brake system.

Owner says she adds a half quart between oil changes and I believe her. It has a few small oil leaks that I could not pin down but they look minor. I'll have to dig these out next week.

Oh Mommy's gonna be pissed when she gets home... And tomorrow I look at buying the 81 that has a broken ball joint for a donor car.

God, I'll be sleeping in the garage for months after this weekend.

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

The temp does sound high for the 617 engine. Mine runs at or just a hair above 80°C.
You have room to sleep in your garage?
You better have some flowers and maybe even take your wife out to dinner tonight.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Yesterday was her birthday dinner and guess what? She loves the car so much that she has now clearly stated to mutliple folks that her husband is so great, "Look what he bought me for my birthday!".

Too funny, although i thought I was gonna get to drive this car, oh well.

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

When I got my 1984 SD it seemed quite slow on pickup off idle. With some work on normal things it seems better now. This work included:

Valve Adjustment (all were tight)
Clean the banjo bolt at the back of the intake manifold
New air filter
Reduced injection pump linkage slack via threaded rod (ball ends)

Also with respect to temperature, mine seemed to have a sticky thermostat. When replaced, it runs consistently now but the typical indication seems to be about 87C. But the indication has a tendency to jump around suddenly (as in an electrical issue). So at some point I think I'm looking at a new sending unit or some ground connection cleaning in the instrument panel.

Take a look at your control/guide/track rod mounts at some point. If the grease seal boots are broken you probably need to plan a replacement at some point. It sure improves the ride.

Ken300D

__________________
--------------------------
1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

It looks like a story with a happy ending. Glad to hear you're not taking up residence in your garage.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I concur, although I was about to ask how much you'd want for the 240D if your wife declared that you had too many vehicles and wanted you to get rid of one...



Seriously, congrats!

As luck would have it the 81 gold 300 sd that I found in the paper is mine now too...

It's only got 158,000 on the clock and the problem is it broke the upper track rod ball joint. Looks like a fairly simple fix and then hey I might have his and hers although hers is much, much nivcer than the his that I just bought...

__________________
'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique