RLD, thanks for the informed reply. I find that often many of the vehicles that have a bad reputation serve as good vehicles for those who are armed with the right information.

Thats pretty accurate for the avarage one, they are more like an industrial truck diesel.... but there are ways around it.
Switching to full synthetic oil eliminates the short trip/ frequent oil change problem ( remember the american petrolium institute doesn't recomend oil change intervals fo API spec diesel oil in a diesel without a bypass filter for more than 1500 miles ) but even Amsoil only recommends a change interval of 7-10,000 miles with one or two filter changes in between for that engine with full synthetic.( unless equiped with an external bypas filter, I think only mercedes was nice enough to put a bypass section in their factory filters)).
This also takes care of alot of the ring problems.

An occasional flush with Auto RX, or Ol Schlamm Spulung does wonders for cleaning the rings . many people go hundreads of thousands of miles on the things just running dino oil and rislone and have no ring problems at all

There's a guy in Finland running around in one with 1,628,780 miles on it, and quite a few in the 3-500,000 range still in captivity.

-------------Robert

Wonder if a 617 would fit in a 240..

Bought a gasser 240, 83 model, looking at a 240 wagon, 82, stick(overdrive).
I have many turbo cars for parts at work.. Hmm..

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K