Pro and cons of rebuilding the baby.... - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DogPollen · #76 07-12-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbzr4ever

Yeah, it's a true labor of love. But wait, this is a just an old car that doesn't even run anymore - is that possible?

j/k

BTW, that's an interesting picture in your signature - I can't seem to figure it out, what is it?

Perhaps this will give you the answer you are looking for: Linky

t walgamuth · #77 07-12-2006, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbzr4ever

Holy smokes, prices have gone up! I remember not too long ago, 240Ds on ebay for $800 - $1500, course, conditions unknown. Is this because of the increase in the price of gasoline?

i paid 1500 for the 83 with a rust free texas body and a blown motor. then put on bilsteins michelins and rebuilt the motor and it was a 300d na motor as well. i paid 800 for the 300d euro i parted to obtain the motor and tranny etc. and both cars had recent front end work.

you never saw a car as good as either one of these for the money you are speaking of. they were rust free southern cars with excellent interiors and professionally rebuilt motors with new sleeves and the works. running like sewing machines and with working ac.

i sold them at the time the fuel prices were spiking to folks wanting to run grease.

tom w

mbzr4ever · #78 07-12-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DogPollen

Perhaps this will give you the answer you are looking for: Linky

Ha, ha, just shows you how "out of touch" I am with the "real" world. Thanks for the link.

As an observation, the philosophies/beliefs here (on this island, in particular) remind me of the same one would find in the rural midwest. (Which explains why I have not seen this before.)

mbzr4ever · #79 07-12-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

i paid 1500 for the 83 with a rust free texas body and a blown motor. then put on bilsteins michelins and rebuilt the motor and it was a 300d na motor as well. i paid 800 for the 300d euro i parted to obtain the motor and tranny etc. and both cars had recent front end work.

you never saw a car as good as either one of these for the money you are speaking of. they were rust free southern cars with excellent interiors and professionally rebuilt motors with new sleeves and the works. running like sewing machines and with working ac.

i sold them at the time the fuel prices were spiking to folks wanting to run grease.

tom w

Gotta agree with you, anyone can ASK for any price, especially on ebay. Goes without saying, buyers need to use due diligence, especially sight unseen.

Which brings me to the refurbished motor on ebay - the most I have ever spent on an item was a laptop for about $800, and it came with the paypal guarantee. Very happy with that deal, but now its a lot more $$$ , with a seller that has NO feedback from previous buyers, and what guarantees?

t walgamuth · #80 07-12-2006, 10:40 PM

i would be very reluctant to buy a motor rebuilt by an individual unless i knew that person was actually qualified to do the job.

2500 will barely buy the parts to do the job correctly and a core motor.

if i wanted a good used motor i would want to buy a complete running car that i could start and hear run. and have the motor checked out by a knowledgable mercedes person.

good luck in your quest to fix the herloom 240.

tom w

mbzr4ever · #81 07-13-2006, 03:22 AM

the ebay engine was rebuilt by adsit. the seller then gave me his phone # for further questions.

update: His asking price is the same as if one were to order direct from adsit. So, there appears to be no real advantage to bid. Shipping would be about $300 more direct from adsit, but at least there would be a guarantee.

t walgamuth · #82 07-13-2006, 09:39 AM

well, that is good then.

tom w

mbzr4ever · #83 03-17-2007, 04:33 PM

Update on this project:

Found a (weekend) mechanic who knows diesels and has rebuilt engines. He did this a few times: poured a diesel/oil mix down (the carbarator?) and it started, but it was rough, spewed smoke and then died. So he said it was a compression problem, but is willing to look at it further and give me an estimate to rebuild it.

bgkast · #84 03-17-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbzr4ever

Update on this project:

Found a (weekend) mechanic who knows diesels and has rebuilt engines. He did this a few times: poured a diesel/oil mix down (the carbarator?) and it started, but it was rough, spewed smoke and then died. So he said it was a compression problem, but is willing to look at it further and give me an estimate to rebuild it.

No carbarators on diesels. Have him do a real compression test after adjusting the valves and post the numbers here.

junqueyardjim · #85 03-17-2007, 05:50 PM

Read this thing through and enjoyed it. I was gone quite a bit last summer and missed the thread. But all that talking and still we don't know what is the problem with her current engine. Friend "blew it up". What does she mean by that. And now it won't start, has a big puddle of oil under it, but yet the crank is full. And Blue Ranger thinks this owner is fit to rebuild a diesel! Give me a break you guys. Thanks to good old Tom W who keeps on coming back with more good advice. I really would like to see her get it back on the road, but man alive we got find out what is wrong, or what blew up on this current engine. There are lots of reasons why engine won't start. Surely this owner can give a better description of what happened the last time it ran.

mbzr4ever · #86 03-17-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

Read this thing through and enjoyed it. I was gone quite a bit last summer and missed the thread. But all that talking and still we don't know what is the problem with her current engine. Friend "blew it up". What does she mean by that. And now it won't start, has a big puddle of oil under it, but yet the crank is full. And Blue Ranger thinks this owner is fit to rebuild a diesel! Give me a break you guys. Thanks to good old Tom W who keeps on coming back with more good advice. I really would like to see her get it back on the road, but man alive we got find out what is wrong, or what blew up on this current engine. There are lots of reasons why engine won't start. Surely this owner can give a better description of what happened the last time it ran.

A big part of my problem is the ONLY (and I mean 1 and only) "mercedes" shop owner within many miles of me doesn't really know, nor does he want to spend the time isolating the problem. Word has gotten out that this mechanic is a certified porsche mechanic - and doesn't know about mercedes. He bought an existing mercedes shop about the same time my 240 stopped running. The other alternative is to go to the dealer at $100 per hour labor rate - maybe worth it to diagnose the problem?

So this "backyard" mechanic says he will help. From what I understand, he works on cars for a hobby. I am waiting for him to tell me it is OK to tow my car over to his place, where he can check it out further. He said he had to move some cars out to make some room for it.

The last time I drove it, the clutch went out. Again, for the third time. (1st time was the master, second was the slave, this time was the same slave, was defective the mechanic says.) We were only about 2 miles from the mercedes shop, so my friend volunteers to drive it, keeping in mind, he was unable to shift and kept it in 1st gear the whole time. I guess it stressed the engine too much.

In hindsight, I should have paid the $50 to have it towed.

Once I got to the shop, the mechanic replaced the slave, but when he tried to start it, said a lot of oil was leaking underneath. Then he said it was a cracked block, or something else, he didn't know and said it would cost too much to find out and fix, it was probably cheaper just to replace the engine. $2000 labor on top of the cost of the engine. I said I would think about it, and had the car towed home, where it has sat for almost 18 months.

mbzr4ever · #87 03-17-2007, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgkast

No carbarators on diesels. Have him do a real compression test after adjusting the valves and post the numbers here.

Yeah, that's what I thought, that's why I had a question mark after it. He took the air filter cover off, and poured the mix down in that area that would be the carburetor in a gas car....It cranked and idled, rather roughly, but at least it ran for a few seconds. Before he put the mixture in, it would just crank and crank but never turn over.

BTW, bgkast, my car looks just like the one in your picture. My dad picked it up at the factory, when he was working in Europe, and I have fond memories of driving it there. Same color, and a manual 4 speed, but manual everything, windows/sunroof, no a/c, etc.

t walgamuth · #88 03-17-2007, 09:50 PM

this "mechanic" sounds like he doesn't know diesel engine from shinola.

better find a mechanic who knows diesels. maybe a farmer/tractor mechanic.

to me, if it ran by pouring diesel down the intake, it has compression and is not getting fuel from the tank.

unless you can get professional help from someone who knows diesels it looks to me as if you need to set the car free and sell it to someone who can work on it themself or has a good indy available.

good luck

tom w

300SD81 · #89 03-17-2007, 10:52 PM

If it runs, then your motor may be good. Crack the injector lines and crank it, is there fuel? A compression test would be nice.

Bio300TDTdriver · #90 03-17-2007, 10:58 PM

First let me say I’m sorry that has happened to a car that you have such fond memories with. Second I have no experience with 240Ds. I have a newer model.

I just read the post much like Junqueyardjim. It has been 9 months since you first posted and no ones really knows what is wrong with your car.

You say there was a puddle of oil under the car and that the crank is full of oil. That doesn’t make sense to me. So was it oil? If it was oil, did it come from your car? Your “friend” was able to blow up the engine or crack the block on a 2 mile trip to the mechanic? Is that even possible? 240 people please chime in.

If it were my car I would:

1. Determine what my budget was.
2. Find someone to look at the car.

Can you take it off the island to one of the other islands?
Can you hire a mechanic from one of the other islands to come and look at your car where it sits? When I was there inter island flights were not that expensive. Is there anyone else with an older diesel MB on the island you are on? If so can you ask them who does there work? If not can you find someone on another island with a MB diesel. There must be several on the islands.

Try contacting Pacific Biodiesel http://www.biodiesel.com/map.htm. They are located in Oahu and Maui. They may be able to recommend a mechanic to you. I’m sure there are several MB owners using their product.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Chris