new to me 1979 300SD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Carson357 · #1 09-11-2006, 04:23 AM

i just bought a really nice 300SD. i have always wanted one in the 116 chassis. bought it local here in san diego, 155k original miles. i had to buy it, when it passed the blow by test. i will post pictures when i take some good ones.

Hit Man X · #2 09-11-2006, 06:52 AM

Sweet! I haven't driven my W116 yet, too busy to even rebuild that Carb,

Rashakor · #3 09-11-2006, 08:33 PM

116d rocks!

Lostyankee · #4 09-12-2006, 02:24 AM

Welcome to the dark side.
Buy a mighty-vac (used I paid $20), a handfull of golf tees, lots of rubber vacuum line & 3, 4 and I think there is a 5 way somewhere, for the vacuum lines. If your ever under the dash ... replace all the rubber connectors, verify the vacuum modules, graphite the ign switch & change it's rubber connector, verify burshes on the blower and replace any cluster blubs. When inside anything on these cars it is best to bite the bullet and fix everything ... dash, inside doors, inside the valev cover ...
BTW: I believe the blower brushes are the same as the voltage regulator so if you zap the voltage regulator, save the brushes.
Things most 116 PO's never maint.: Power sterring filter, change brake fluid, use MB or 'Lubriplate' to lube window regulator rails, adjusting the valves, anything AC related, ALDA adjustment, waste gate adjustment, rubber connector on trany line.
Look over the DIY files and Diesel Gaint site.
Time a 0-60 for refferance before doing a major performance fix.
While mine is a bit crusty, she still rolls to 60 in 16.5 seconds (I must have been racing a 240D) and tops out at around 115 and owns me well. Not bad for WVO and 27 years.
Good luck, have fun and relish knowing if you head on anything smaller than a cement truck, you'll probaly survive.
Now turn toward Stuttgard and humbly resite in a elegant but non-obstentious voice "I love to work on vacuum systems".

Carson357 · #5 09-12-2006, 03:50 AM

yesterday i changed the oil, i could have waited until i got to work today, but the thought of driving 80 mles on what ever was in the crankcase did not sit well with me. so i changed it and when i went to tighten the drain plug it was stripped and would not tighten compltetely!! i knew it was only going to drip so i finished the oil change and dove it to work without incident. i just got home @11:15, i pulled it onto a rack at 5:30 and finished about 9:45. did another oil service, adjusted the valves, replaced front pads and rotors, new air filter, replaced the glow plugs and injectors. replaces both diesel filters, new steering shock. that was the main items i wanted to fix. i still need to install a new acc servo, amp and a/c compressor. alternator light is on at idle, so i may go there this weekend. most all else is good, i am sure i will find things as i continue. but after this service the engine is alot stronger, and a shudder i had at idle is gone. i have been repairing mercedes cars for 10 years, and have never enjoyed maintaining one as i have this evening. this truly is a great car!!

Lostyankee · #6 09-12-2006, 01:19 PM

There is something about haveing two tons of German panzarwagon that just makes me grin. I have driven many sportcars and this is a change, like dancing with a fat lady who realy knows how to dance.

Ether · #7 09-12-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostyankee

There is something about haveing two tons of German panzarwagon that just makes me grin. I have driven many sportcars and this is a change, like dancing with a fat lady who realy knows how to dance.

LOL. I think that is the best description I have ever heard to describe how these cars drive. Though I consider both of mine to be boys.

beaulieub · #8 09-12-2006, 02:24 PM

This spring I purchased my 1st MB, a 1980 300SD w/ 121K miles. I love this car! I bought it to fplay around with the WVO thing but it needed so much work just to get it inspected I havent had the time to do a conversion. Quite a bit of rust and holes in the rockers. Both windshield gaskets were gone - I mean several incehes of water during heavy rains. PO must have kept this in a garage cause the floor are still strong. Nothing like the looks of a 116 though. All that chrome - yummy! Some time in the future Id like to buy another one in great shape to keep and pamper! Good luck with yours.

Bert - NH

Jim B. · #9 09-12-2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostyankee

There is something about haveing two tons of German panzarwagon that just makes me grin. I have driven many sportcars and this is a change, like dancing with a fat lady who realy knows how to dance.

That's *REALLY* good. Back in 1969 in Southern California, a guy told me that driving his father's 1968 Pontiac Catalina station wagon was "like dancing with a really fat lady"

Jim B. · #10 09-12-2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carson357

yester ay i changed the oil, i could have waited until i got to work today, but the thought of driving 80 mles on what ever was in the crankcase did not sit well with me. so i changed it and when i went to tighten the drain plug it was stripped and would not tighten compltetely!! i knew it was only going to drip so i finished the oil change and dove it to work without incident. i just got home @11:15, i pulled it onto a rack at 5:30 and finished about 9:45. did another oil service, adjusted the valves, replaced front pads and rotors, new air filter, replaced the glow plugs and injectors. replaces both diesel filters, new steering shock. that was the main items i wanted to fix. i still need to install a new acc servo, amp and a/c compressor. alternator light is on at idle, so i may go there this weekend. most all else is good, i am sure i will find things as i continue. but after this service the engine is alot stronger, and a shudder i had at idle is gone. i have been repairing mercedes cars for 10 years, and have never enjoyed maintaining one as i have this evening. this truly is a great car!!

You're amazing!!! What a wonderful story!

Man, you whipped that ***** into shape fast. And made it sound like a piece of cake. Based on this story, If I lived down by you in San Diego I'd know I could have my Benz into your shop in a heartbeat, confident in a day it'd be made ready for a cross country trip!

Rust tendencies aside, these are extremely wonderful cars. They look redoubtable and when they came out in 1972 they were light years ahead of all their competition, based directly on the ESV (experimental safety vehicle).

Many of them have survived two wars in Lebanon! If you looked carefully at the TV news this day you could see them. I think Wahid Jumblatt had one.

suginami · #11 09-12-2006, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

You're amazing!!! What a wonderful story!

Man, you whipped that ***** into shape fast. And made it sound like a piece of cake. Based on this story, If I lived down by you in San Diego I'd know I could have my Benz into your shop in a heartbeat, confident in a day it'd be made ready for a cross country trip!

Actually, Carson357 just started a new job as the Shop Foreman / manager of a shop in Costa Mesa right next to John Wayne airport.

Carson357 · #12 09-13-2006, 04:15 AM

and another late evening fixing the SD. to report of this evenings repairs...
replaced a/c compressor it was seized, all belts as well
replaced alternator, at idle the light would glow faintly, just a matter of time before it goes,
complete flush of the cooling system, installed "new" aluminum body acc servo, installed new factory coolant, heater now works, still need to replace the expansion valve then charge the A/C with r-12. shaping up nice so far,
may need to sell my euro 500 to cover costs

any offers?

Mr.Kenny · #13 09-13-2006, 02:25 PM

I really dig my 1980 300sd; low miles (109,000) & totally RUST FREE

The car drives like a much lighter car and you can do U-turns in the street that my wife's miata can't do, or our corolla.
Climate control works and everything.
White and CHROME.
I get thumbs up everywhere here in the midwest. Most of these cars dissappered years ago; they just got washed down the gutter in streams of iron oxide.
Mine came from California and was garaged and is still garaged.

Thinkin of selling it tho....lookin at a sweet 1985 300d.....

Rashakor · #14 09-13-2006, 02:29 PM

where in the midwest? maybe im interested with your car. I hope you don't look like your avatar...

#15 09-13-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carson357

i just bought a really nice 300SD. i have always wanted one in the 116 chassis. bought it local here in san diego, 155k original miles. i had to buy it, when it passed the blow by test. i will post pictures when i take some good ones.

Why you lucky #$%!#$^@! I want a W116 diesel. A W116 has got to be one of the classiest bodies made. I have a name already picked out for W116 300SD....Victoria. Last week my wife told me that I needed a pole building. I told her that if I had a pole building I would not stop buy cars until my list is full that I have on my signature.