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Raptelan's 1980 300SD

Started by Casey, 30 April 2011, 09:52 PM

Gerard

looks brilliant, i love that shade.

Whats with the namaste sticker on the rear screen?...I'd be interested to hear if there is a story behind that!!!!!

Squiggle Dog

Your car is really looking great! I can't wait until I can make mine appear clean like that.
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1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Heated Seats, 350,000+

jbrasile

Wow Casey, nice job!!!

By the way, the vent holes in the C-pillar serve to vent the trunk and allow for the lid to be closed easier. Earlier cars don't have the rubber covers so I am not sure why MB started using them at some point, I'd re-install the one you missed just to keep everything correct.

Tks and congrats again on a superb detailing job!

Tks,

Joe

Casey

Quote from: Gerard on 11 August 2011, 05:35 AM
looks brilliant, i love that shade.

Whats with the namaste sticker on the rear screen?...I'd be interested to hear if there is a story behind that!!!!!

http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/822 - it's just something nice I like to share.  It's a part of a whole lot of different sanskrit mantras, and as with many things, is hard to translate directly into English.  That reminds me though, I need to get out a razor and cut off the clear portions of the sticker...

Casey

Just spent a wad of cash (about $1450 with shipping - ouch!) over at MercedesSource.com - lots of engine tuning work coming soon!  I'm really impressed with this website, and the quality of kits I already ordered (diesel purge, air filter bracket) is really fantastic.

1x   617 Diesel Garrett T3 Turbocharger 200K High Performance Overhaul Kit - $229.00
1x   5 Cylinder 300D 300TD 300SD Turbo Diesel Valve Stem to Guide Seal Replacement Kit - 10 Turbo Seals - $74.95
1x   615 616 617 Diesel Valve Cover Wave Washers x 8 - $5.50
1x   1/2 Inch Drive Clicker Torque Wrench 20 - 150 Ft. Lbs. - $29.95
1x   617 Diesel Turbocharger Boost Pressure Test and Tunifng Kit - $29.95
1x   Diesel Fuel Injector Balance Pressure Tester - $189.50
1x   Mercedes Brake Pad Sensor Wires Set of 8 - $16.50
2x   617 Turbo Diesel Air Cleaner Housing Oil Drain Tube Seals - $5.90
1x   Variable 24 Pc. Diesel Fuel Injector Pressure Adjustment Shim Washer Kit - $49.95
1x   Digital Caliper Metric and SAE - $26.95
1x   Diesel and Gas Engine Valve Adjusting Feeler Gauges - $8.50
1x   617 Turbo Diesel Timing Chain Replacement Kit - $269.00
1x   Late 5 Cylinder 617 Bosch Pencil Glow Plugs with Carbon Reamer - Package Deal! - $104.50
1x   616 617 Diesel Fuel Filter Kit 1977 to 1985 (Code 2) - $32.50
1x   All 61x and Some 60x Diesel Engine Compression Tester Kit With Test Guide - $58.95
1x   5 CYLINDER Turbo Diesel Ultimate Tune Up Kit - $269.50

1980sdga

Hope you got some GoJo and some gloves. Sounds like you're going to be a greasy mofo  ;D

You will be the 300SD expert when you get done! Have you checked your chain for stretch?

Casey

Quote from: 1980sdga on 13 August 2011, 09:15 PM
Hope you got some GoJo and some gloves. Sounds like you're going to be a greasy mofo  ;D

You will be the 300SD expert when you get done! Have you checked your chain for stretch?

Yep, got GoJo in the garage already. :)  And more recently, a bigass box of nitrile gloves.

Haven't checked the chain, but at 200k miles, it's a good proactive measure to take so I figure I might as well while I'm doing everything else.  You don't want the chain to break while going down the road...

Casey

Bought Goof Off adhesive remover and 3M Rubber & Vinyl spray adhesive at the hardware store today.  Hopefully will be getting the new hood pad installed tomorrow along with some other things - we'll see how it goes and will post pictures afterwards. :)

1980sdga

That's going to be a lot of engine work involving a bunch of systems. Air, fuel, cam timing, glow system...

I would take it in small bites and not dig in with everything all at once. Maybe do the chain, stem seals, adjust the valves at one whack then do the glow plugs and move on to the next phase.  Probably be a good idea to do a compression check and see what boost pressures you're running before starting the work.

Good deal on rounding up all those parts first!  Seems I always have time and no parts and when I get the parts in I have no time  ::)

Did you think about going with Monark injectors instead of rebuilding yours?

Casey

Quote from: 1980sdga on 14 August 2011, 09:48 AM
Did you think about going with Monark injectors instead of rebuilding yours?

Yep, Monarks are included on the above order. :)

Casey

#205
Got the underside of the hood very clean - found that engine degreaser worked better than the Goof Off stuff AND removed less paint.  Not that there's a lot of paint there anyways so I'm not too worried about it.  Then was contemplating how the hell I was going to get the hood pad lined up correctly as it seems a very difficult job to pull off correctly, and in looking online, noticed recommendations for a high temperature adhesive, which isn't what I got.  Dug up old email from jbrasile, where he recommends the 3M "90" adhesive - I got the "80".  Threw away the receipt already too - hopefully the hardware store will let me exchange it as it's not super-cheap.  So no more for now.

Made a couple offers on buy it now listings on eBay that ended up being accepted - got a new grille chrome piece for $30 and new OEM plastic mesh insert for $60.  So next paycheck I'll be ordering new chrome lists and headlight doors and blue MB emblem from jbrasile, and getting a nice new 7-bar grille installed.  Front should be looking pretty decent after that, aside from the horrible paint chipping on the supports for the bumper overriders.  Maybe I'll even replace the headlights at that time - dunno.  I definitely want to send off my instrument cluster to Palo Alto Speedometers to get it replaced with a 120mph one (and recalibrated for this), and to get the odometer working.  Need to find out what that cable lubrication stuff Squiggle Dog mentioned somewhere a while back was so I can get some to fix the insane jitter on my oil pressure gauge.

Casey

#206
Pulled out the aftermarket radio - as expected, the original wiring is all butchered up, and non-original speaker wires suggest that the speakers have been replaced as well.  Will try to get remaining bits of wire from car at junkyard to facilitate installing Becker radio.  I'd rather not put the Alpine back in.

Pulled out the wood panel surrounding the ACC controls.  The wood blocks on the back that the unit screwed into had come off, so I'm supergluing it back together with clamps now.  Didn't see anything suspect with the connections, though.

Glued on the new hood pad.  This was surprisingly easy as a one-man job - I was anticipating it would not go so well.  Used a full two cans of 3M "90" glue.

Replaced injector nozzles with Monarks.  The engine feels somewhat more powerful now.

Replaced glow plugs with new Bosch Duraterms.  A test of the plugs shows the new ones start glowing in a lot less time when connected to battery by jumper cable.

Replaced valve cover gasket (haven't done anything else internal yet).

Replaced air filter bracket with new Meyle one which is a little nicer construction.

Changed oil/filter.

Swapped tires with the 300CD, as Hankooks are absolute crap in the rain, and the CD had Michelin Weatherwise's that were installed early in 2011, which grip and handle far better, though the rims they're on are the worst-looking Bundts I have ever seen.  They're a bit smaller diameter.  Intend on running like this until I get new tires for the steel-look aluminum rims (probably Vredestein Sprint Classics).

Casey

A semi turned left right into me today and totaled the 300SD (and cracked my ribs).  The whole front end is mashed in about a foot; the door that I had to kick open won't close now, both doors are damaged, the front axle is badly bent, the windshield is broken, and even the muffler is broken loose.

Sad day.  :'(

On the bright side, if I were in a lighter car, I'd probably be dead.  Gotta look on the bright side...