[Hipine]

Got the turbodiesel on the stand today so I could get to work on the few things I want to do to it before installing it.

First pic is engine on stand. After this I got after tearing down a few things. Removing AC compressor, oil cooler lines, engine mounts, and manifolds.

Second pic is getting ready to port the intake a little bit. A couple different reliable sources told me that there are significant gains to be made by enlarging the inlet and exhaust ports to match teh size and shape of the openings in the manifold gasket. The second picture shows the pencil mark I traced 'round one of the inlet ports. The blue line points ot the pencil line that will be the limit f my porting. It was somewhat different than the witness line on the sealing face indicated by where the purple line is pointing.

Third picture is one of the siamesed intake ports showing the one on the right ported out to the gasket perimeter, and the one on the left not yet ported.

The intake is all done and ready to go off for cleaning and powder coating along with the valve cover. Tomorrow I'll work on pulling the turbo off the exhaust manifold, getting that one ported out, and looking into ceramic coating it. I'm pretty sure the oil seepage I find on the manifold side of the block is from leaky turbo seals, not head gasket seepage. Tomorrow I'll also look for a seal kit for the turbo.

-Dave G.

 

[bwillie]

I would love to see the project going together. If you need a hand with some of the grunt work (or someone to drink beer and watch) shoot me an e-mail.

I have put the swap on the back burner for this year, but I am really interested in your final product. Things look like they are coming together.

 

[cashieu]

Dave,

One minor thing to check.

Frequently, the valve cover on the 300s is not exactly flat, especially on the rear surface. That can cause a leak at the back end of the engine, especially if the valve cover gasket is not fresh. Lay a straightedge across that part of the valve cover and if its not flat, take a file to it.

Bruce

 

[cashieu]

Hipine - 3/20/2005 8:59 PM

I'm pretty sure the oil seepage I find on the manifold side of the block is from leaky turbo seals, not head gasket seepage. Tomorrow I'll also look for a seal kit for the turbo.

-Dave G.

Dave,

One more thing. Frequently, the seal between the turbo and the oil return line will leak. As I remember, its just an o-ring.

Bruce

 

[cashieu]

Geez, one more thing

Sorry, its too early in the morning. I keep thinking of things after I've already sent the note.

Valve stem seals one Mercedes diesels get hard and its a common place for the engines to use oil. By definition, your engine is old so even if it runs great, it may use oil past the valve stem seals. They are cheap and easy to replace, especially with the engine on a stand. Depending on what you know about the engine's oil consumption, it might be worth doing. I just did it on a 300TD wagon I bought and it reduced the oil consumption from about a qt every 700 miles to a qt every 1200 miles.

Bruce

 

[Hipine]

Thanks for teh tips Bruce! I was definitely planning to re-flat the valve cover and intake after they get through being cleaned and coated.

Your point about the valve stem seals is a good one. Damn....I was hoping not to pull the head....Just off the phone with Mark at German, he says valve seals are done without removing cam or head, so I'm going to let it ride figuring I can do it in the car later easy enough if it needs it. Who knows, if I end up with some spare time in the project, I'll do it on the bench. But I really have to draw a line somewhere, and for now that line is being drawn between things that would be easy enough after teh swap, and things that would be a LOT easier on the bench.

And Bee-Dub, don't be surprised if I take you up on that offer. I have work for 3 people on re-assembly, and so you're my second volunteer. I'll keep you on the list.

-Dave G.

 

[gklasse]

Looking good, Dave.

BTW, that little G cabriolet is fantastic!

George

 

[BrentG500]

Keep up the good work Dave.

 

[4x4rancher]

Before you put the flywheel on make sure the blanking plug at the back of the block is oil tight. its another big oil leak problem on theses engines and not so easy to fix as the rocker, on the rocker make sure all the stud threads are good, some times in attempt to stop the leak they get over tightend.
Thats all for today other than to say the fly and clutch kit complete with pilot bearings are stacked up ready waiting for you to decide about the gearbox.
I might as well throw in a couple of engine mounts,

 

[Toronto230GE]

Dave,

I have a dismantled 5 speed Getrag with mostly fair parts..the sum of wich do not for a working transmission make...But, you can have it free if you need anything from it. Shipping from Toronto may be ok $$ if it went Grey hound or some other way, such as a moving company perhaps?.. Or specify if you need anything from it and I will just send you those parts.

Cheers
Peter

 

[Hipine]

Thanks so much, Peter

A very kind offer and I'll sure keep it in mind. But the trans I'm looking at from Bill is a delivery truck version of the 5 speed with overdrive and separate bell housing. I don't think the Getrag works with the diesel motors 'cause it wants the starter to be where their injection pump lives. Not to mention this other trans was suited to the 290GD from the factory so it seems it'll be ratio'd properly for the turbo diesel's "happy range". Anyhoo, I'm rambling.....

I do appreciate the offer and I'll give you a shout if I think of anything you might be able to help with... I ain't proud.[]

-Dave G.

 

[Dai]

I have a 5 speed Getrag behind my 300 diesel. #717422. It is a great match because at 65 the motor spins at 3000 rpm in fifth. Zoom.
Cool TR3 lurking in the back.

-Dai

 

[amzimmy]

Hello Dave, very interesting job you have undertaken, I wish you lots of luck and a good result!
Maybe I can put my 5 cents worth.
From other people that have undertaken to improve the perfomance of the 300 diesel engine (like myself) with great results, have introduced an additional feature.
The camshaft, is an other improvement, the outlet camber is "longer" and keeps the outlet valve open a fraction longer (Part Nr D 70150362) so to get more of the burnt gas out of the chamber and allow more
fresh gas into the piston chamber giving that bit more "fire power".
The valves are improved by grinding carefully all edges away and polish them to allow less carbonizing and to give a soother flow of the combustion gases.

Good work
M

 

[Hipine]

Thanks M!

It's one drawback to the early version (617.950) motor I have. The cam is the older style low-lift cam from the 617 na motor. The later (.951 and .952) motors came with higher lift cams. But, I'm going to do without it for a little while at least. Changing the cam also means changing the cam mounting blocks since the new cam has larger journals, and I didn't want to spend the money in that area just now.

I like the fact that the early motor has no EGR, and I'm swapping the oil pan with one from a later motor to gain back the only other shortcoming - that the later motors had more external gussetting on the oil pan.

Oh yeah, there's one other advantage to the later motors, they have a smaller diameter water pump pulley for a little better cooling. I'll be watching the junk yards for one of those smaller pulleys one of these days.

Probably at the next rebuild I'll follow your valve freshening advice.

Thanks again!

-Dave G.

 

[Kerr]

Dave is that G kids car in the back gound?

If so where did you get it.. my daughter needs one!

 

[4x4rancher]

Dad speak for.... I want one.

 

[Hipine]

Peg Perego G

Yeah, it's the one that Europa (gwagenusa.com) advertises on their website. As far as I know they only ever had this one. I happened to call Travis on the right day when he had stubbed his toe on it for the 11th time and just wanted it GONE. So I obliged him...Anything for a friend.

This one's not for sale, and I'm sorry but I don't know where you might find more. Maybe try tracking down through the parent company, Peg Perego in Italy.

Rancher, as much as Wyatt likes my G, I don't think he'd forgive me if I told him I'd traded HIS for this nice transmission over here.

I might have another angle on shipping. Let's talk off list. No hurry.

-Dave G.

 

[whelanrob2002]

Dave ,off topic,but,is the car in the background a TR3 as suggested or an xk jag

 

[Hipine]

Not a TR

I had missed Dai's reference to the TR3.

You're right though, Rob. It's an XK120. About the 300th steel bodied car. That's why it hasn't moved on. Of course, neither has it MOVED - under it's own power that is - in 30 years. If I can just quit rebuilding G's, motorcycles, etc, I might get to work on the old girl. My buddies in highschool used to rag on me for not working on it, and my 20-year reunion is now past and gone with the car in much the same shape is was back then. []

-Dave G.

 

[chris505]

RE: Thanks M!

Annother dissadvantage of the pre-'82 motors is that they dont idle as well when its cold as the newer motors, I think it has something to do with the pistons (after '82 the tops of the pistons looked different, I dont remember how though).

Chris.