What Have I Done? (W116 content)

[FlexYJeeper]

Hello Everyone!

An old Mercedes Diesel has always been a dream car that i wanted to own at some point in my life however i dont have much money but have a lot of time and patience. i like buying things other people would consider junk and fixing them. probably costs more in the long run but at the end i know what i have.


a few days ago i picked up a W116 off craigslist for very very cheap. this is what i was greeted to.


it was apparently running when parked 4 years ago

got it loaded up and realized its almost the length of my F150.


and finally home



today i was finally able to play with it. hooked up cables to my GTD and tried to fire it. wasnt getting power to anything. i pulled the battery mount out to find the negative ground to the frame was badly rusted and wasnt making contact. wire brush+sand paper+new bolt and i had power to the dash. however there is still no start. i pulled the downpipe off the turbo to get top side access to the starter where i found i was able to jump the solenoid with a screwdriver. when i did the motor turned over very slowly. unfortunately my volt meter is dead so i couldnt test the signal wire to the solenoid to see if it was getting power so im not sure if its a bad solenoid or fault in the wiring. the slow turnover also has me concerned. need to check voltage to starter. if the voltage to the starter is good i will pull the starter then tear it apart to give it a good cleaning. really dont want to spend money on a starter.



and thats where im at as of now. going to be busy until sunday but if anyone has any ideas for me post them up!

[irvine]

Awesome, I to have a ‘74 w116 280se. What’s your plans with the merc?
Hey hear things are starting to get a following with prices starting to climb for clean examples (one near me in Australia just sold for $90kau
There’s also a complete bag kit from the uk.

Deffo be following this,
Neil.

[GTShunter]

Need any om617 advice let me know. I had a w123 with a modded om617 15psi out of a Garrett vgt turbo.

In regards to the starter. Take it out and get it rebuilt or replace it. You don't want to be cold starting an old diesel worth a weak starter. It'll kill a tired starter. Also, check the how plugs and upgrade them as well as the glow plug relay. Replace the fuel filter. And go ahead and adjust those valves!

Is the ALDA still there?

[FlexYJeeper]

Awesome, I to have a ‘74 w116 280se. What’s your plans with the merc?
Hey hear things are starting to get a following with prices starting to climb for clean examples (one near me in Australia just sold for $90kau
There’s also a complete bag kit from the uk.

Deffo be following this,
Neil.

as of right now plan is to get it running. then clean interior (its swampy) and figure out why the trunk wont open (hasnt been opened since 2007 kind of scared what i will find) once its running i will lower it a good 4in at least. i'll be on the look out for some cheap style 5's i can replace the outer lip on and run adaptors. nothing too crazy as i will only have the car for 2 years. in 2 years i move across the country and can only tow my MK4 GTD (TDI swapped GTI) behind my truck. im going for the battered California beach cruiser style i guess

Need any om617 advice let me know. I had a w123 with a modded om617 15psi out of a Garrett vgt turbo.

In regards to the starter. Take it out and get it rebuilt or replace it. You don't want to be cold starting an old diesel worth a weak starter. It'll kill a tired starter. Also, check the how plugs and upgrade them as well as the glow plug relay. Replace the fuel filter. And go ahead and adjust those valves!

Is the ALDA still there?

I'll take you up on that! i know the VW ALH pretty well but this is a new animal

i want to check the voltage going to the starter first but i will probably end up pulling it and tearing it apart myself. like i said i dont want to spend tons of money and i dont think i need to as it seems like theres rebuild kits for everything on this car.

ALDA is still on the car as far as i can tell its all stock

[GTShunter]

Honestly once you get an om617 started you'll be good to go. All the things I mentioned should be very cheap in parts, check autohausaz, amazon, and peachparts. Plus a new tank of diesel fuel lol

Valve adjustment is free and will give you back some lost horsepower (you'll need it!). Cleaning filters and fuel screen and lines is also free. When you get it running smooth adjust the ALDA for more fuel n you can put up the boost little moren make the adjustments in small increments.

I gave away so many free om617 parts last year because I was moving and sold all my Mercedes.

I had a 4.5 v8 w116 that I never got around to modding. 4" might be a little much lmao

Here is a video of mine in a w123 with 4spd manual.

[FlexYJeeper]

Honestly once you get an om617 started you'll be good to go. All the things I mentioned should be very cheap in parts, check autohausaz, amazon, and peachparts. Plus a new tank of diesel fuel lol

Valve adjustment is free and will give you back some lost horsepower (you'll need it!). Cleaning filters and fuel screen and lines is also free. When you get it running smooth adjust the ALDA for more fuel n you can put up the boost little moren make the adjustments in small increments.

I gave away so many free om617 parts last year because I was moving and sold all my Mercedes.

I had a 4.5 v8 w116 that I never got around to modding. 4" might be a little much lmao

Here is a video of mine in a w123 with 4spd manual.

thats sick, i wish this one had a manual.






last week i pulled the glow plugs, shot some ATF into it and turned it over a few times and threw them back in. i had Monday- Thursday off so Monday morning i disconnected the fuel lines and put them in a water bottle i filled with diesel. with a new 1100cca battery i began trying to start it. at first seemed a bit hopeless but then i got it to stumble a little bit, then it stumbled again. then with a huge cloud of black smoke she stumbled into life. (mind you it was open turbo and i was jumping the solenoid which is under the turbo with a screwdriver so said black some was into my face)

video:


Tuesday when i walked out i noticed that i hadn't plugged the fuel line and a lot of diesel leaked out. i was okay with this because it told me the fuel in the tank was not gelled, instead just a dark yellow. i hooked up the fuel tank back up and put the last 2 gals of diesel i had in it. and let it idle while i pulled all the throttle linkages apart and cleaned, lubed them (they were sticky) after that i moved my tools out of the way and drove it around the parking lot a few times to make sure it was going to be okay. after 15 minutes i jumped on the road and drove it to the gas station on base and threw $20 in it to help burn out that old fuel. i also topped off the radiator that was empty (no leaks so far) and drove it around base for about 2 hours



it was about this time i started thinking, "man that sounds like its knocking a little more then a diesel should" im beginning to suspect it spun a rod bearing. i did an oil change on it so it would have to be preexisting. ive heard that a clogged injector can sound like a sound rod bearing on these engines. i also get paranoid and hear things from time to time. so it could just be me. the way i see it if it is a rod bearing the motor is junk and i should just drive it into the ground. or if its a injector some diesel purge and some driving should clean it out. either way i'll drive it. either it blows up and i find another or it doesn't and i continue to have a cheap toy i have literally no money into.


few problem as of now:
1. sticky brakes
2. cant start car with key, can cycle glow plugs, and shut it down but not start. have to use screwdriver.
3.only the drivers door window works.
4. cant open trunk
5. fuel gauge doesn't work

that's what ive found so far. side note, this cars ride is incredible. takes bumpy roads like a champ.

[GTShunter]

It's ironic that my video was recorded on base as well. Where you at?

The knocking noise: when I watched your first video I noted that it sound a little too "metal on metal". They're noisy engines but not that noisy. Did the sound change after an oil change? At what rpm's does it go away?

To be honest these engines will drive 25k miles on a spun rod lmao

[FlexYJeeper]

It's ironic that my video was recorded on base as well. Where you at?

The knocking noise: when I watched your first video I noted that it sound a little too "metal on metal". They're noisy engines but not that noisy. Did the sound change after an oil change? At what rpm's does it go away?

To be honest these engines will drive 25k miles on a spun rod lmao

haha wow, im on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, in Washington.

the noise does not go away, the engine also has a large amount of blow by. im not sure what this engine is supposed to feel like but it feels down on power. i like the car but the body is beat, interior is beat, and motor is beat, not much going for it besides the fact i have literally no money in it. im trying to pick up a W123 with a OM614A motor in it with 130k on it. the car is in better shape but its a 300d, i really want the S class goodness. of course i wont pay more then $200 for the whole car. if nothing comes around i'll ride this thing into the ground

[76BMW2002]

Old Mercedes are the best Mercedes, hopefully I can find one for a good price to go with my BMW 2002. Those two have always been some of my favorite cars

[irvine]

haha wow, im on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, in Washington.

the noise does not go away, the engine also has a large amount of blow by. im not sure what this engine is supposed to feel like but it feels down on power. i like the car but the body is beat, interior is beat, and motor is beat, not much going for it besides the fact i have literally no money in it. im trying to pick up a W123 with a OM614A motor in it with 130k on it. the car is in better shape but its a 300d, i really want the S class goodness. of course i wont pay more then $200 for the whole car. if nothing comes around i'll ride this thing into the ground

i feel your pain I too have a bit of blow by (I posted above and have a w116) blow by is a common thing on these old merc motors but normaly is a simple valve stem seal job which is easily done at home. keep the w116 there are few modified but slowly getting a following plus the value is starting to climb since Mercedes classic have started a w116 rebuild programme.
in regards to power its a dam heavy car an don't really come to life till over the 80mph mark, hell the AMG 7.3 w116 was clocked at 280kmph in the late '70s

keep it up dude the struggle is soooo worth it, and "bagsbyocd" in the UK have made a full bold in bag kit.

neil