From: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net (diesel-benz-digest) To: diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Subject: diesel-benz-digest V1 #509 Reply-To: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Sender: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Errors-To: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Precedence: bulk diesel-benz-digest Sunday, March 11 2001 Volume 01 : Number 509 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles John Meister Digest Coordinator Contents: RE: Sagging in the rear RE: cold natured 300SD's RE: cold natured 300SD's RE: cold natured 300SD's Euro headlight conversions RE: cold natured 300SD's benz question from fsj list??? ;) of Diesels and 4 liters! Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 23:25:58 -0500 From: Dan Jacobs Subject: RE: Sagging in the rear Have you been watching "The Sopranos" on HBO, or watching the entire "Godfather" saga lately? Maybe if you took the body out of the trunk it wouldn't sag any more. Diesel Dan, your "Bada-bing, bada-bang, bada-boom! Fugedaboudit!" man in Vancouver, USA >===== Original Message From Robert Crawford ===== >My 81 300SD seems to sag a bit in the rear, the rear is lower than the >front. As I drive around I have noticed this in a lot of MBs but I >would like to know if there is a simple fix. This is not a big thing, >just something that irritates me. As a related note, when my father was >driving it he claimed that the rear felt a bit odd. He felt that the >air pressure was low but when I checked it, it was fine. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 23:38:41 -0500 From: Dan Jacobs Subject: RE: cold natured 300SD's I have always been told that diesel motors should be allowed to warm up before they are pushed hard. If you drive a very short distance before getting on the freeway, warm the engine up in the driveway for a few minutes before driving off. I really don't know the exact reason for this, but it seems to be the rule, especially with heavy duty (BIG truck) engines. Those of you with turbo engines should try not to use the turbo until the engine is almost fully warmed up, and always remember to wait at least one full minute before shutting down the enigine to allow the engine oil to cool the turbo bearing. Even if the boost gauge reads low or doesn't seem to show any boost while driving, that little guy has been spinning in there, and needs to be treated very nicely, unless you have a lot of money to throw at it. If you have that kind of money, throw some towards me while your at it. I'll appreciate it much more than the car will, honest! Diesel Dan, your "Donations joyfully accepted!" man in Vancouver, WA >===== Original Message From john ===== >>From: "Mike Mehringer" >>Subject: Re: cold natured 300SDs >>John: >>What is considered cold? I start mine up, and as soon as the temp gauge >>moves a little I starting driving (around 1 - 3 minutes). I then usually >>immediately get on the highway and acceleration is great... How long do you >>wait until you start driving?? > >Cold is not something we usually have to deal with here in the Seattle area, >but if it's below 45 or so and I start up and try to drive immediately up >the driveway it's pretty wimpy... but like I said about 1/2 way out, roughly >about 150 feet or so, it'll liven up. > >If I let it sit and warm up for a few minutes it's fine. When there is frost >on the windows I'll run out and fire it up and let it run with the defroster >and the rear window defroster while I'm making my morning Latte and may even >go into my office and check email... it's not fully up to operational temp >even >after 15 minutes, but the gauge isn't too far off... and it rolls right out >with no problems then. ;) > >john > > >------------------------------------------------------ > http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ > Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... > jesus, don't leave life without him, please! >------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 20:42:22 -0800 From: john Subject: RE: cold natured 300SD's At 11:38 PM 3/10/01 -0500, Dan Jacobs wrote: >driving, that little guy has been spinning in there, and needs to be treated and what little guy is this? ;) I think you've been spending a little too much time alone in that BIG truck of yours Dan... ;) Ever get home in time to watch the Red Green Show? Ranger Gord? rofl... I'm still trying to decide if I really want to sell the Benz or not... It's running good again, but still it behaves like a Mercedes... all the little quirks and nuances of these models... they're different... plain and simple. I'm tired of working on a bunch of old, tired Jeeps too... I've been working on my "new" '80 Cherokee on and off for weeks now... still more to do... Problem is if I took everything I owned to a dealer as a trade in I might be able to cover the sales tax on a used vehicle... ;) oh well... I'll make sure I warm up my 300SD before I put that little guy to work... wouldn't want him getting dizzy or anything... ;) john - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 03:27:03 -0500 From: Dan Jacobs Subject: RE: cold natured 300SD's >===== Original Message From john ===== >and what little guy is this? ;) > >I think you've been spending a little too much time alone in that BIG truck >of yours Dan... ;) I guess all those Jeeps have dragged your mind down into the gutter. I am refering to the cute little thingy under the hood of some MBZ diesels, some people call it a turbocharger. When you're used to hearing the turbo on a Cummins 14 liter engines wind up like a fighter jet about to light off the afterburner, that little thingy under an MBZ hood sounds like a sewing machine at full throttle. Of course, my 300D suffers from natural aspiration. It lives in a vacuum. Diesel Dan, your "My car sucks." man in Vancouver , USA ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 07:03:47 -0500 (EST) From: Chris Straut Subject: Euro headlight conversions Has anyone actually bought the European lights for their U.S. MB? I have an '85 300D and I'm probably going to buy a set of European-style lights for my car in the next few weeks. Does anyone know if these new lights require any special wiring harnesses, or will they just drop right in using all of the U.S. headlight wiring? The reason I ask is because the company that sells the lights in The Star has the conversion kits for $475 or so, and I vaguely remember their ad saying that the kits come with new wiring harnesses. I want to know if these harnesses are actually needed, because I can buy the european lights on EBay for around $300 or less, but they are just the bare lighting assemblies, no wiring harnesses included. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 09:23:19 -0800 From: john Subject: RE: cold natured 300SD's At 03:27 AM 3/11/01 -0500, Dan Jacobs wrote: >people call it a turbocharger. When you're used to hearing the turbo on a >Cummins 14 liter engines wind up like a fighter jet about to light off the >afterburner, that little thingy under an MBZ hood sounds like a sewing >machine >at full throttle. the first Turbo Diesel I owned was in that '85 Cherokee... with a puny 2.1L all-aluminum Turbo Diesel... when it's turbo spooled up it sounded like a police siren, I kept looking in the rear view mirror for the emergency vehicle... john >Of course, my 300D suffers from natural aspiration. It lives in a vacuum. >Diesel Dan, your "My car sucks." man in Vancouver , USA - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 18:06:29 -0800 From: john Subject: benz question from fsj list??? ;) >Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2001 14:37:14 -0700 >From: wp3 >Subject: fsj: 61 220 super sport >does anyone know if breaks on a 1961 Benz 220 super sport are hard to do >or if >parts are hard to find? >thanks, >Will >80 J10 Will, I'll send this to my diesel-benz list to see if anyone knows... my guess it'll be easier than doing a Full Size Jeep's brakes... :) john - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 20:48:39 -0800 From: john Subject: of Diesels and 4 liters! Matt, I haven't been paying attention, congrats on finishing school! I think you'll find the 4.0L as trustworthy as a Mercedes Diesel, maybe not quite as long lived, but excellent nonetheless. My '88 xj wagoneer limited has 208,000 miles on the original engine/trans. The only thing I've done to it is front/rear main seals, new timing chain and injectors. I was towing around 3,000lbs with it this weekend... no problemo... :) Parts are plentiful for the 4.0L and not outrageously priced, but not as affordable as Mercedes Benz parts... yes, I'm serious... parts for my Benz are more affordable than for my Jeeps. :) But I've never had any problems finding parts at a dealer for either the Benz or the XJ. (FSJ's are another issue... :( I think in Iowa and Illinois that an XJ will be a more desireable ride... I'm still trying to sell my 300SD, but not in a big hurry. If my J10 doesn't sell to the guy in Europe I may just put a Mercedes Turbo Diesel in it and mate it up to the T5. :) I'm still trying to get my '80 Cherokee ready for daily use... Anyways, things to look for on an XJ... well the problem areas are pretty straight forward: injector o-ring seals (leaks gas, easy to spot), front track bar (ye old wobble of death), crank position sensor (stalls at an idle occassionally). Other things as another poster mentioned, motor mounts and so on... headliners aren't a problem if you don't have a roof leak, if the roof rack isn't mounted properly it'll leak and the headliner will sag... I haven't seen it on mine... and it sits out in Washington state. :) Anyway, I'm cc'ing the Diesel Benz list because I don't recall seeing that you had offered your 240d for sale there... and bottom line, I think you'll be quite happy with any XJ Jeep with a 4.0L that has had reasonable care. The automatics in these things are incredibly solid. There is one other problem with the 4.0L, called piston slap, if you hear knocking coming from the front of the engine it may have it... but don't be confused with the relatively typical exhaust leak at the point where the header tubes combine... most are cracked there... not a big deal, but it'll sound like a ticking noise that might through you off a bit. In the grand scheme of things I've had less trouble with my 4.0L xj's than I have had with my Mercedes Diesels, even though they are incredible cars and super reliable... which says alot about the XJ 4.0L drivetrain... john >Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 21:18:00 -0500 >From: mjmason-at-juno.com >Subject: xj: '90 Cherokee (Pioneer, I think?) 4.0 liter -- worth buying? >Hi - first, the question, then an introduction: >I'm looking at a '90 Cherokee that appears to have been garage-kept, no >rust, interior looks great - and at this point that's all I know. I'm >going to get a closer look and test-drive tomorrow, but I'm new to Jeeps >and need some guidance about what to ask. Are they easy to maintain, >and/or expensive to service? How much has the Cherokee's engine changed >in the last 11 years? Any and all guidance, via direct replies to e-mail >(preferred) would be much appreciated. >And now, about me... Matt, recent grad of the University of Iowa (did >anyone see the Big Ten championship game? Go Hawkeyes!), living in Iowa >but soon to relocate to Illinois. My current vehicle is the only car >I've ever owned, a 1980 Mercedes 240D (diesel -- I used to hang out on >the diesel-benz list, run by John M. from Snohomish). Looking to unload >the Benz - it's got a Mercedes factory-rebuilt engine that was installed >2 years ago, but the body rot is making it a money pit... It's been (and >continues to be) a great daily driver and a great project car, but I'm >trying to get a career started and can't afford to put any more money >into it. Trying to decide if I ought to part it out or sell it whole... >But that's an issue for another list. (Feel free to contact me if you're >interested, though!) The Cherokee looks like an affordable (and >reliable? Let me know!) alternative... >Looking forward to hearing from the list. -- M Mason - ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! - ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #509 *********************************