My 1979 Mercedes 240D
My 240DI decided to put this site together on InstantSpot to keep track of my ownership of a new-to-me 1979 Mercedes 240D. For a little history on how I came about this car, check out this blog entry. This is my 6th day of ownership and after 259 miles of driving I am just over half of my first tank of fuel! Coming from my big 11MPG 5.9L Grand Wagoneer, that is almost inconceivable.
So, what are my thoughts so far?
First... this was a very inexpensive car. I purchased it for $1200, so this dollar value should be put into perspective as I describe it. It is no beauty pageant winner, and I bought it knowing there would be goofy little things about it. However, all goofiness aside, I wanted dependability and so far I have seen no signs that lead me to believe that it won't be. Here are the current known issues:
- A little rust - There is a spot of rust on the edge of the sunroof. I plan to apply some rust inhibitor there and do some touch-up paint so that it blends a little better. There is also a bit behind the driver's rear wheel well. I haven't seen any really critical spots.
- Sunroof - While I am on the subject of the sunroof, it doesn't open. The previous owner told me that when he put in the new stereo, he apparently didn't hook 12v back to the sunroof switch and to the radio antenna switch. Who knows how truthful that is, but that is what he said. I will find out soon.
- Leaks - I can't tell where it is coming from, but with all the rain we have had the past few days I have ended up with a very wet floor in the rear. I mean actual standing water! The obvious suspect is the sunroof, but I felt around the edges of it and it appeared dry as a bone. As I was driving home in heavy rain yesterday I also noticed water coming in from the firewall area on the passenger side as well. It wasn't terrible amounts, but enough to make the passenger carpet get wet.
- Speedometer and Odometer - When I purchased the vehicle I didn't notice that the odometer wasn't working. When I reset the trip meter after filling up the first night I quickly realized that nothing was moving. However, the speedometer was working fine which indicates to me that at least the speedo cable was spinning. Then on Sunday whle driving home from a local coffee shop, the speedo needle just dropped to 0 and hasn't budged since. I haven't looked into this at all, but I am guessing that something in the gauge itself has failed.
Oh, and how do I know how far I have driven you ask? Google Maps! There is a really cool feature on Google Maps where you can chart your path and it tells you exactly how far it is. Each day I have traced my path and added into a spreadsheet. Nerdy? Perhaps, but I really want to see what kind of mileage I am getting. More on this later.
So there it is in a nutshell. I have several things I will be doing soon and hopefully blogging about such as doing a diesel purge, valve adjustment, and a little experiment I have in mind running veggie oil!
Capt Ron Sr said:
On Dec. 29th., I was at the Casino getting Gas and Cigarettes. I was waiting in line to pay and there was a Gent going around begging for money. He had a "HOT" hand and was being out bid. I told Him that I only had $500 on Me and I sure as hell was not going to just give it to a stranger with out something in return. He said,"Wait right here. I will be right back". I paid for My Gas and Cigs and started out the door when He came running back in. He had a envelope and keys in His hand and handed them to Me and said, "Here, I really need the money". I asked, "What is this?" He said, "It is My car. I parked it right outside the door. It is a Brown Mercedes." OK!! Any Mercedes is worth $500 so I checked the paper work and gave Him the $500.
The car is a 1978 Mercedes 240D W/Stick Shift. It has a couple very minor dents, new tires, Drivers seat leather tore on the left edge and one leaking Injector. Also, like Your Car, the Speedometer reads 5 miles per hour fast and the Odometer does not work. I mounted a GPS in the car and use that to track My mileage.
The Mercedes Mechanic told Me that the Speedo on these cars are notorious for breaking the plastic gears. They gave Me a contact number of a repairmen that is Mobile and will come to My place to repair it.Seeing as I am 90 miles from the City, I am setting up a place for Us to meet that is closer to Him.
My first tank of fuel, I got 20.89 mpg. I added some MPG Caps to the next tank and My MPG went up to 22.03 and the next tank to 23.99. I then added Extreme to My Oil when I changed it and I went up to 25.31 mpg and it is still climbing as the carbon burns off. I also use SulferX in the Fuel to lubricate the Fuel Pump and Injectors.
I live in the Mountains and there are several steep climbs up to 4000 feet When I first got the car, I had to gear down to 2nd on a couple of them to get over the top. Now, I rarely have to gear down to 3rd.
I have noticed a great increase in power. The engine runs smoother and the exhaust emissions are almost eliminated.
I have been in some really heavy rain storms and some snow up here in the Mountains and have found no leaks. The Diesel is a little hard to start on the cold days but otherwise, it runs great.
I have to admit that it does not compare to My Mustang for get up and go BUT, once it gets rolling, barring any hills or head winds, it is a pleasure to drive.
If You are interested in the Products that I have used, You can contact Me at capt.ronsr@hotmail.com
The car is a 1978 Mercedes 240D W/Stick Shift. It has a couple very minor dents, new tires, Drivers seat leather tore on the left edge and one leaking Injector. Also, like Your Car, the Speedometer reads 5 miles per hour fast and the Odometer does not work. I mounted a GPS in the car and use that to track My mileage.
The Mercedes Mechanic told Me that the Speedo on these cars are notorious for breaking the plastic gears. They gave Me a contact number of a repairmen that is Mobile and will come to My place to repair it.Seeing as I am 90 miles from the City, I am setting up a place for Us to meet that is closer to Him.
My first tank of fuel, I got 20.89 mpg. I added some MPG Caps to the next tank and My MPG went up to 22.03 and the next tank to 23.99. I then added Extreme to My Oil when I changed it and I went up to 25.31 mpg and it is still climbing as the carbon burns off. I also use SulferX in the Fuel to lubricate the Fuel Pump and Injectors.
I live in the Mountains and there are several steep climbs up to 4000 feet When I first got the car, I had to gear down to 2nd on a couple of them to get over the top. Now, I rarely have to gear down to 3rd.
I have noticed a great increase in power. The engine runs smoother and the exhaust emissions are almost eliminated.
I have been in some really heavy rain storms and some snow up here in the Mountains and have found no leaks. The Diesel is a little hard to start on the cold days but otherwise, it runs great.
I have to admit that it does not compare to My Mustang for get up and go BUT, once it gets rolling, barring any hills or head winds, it is a pleasure to drive.
If You are interested in the Products that I have used, You can contact Me at capt.ronsr@hotmail.com
Billie Price said:
I recently purchased a 1982 240D and the speedometer nor the odometer were working when I purchased the car. I drove the car 2 hours to get it home from the city it was purchased in and on the way home the clutch started to squeak so in the first week I have a new clutch installed. when I picked the car up from the mechanic I had a pleasant surprise both the odometer and speedometer were working. SWEET
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