300TD Turbo Diesel

[tsharkey]

Looks to be genuine

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/blackwo ... 1295434582

No connection with seller .....

[300TDT]

Sounds dodgy...
If it was bought as a RHD and brought out from Germany when the family emigrated, would it have the EGR (which identifies the engine as a US version)? As far as I know, the Euro version and the Japan version of the turbodiesel did not have any of the anti-pollution add-ons... Would like to see the VIN and engine/transmission #.
You'd have thought they would have replaced the instruments with the turbodiesel speedo and tacho, etc if they were going to all that trouble in Germany.
A few of us remember the old guy from Canberra who actually got MB to convert his 300TD to RHD when he emigrated from Germany.
I'd hazard a guess that someone has imported a US OM617A and put it in an Aus delivered 300TD?

[tsharkey]

I have the "old guy from Germany's" LHD converted to RHD wagon - bought it for a couple of hundred dollars a few years ago cause the engine was worn out. It doesn't have the EGR or the oil catch can drip back into the sump system but also doesn't have any fancy instrumentation. Essentially it's just a regular Euro wagon with an OM617A, 722.3xx trans and 3.07 diff fitted. Has the right Chassis ID WDB123.193.12 .......

I have messaged the seller for some more details (incl the VIN) - Interested tho not in paying $16K for it.

[John Green]

Sounds dodgy...
I'd hazard a guess that someone has imported a US OM617A and put it in an Aus delivered 300TD?

Agreed, even looks like it might be a NA air cleaner modified to suit. I wonder if it is a NA engine with a turbo manifold bolted onto it?

[tsharkey]

It's got the right IP and it looks like it has 722.3xx trans (which 81 models would not have normally) so I suspect it is an OM617A

The direct import claim is probably right as there is no ADR compliance badge on the firewall

However, it doesn't have the TurboDiesel badge on the back, the speedo is 180kms (I have only seen 200Km on Turbos) and there is not a higher rated radiator (with the burp tank).

I have got no response from the seller - odd if he is trying to sell for $16K. Unfortunately SA Rego check doesn't give you the VIN (where as Vic does) so can't verify

[300TDT]

On re-reading the seller's description, it doesn't actually say the car had the turbodiesel engine from new... my misunderstanding.
So, why leave that part, the most important part, blank?!

I will enquire, too

tsharkey: I remember that you ended up buying petrol-green Hans! It must have been over 10 years ago now that I drove to Bowral to meet him when he first tried to sell it. Even then it lacked the oomph that I remembered from the car that I owned in Tokyo. But when sitting in the back seat there was a view of the sky about the size of a 20c coin in the top corner where the door meets the B pillar (yes, the door was fully closed) and he proceeded to tell us about the various accidents (tail-ended by taxi's, etc) that his son had had in the car...
I think he had it insured for $10K and was initially asking for almost that.

" Essentially it's just a regular Euro wagon with an OM617A, 722.3xx trans and 3.07 diff fitted. Has the right Chassis ID WDB123.193.12 ......."

Mine, too :) except for headlamps for LH traffic and Japanese bandwidth radio.

BTW, what's the "oil catch can drip back into the sump system" you mention?

[tsharkey]

what's the "oil catch can drip back into the sump system" you mention?

In the air cleaner canister, there is an oil catch can that the blow by is piped through before it is sucked into the inlet. It drops the extracted oil down to an inlet in the sump. The US OM617A's have the inlet plumbed but the Euro OM617A doesn't, so it's air cleaner is missing the catch can.

[pastelgrey300D]

I've seen that car around the hills for many years. Never spoke to the owner though. The condition of the interior and the general cleanliness of the car aren't worthy of the $16k pricetag IMHO.

[300TDT]

Thanks. Mine is the same as Hans. Blow-by piped directly down below the turbo - has nothing to do with the air filter housing. What do you think the purpose of that US system is?

what's the "oil catch can drip back into the sump system" you mention?

In the air cleaner canister, there is an oil catch can that the blow by is piped through before it is sucked into the inlet. It drops the extracted oil down to an inlet in the sump. The US OM617A's have the inlet plumbed but the Euro OM617A doesn't, so it's air cleaner is missing the catch can.

[tsharkey]

What do you think the purpose of that US system is?

The US system removes the oil from the blow by, so when the blow by is mixed into the intake, there is less oil to burn. Also, the turbo really doesn't appreciate having oily air run through it. It is, IMHO, a better solution.

The condition of the interior and the general cleanliness of the car aren't worthy of the $16k pricetag IMHO

Probably thinks the large sums W123 wagons are fetching plus the turbo makes it worth that - It looks tired to me .....

[John Green]

It's got the right IP and it looks like it has 722.3xx trans (which 81 models would not have normally) so I suspect it is an OM617A

Ahh, yes I missed the pump being correct. However that is not a 722.3 trans. It has a 4 bolt pan and you can see the dip stick on the r/h/f corner.

My money is on it having a OM617A conversion.

[300TDT]

Seller was away 'gone bush', and has just replied today with a lot of very low-res photos that look interesting but difficult to verify.
He says,"I thought the engine was original but I have since been told that perhaps it is not."

Unclear VIN on firewall seems to be WDB12319022021938.
Engine # 617 952 12 040 895 with a ? below the 8 (on a note identified as Elliott Trevelion Funeral)
No trans # although requested

Lots of service log books but again low-res so illegible...
Also a sizeable document on MB letterhead watermarked F. Wann Motors (Google locates it in Edwardstown SA) which is also illegible...

[tsharkey]

WDB12319022021938

Engine # 617 952 12 040 895

Standard 300TD with the OM617A fitted later. At least they got the SLS head version.

[300TDT]

According to the seller, the OM617A conversion is a mystery.
He has knowledge of the last 10 years (90,000km), and it seems the last documented service by MB (F Wann Motors) was in 2009...
lots of ???.
The interior is poor, and body is rusty, SLS+A/C+cruise-control need work, incorrect N/A trans & diff (I guess), so $16K is a lot for a 617A that is " a bit sluggish off the line"...

[julian]

Seems quite ambitious given the work required.
I love the period correct speakers in the front door trim.
So new interior, dash, rust, tired turbo, high km, dubious history etc.
I suspect we might see this one for sale for a while, unless history unfolds with someone going to the effort. It would be interesting to know if it is registered as a turbocharged car also.

[300TDT]

Price dropped to $13K on Gumtree, and "sold" today.