Goatman

Well, the wife and I decided to bring the MB up to her sisters' place in Maine for Thanksgiving this past week.

Wednesday night I had my buddy, who has a lift and a heated garage, install 6 new injectors and Amsoil in the trans and rear differential. A new filter and gasket were used in the trans as well.

The injectors were installed because: A. They had never been replaced as far as we could tell; and B: the car ran like the king's when it first stars when cold (like sh*t). Smoking, stumbling, real rough for about 60 seconds, then it smooths out real nice.

The moron who had the car previous to us had his mechanic set up the trans to shift really firm. It feels like a street rod with a shift kit in it every time the trans is cold or at light throttle. I hate it, but didn't have time to readjust it, so we just kept that the same and figured we'd see what the Amsoil would do. The fluid used is their Torque Drive fluid. Basically the best you can get. It was initially designed to be used in the GM Allsion transmissions and that's where I first encountered and used the product. It's so good, it DOUBLES the factory recommended oil drain intervals for ANY trans its in. Since I first used it in my 2500HD, I've put it in all my vehicles.

The rear differential fluid used as the vaunted Amsoil Severe Gear, which I have used in everything from my low 10 second GTO race car to my daily drivers. The recommended drain intervals for this oil can be as high as 500,000 miles... Needless to say, its also the best you can buy.


So we pick up the car Wednesday night, fill it up with fuel, and off we go. The car still stumbled and bumbled for about 30 seconds when cold, but it ran smoother and had more power than before. So there's still a problem there. 70-80 mph the entire 4+ hours, with one pit stop for the dog about half way through. I could visibly see some sort of smoke every time I accelerated in the tail lights of the car behind me while I was driving. That was something new, as I've only driven the car on the highway in the day previously.

The transmission shifted more smoothly than before, but still too firm for what I think it should be. But we definitely noticed it was smoother.

We get to Maine about 11pm and we unload the car and get straight to bed. In the morning, I checked the oil level and it was down about 1/2 quart. I thought back to how the car runs when cold and that smoke I saw coming out the tail pipe at night.... Its all starting to add up to bad valve seals in my mind... Oil runs down the valves into the combustion chamber untill the car is started first thing in the morning and then has to burn off..... Same thing at high rpm, i.e., 70-80 mph..... I'd be curious to hear what some of you think about that theory..

Anyway, we go through between half and 3/4 tank of fuel (320+ miles) and fill up in Maine. The MPG computed to be around 23..

On the way home, we decide to go through Boston instead of around. Same speeds, maybe a little faster and when we get back, we fill up again (280+ miles) and the MPG figure goes to 24.5!!!!!

No smoke visible at any rpm on the way home. Nothing on acceleration or deceleration.

Now, perhaps some of it was the fuel, I might buy that, but I believe the Amsoil had finally worked its way into every nook cranny in the trans and rear and was helping lower the friction and heat in the trans and rear.

I didn't bother checking the oil level when we got back, I just dumped the other half quart of oil in the crank case.


I haven't done the oil change yet, or the power steering fluid change. That's next, after I figure out why the engine is acting funny during cold starts.

TMAllison

You obviously don't understand the ignore feature. Its as if your posts don't exist; therefore, your continued baiting of forum members who have "ignored" you accomplishes little other than show your immaturity and prompt others to add you to their ignore list.

Sounds like your trans modulator is dialed up too firm. This is often done to avoid a slip on older units. While undoubtedly fine for your application, as of this date, Amsoil trans fluids are NOT forumlated for use in ANY MB trans built after 96. Those units require a Dex III fluid modified with an additive pack unique to MB.

Why potentially overfill the crankcase by not checking the fill level? Search runaway diesel; not a good thing.

Goatman

I understand. Just don't believe for a second the tool is ignoring anything...


Really don't care who ignores me, to be honest.


You figure the leak/burning of oil just stopped on its own? LOL.

Goatman

I'd also be very skeptical that there's a transmission out there that requires more additives or friction modifiers than the Allsion does, given what it is designed to do for a living. In practice, anyway.

TMAllison

Skepticism quite often keeps MB techs employed. But, I'm sure you know better than the engineers.

Goatman

I'm sure the engineers do what they're told, just as all good employees... As we all know, MB went from being the best car builder in the world in the 80's to being another car company where the bottom line rules everything, just like everyone else.


Once again I'll state an oils' function is to keep things from touching and to take away contaminants. Not rocket science once that's broken down like that.

Buy what you will. As will I...

Untertürkheim

Have you had a chance to check the timing chain stretch or the IP timing yet?

Also, the oil consumption may drop as you drive and clean gunk out of the engine left by conventional garbage.

240D 3.0T

How nice it is.
However........like a train wreck, its difficult to ignore the fire.

Clearly you have no understanding on how these Diesels work. Whether it be about vacuum leaks, glowplugs or oil consumption, you have a LOT to learn. Arbitrarily throwing in some wannabe oil and ***uming it will magically allow you to hugely increase the change interval is very ill-advised.

, add goatman to your ignore list.

Goatman

The stretch/timing issues will be addressed within the next week I'm hoping. Its going into a MB shop as soon as I can make the appointment.

Goatman

See TM, I told you....

240D 3.0T

How sweet it is. Peace.

Goatman

LOL. What a child... What a disgrace....

harkgar

240:

What happened to your You Tube postings? There is now a "subcribe" feature. Does it mean we have to pay to access your videos?

240D 3.0T

No, there has been a subscribe feature for years. It allows you to be notified when a subscriber posts new videos.

Goatman

Why don't you ask him why he doesn't post them up on his three person super forum?

240D 3.0T

Huh? Couldn't be anything important since nobody cares about what trolls have to say.

Goatman

Except we both know he's reading it....

240D 3.0T

Goatman

Yet who keeps bringing it right back to the top! LMAO!!!!


Whadda jackass....

Goatman

Well, it turns out the oil leak was actually the front trans seal...


The trans was pulled, the entire front was resealed. Not fun or cheap.. All the internals look great on the plus side.


The two front ball joints were also junk, although you couldn't tell by driving the car. The rest of the front end was rebuilt previous to me buying it.


The engine was checked and everything is fine with it on the good news side. If the oil consumption gets worse, its either the valve seals or the head gasket leaking into the #1 cylinder, as apparentley they are prone to do. With the engine holding 11 quarts (with cooler), one quart in 600 miles of driving isn't significant I was told.


As a side note, although I'm sure everyone here will disagree (as a side note, I really don't care), after consulting with a well known, well respected W124/W126 only mechanic who's been doing it on his own for 18 years, standard, non-MB antifreeze WILL NOT HURT the coolant system. In all the years he's been working on these car's, he's never had a failure related to regular coolant. So I'm leaving it in.


Next up, changing the engine oil and power steering fluids to Amsoil.

harkgar

Any photos of your car particularly the engine bay? Tell us when your 4L60E project is complete and post some photos too. Thanks.

harkgar

240:

Did you see the 145 horsepower MB diesel on a hoist? I think it is a W123 series. I like to have one of the older diesels in good condition. Do you build them to order?

Untertürkheim

$25 of coolant should not be too dear to have assurance. I have replaced enough radiators and dealt with enough cavitation on these cars to always change the coolant to MB original within a couple weeks of ownership.

harkgar

I meant this link about "Brian Cummins" diesel car:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kuSNdZiPEOs&NR=1

Did you tune this car?

240D 3.0T

No, that belongs to somebody else.