Tips for road tripping with an '81 240D
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Brier, WA
1981 240D (123W)
Tips for road tripping with an '81 240D
Hey all! I'm planning on road tripping from Seattle to San Diego (on highway101) and then back to Seattle (through the interior, via lake tahoe, crater lake, etc.) in June. The trip will last approximately 2 weeks with the average driving distance per day somewhere around 200 miles (subject to change, of course). As a little side note, my father drove the car up from San Diego to Seattle three years ago after he bought it in San Diego, so its done half the trip before...
Naturally, the thought of a 3000+ mile long roadtrip on some fairly intense roads (Big Sur, Death Valley, Yosemite, Route 49...) has got me a bit worried about the car. I'm just posting to ask for tips on how you would go about preparing for such an adventure with a 123; I'm trying to gain some perspective. My car is in good/great condition and has always run well and has somthing like 340,000 miles on her.
1. What are the five most important things you'd do before embarking (i.e. tune-ups, checks, etc.)?
2. What are the top 5-10 tools/supplies you'd bring along with you?
3. Most importantly: am I completely nuts?
Please feel free to post any general tips regarding road tripping with a 123!
Thank you,
Sean
Naturally, the thought of a 3000+ mile long roadtrip on some fairly intense roads (Big Sur, Death Valley, Yosemite, Route 49...) has got me a bit worried about the car. I'm just posting to ask for tips on how you would go about preparing for such an adventure with a 123; I'm trying to gain some perspective. My car is in good/great condition and has always run well and has somthing like 340,000 miles on her.
1. What are the five most important things you'd do before embarking (i.e. tune-ups, checks, etc.)?
2. What are the top 5-10 tools/supplies you'd bring along with you?
3. Most importantly: am I completely nuts?
Please feel free to post any general tips regarding road tripping with a 123!
Thank you,
Sean
Last edited by seattle240D; May 18, 2007 at 02:17 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: So Cal
CLK Cabrio
My first car was a 300CD I'd get an oil change plus go to and have the car over looked! Things like the a/c heater core for the diesel engine, maybe glowplugs, talk to the guys there and see what they say!
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From: Socialist West Coast
95 E320, 19 Ram 1500 Hemi, 21 GLS 580(wife)
I have driven to LA and back to Bellingham twice in my 1968 280sel and I didn't have a single problem aside from the fact that it gets hot as haities.
I would have your coolant flushed, check all of your belts checked as well as your hoses. Is the thermostat new? Put new brake fluid in, that is an often neglected 2 year service on any car. Check you pads. Also I would have all of the fuel filters changed and make sure that the fuel return lines on the injectors are not weeping, those are a cheap and easy fix. I would do an oil change, possibly tranny fluid and filter if it is needing it, and I would replace the rear diff fluid. I used some Royal Purple and it is great stuff, a little more expensive but it isn't like you need much.
I don't know if you plan on driving at night, if you do, a good upgrade aside from euro headlights is to get the 7" Bosch or Hella Motorcycle h4 headlights, it makes a huge lighting difference over standard sealed beam lights, and that is a must on that highway.
Tools I had on hand were an assortment of screwdrivers, a voltage meter, a set of 3/8's drive metric sockets and some metric box end/open end wrenches. 10,13, 15, 17mm are the biggies for any benz.
Should be a fun drive, have a great time and take tons of photos, I am jealous.
I would have your coolant flushed, check all of your belts checked as well as your hoses. Is the thermostat new? Put new brake fluid in, that is an often neglected 2 year service on any car. Check you pads. Also I would have all of the fuel filters changed and make sure that the fuel return lines on the injectors are not weeping, those are a cheap and easy fix. I would do an oil change, possibly tranny fluid and filter if it is needing it, and I would replace the rear diff fluid. I used some Royal Purple and it is great stuff, a little more expensive but it isn't like you need much.
I don't know if you plan on driving at night, if you do, a good upgrade aside from euro headlights is to get the 7" Bosch or Hella Motorcycle h4 headlights, it makes a huge lighting difference over standard sealed beam lights, and that is a must on that highway.
Tools I had on hand were an assortment of screwdrivers, a voltage meter, a set of 3/8's drive metric sockets and some metric box end/open end wrenches. 10,13, 15, 17mm are the biggies for any benz.
Should be a fun drive, have a great time and take tons of photos, I am jealous.
Last edited by myfirstbenz; May 22, 2007 at 05:13 PM.
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IT all depends on the level of maintainance you have performed while owning the car...as far as coolant, make sure it's MB brand, the only approved generic is Zerex Z-05. Use Mobil 1 ATF, differential oil, and M1 5w-40 synthetic diesel motor oil. All filters should probably be changed, valve clearances adjusted. Also, while you adjust the valves, check the timing chain stretch...if it's bad, change that. Injection timing, and injector pop/spray test.
