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+--- Thread: Looking at a W116 300SD (/showthread.php?tid=5902)
Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 10-05-2014
Hi folks,
I seem to have registered some months ago, probably at a time when I was looking at either a W123/4 300D, or perhaps a W201. Dunno... I do know nothing ever came of those ideas (assuming that's why I registered!)
However, I have found what appears to be a RHD 1979 W116 300SD for sale. Yeah, I know, these were made for the Canadian and US market and as such are likely to all have been LHD... It's an unlikely combination, but I know of a couple in Oz that have been converted to RHD - it used to be the case that to import a LHD car less than 15 years old to Oz, you had to convert it before it could be used on a public road.
This car seems to have been imported from the US to NZ in about 1990, so it's also within the 15 year rule, if that rule also applied in NZ.
Description says the interior is mint and that there are 'just a few small areas of body rust'. Heard that before, too.
However, the proof is in the inspecting so I'm planning to take a look.Could be a nice car, and being the 1979 300SD it'll probably not have EGR to worry about.
If I do get it, it'll not be a garage queen - it'll be used. I'm not looking for hundreds of HP, but more than stock would be useful. More importantly, more torque and (if possible) better economy are desirable. It's a case of updating and ensuring it is sensible to use in today's traffic.
For looks and suspension, I love 300SD_KY's car. To me, it just looks right. Not slammed too low, but purposeful. Very nice. That sort of thing may have to wait, although I do have a mint set of Penta 15x7s in boxes in the garage...
Any tips for anything specific to look for will be gratefully received. I plan to start with a 'standard' W116 check, then look specifically at the OM617.950. Unfortunately I don't know so much about them, so help would be appreciated.
Pic attached. That's not me - my hair isn't that grey, not yet.
Thanks for bearing with me.
Graham
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - sassparilla_kid - 10-06-2014
I think one of the easiest things to check as far as engine health is blowby, just pop the oil filler cap off while its running, hopefully it won't be blowing oil and stuff out.
Also, that looks like a clean w116! I wish mine was that nice....
And welcome to the forum!
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 10-06-2014
It looks pretty good in the pics... The proof will be in person!
I've had an exchange of emails with Tom Hanson who has confirmed this started life as a LHD car. There's no reason to think the RHD conversion wasn't carried out properly - it's not as if there weren't any RHD W116s around to lift parts from. Again though, that remains to be seen.
As with most people on here I'll be looking for 'more' from the engine. Not sure how much more, but given one eye will be kept on economy, it'll need to be a careful plan. Of course, with more power and torque a taller diff could be used which could help with cruising...
I kinda need to get my hands on it first.
Some more pics below.
And the important bit at the front.
![[Image: 4.jpg]](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gz5tu5rf1I8/VDMV_cT7fII/AAAAAAAABo8/7EAGkI8VGMI/w450-h565-no/4.jpg)
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 10-06-2014
I've spent far too much of my working day looking through the forum for tips and ideas... Before I've bought a car. Duh.
Of course, I have become sidetracked by talk of tuning and so on. In a perfect world I'd (perhaps) look for 200hp and 400Nm, but the 617 may not be the best engine for that. No matter.
But based on my idealistic plans, you can imagine the manic laughter here when I read of 220hp per litre and 100hp per cylinder!
Bwaah ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaah!
<ahem>
I'd better go and do some work.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - Simpler=Better - 10-08-2014
A 617 can hit those numbers(I'm aiming for that with my build) but you're going ot need to throw down $1500 for a rebuilt pump with XL elements, and then more $$ for a larger turbo. The injection pump is the tricky part, the rest is just welding ot make it all fit.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 10-08-2014
These older engines certainly aren't a nice simple nozzles, turbo and remap! Which is a part of their charm.
Assuming things go well I'll do the usual 'make it all good' activities to get it running as well as possible, then look deeper into what to do next. However, by looking now I hope to get an idea of budget required and suchlike, and learn something.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - Benzman53 - 03-25-2015
Been a while since this thread was active........so, did you get it?
I drive a 1980 300SD so maybe I can help out on your performance needs. Mine has good road performance with boost at 15 psig, no ALDA, attention to valve adjustment and proper timing. Is it a 280Z roadburner? No, but it scoots along well enough out here in the wide open spaces of Texas and New Mexico.
I am currently adding propane injection more to enhance combustion and fuel economy. Will go for performance with additional regulator later.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - NZScott - 03-26-2015
Wow, how did I miss this.
Us kiwi super diesel Merc guys seem to be quite the rare breed, good to know I'm not alone, lol.
I remember seeing that car on trademe, I was thinking wtf, how is it turbo but RHD...
(03-25-2015, 06:01 PM)Benzman53 I am currently adding propane injection more to enhance combustion and fuel economy. Will go for performance with additional regulator later.
LPG injection seems to be the perfect thing to send rods flying out the block with these engines. I (very stupidly) put a gas bottle up to the engine intake of my 300D once. Opened the tap and gave it a short breath...sounded like I just threw a million ball bearings into it - the prechambers have a red hot ball inside them which preignites the LPG, which is very dangerous territory to put an engine into...
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 06-20-2015
(03-25-2015, 06:01 PM)Benzman53 Been a while since this thread was active........so, did you get it?
I drive a 1980 300SD so maybe I can help out on your performance needs. Mine has good road performance with boost at 15 psig, no ALDA, attention to valve adjustment and proper timing. Is it a 280Z roadburner? No, but it scoots along well enough out here in the wide open spaces of Texas and New Mexico.
I am currently adding propane injection more to enhance combustion and fuel economy. Will go for performance with additional regulator later.
Not yet... As Scott mentioned, it was on TradeMe. Then it disappeared for a while, came back, but still hasn't sold.
Given the rarity over here, it's either priced correctly (for a rare car) or overpriced (as it's a rare car and hard to get parts for).
I've not given up, and maybe, if I can persuade the seller to come down a fair way on price, I'll be back in the game.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - NZScott - 06-21-2015
Saw it on there last night, gawd those yank bumpers are ugly.
Worth buying for the novelty factor anyway. Not the biggest fan of 116s myself though.
I bought my 300D for 5.5k FWIW...
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - gjm - 10-10-2018
So this one didn't happen. Seller was holding out for more than I was prepared to pay, especially as given it wasn't quite as nice as I thought, from the description, that it would be.
So I moved on. And now have a thread open, asking about tuning an OM605 for torque.
RE: Looking at a W116 300SD - NZScott - 10-10-2018
Oh wow. That car was for sale in Palmy a few months ago (minus gearbox). it was looking rougher that it was the first time for sale on TM. I wouldn't had minded it for the engine, don't like 116s too much. But then why would I want a 3rd 617A in my garage...