Is Mum’s old C 270 cdi worth rescuing? 62,000 miles one owner. Leather seats, aircon, power steering and parktronic.

[Submariner1]

Any advice welcome.
Q1. Should we drain the fuel before trying to start?
Q 2. should we change oil before trying to start, start run for 5 mins, change oil and filter then run for an hour and repeat?
Q. 3 Battery has 0.3 Volts - can this ever be recovered, or as suspected is it finished.

Brief History its a 2002 , with 62,000 miles owned from new by mum, garaged and serviced by main dealer. Until late late 2018. Servied at 59,000 miles no advisories.
In Feb 2020 my Brother in Law was told it needed a lot of work. He then just parked it on his driveway and left it! Never turned the engine on or charged the battery. Funny its now dead!

In Feb 2020 Main dealer said it had these faults.
Fuel Leak from fuel pipes, alternator belt contaminated, intercooler damper pipe leaking, rear antiroll bar badly corroded, oil leak from gearbox connector and sump, exhaust back box corroded and leaking.
At that time it drove perfectly. According to my sister.

These worry me :-
intercooler damper pipe leaking - what is that?
oil leak from gearbox connector and sump - what is a gearbox connector?

Q 4. I saw a black tube with a red cap, think its the gearbox dipstick, is that right? If the gearbox weeped a little, never seen a oil mark on the driveway, can one top it up through this tube? As a bodge fix.

any advice most welcome.

 

[M80]

I wouldn't worry about the oil. If the filter has been sat dry it may have deteriorated. For the sake of 5 mins I would remove the cover to check it.

So new battery, & charge original battery, to increase the energy to start, and go for a start. These can be a bitch to fire up after being left. The fuel pipe leaks 'may' just be cheap 'o' rings. But anyway the fuel will have returned to tank and need priming.

Replace the aux belt before running any distance.

Yes you can top the ATF through that tube, but I wouldn't. Replacing the pilot bush, or at least 'o' rings to remedy that leak might as well be done later during an transmission service. But I would run the car some to assess it before deciding on that.

Corrosion on an anti roll bar would need to be bad to become dangerous, but have it checked independently.

 

[Submariner1]

I wouldn't worry about the oil. If the filter has been sat dry it may have deteriorated. For the sake of 5 mins I would remove the cover to check it.

So new battery, & charge original battery, to increase the energy to start, and go for a start. These can be a bitch to fire up after being left. The fuel pipe leaks 'may' just be cheap 'o' rings. But anyway the fuel will have returned to tank and need priming.

Replace the aux belt before running any distance.

Yes you can top the ATF through that tube, but I wouldn't. Replacing the pilot bush, or at least 'o' rings to remedy that leak might as well be done later during an transmission service. But I would run the car some to assess it before deciding on that.

Corrosion on an anti roll bar would need to be bad to become dangerous, but have it checked independently.

Very much appreciated, I was worried the piston rings might have rusted solid.
and had no idea what would happen to 3 year old diesel fuel

 

[M80]

The greatest risk to the fuel is diesel bug. That occurs in standing diesel and is greater risk the lower the fuel level.
It would block the filter pretty soon, and contaminate the fuel line to it. But to find out you would need drain all, remove the tank and look for black sludge, then clean.

If the rings have gummed up and don't free 'emsleves then the engine is goosed anyway. I can't see the effort to repair being worth it, so in my mind you might as well run it and see.

You'll need a replacement battery, but other expense only need be considered later.

3 years isn't so long, and if it's darn sarf, while there is risk, the rubber seals here and there shouldn't have suffered greatly.
The valve seals may well have hardened, but then you'r in similar territory as the rings, regarding the feasibility of repair.

I would run it and see what transpires, but others may think differently.

 

[horatio]

That looks in great condition! The faults listed were very minor. Clear plastic fuel pipes & seals always leak, basically a service item. Anti roll bar is solid metal, they all have surface rust. Connector on gear box common leak, usually replaced with service. Back box not expensive.

It would nice to get a little oil in the bores but you would have to remove the injectors. I doubt it’s locked up.

Let us know how it goes!