W123 300d engine checklist

[sergiomoura]

I am going to see a w123 I would like to buy pretty cheap. The engine is complete, but partially disassembled, someone took the radiator and tubbing out.
I was wondering what could I test to see if the engine is not dead in this condition...

 

[mioba]

How long is a peice of string......

For now best bet is to see it turns and not siezed so big fat wrench at the ready.

Whats with the rope and birds nest at the front.

It looks pretty comlete tbf.

W123 lovely car!

 

[Blobcat]

How long is a peice of string......

For now best bet is to see it turns and not siezed so big fat wrench at the ready.

Whats with the rope and birds nest at the front.

It looks pretty comlete tbf.

W123 lovely car!

That looks like braken underneath the car

 

[sergiomoura]

How long is a peice of string......

For now best bet is to see it turns and not siezed so big fat wrench at the ready.

Whats with the rope and birds nest at the front.

It looks pretty comlete tbf.

W123 lovely car!

That is just dry grass and leaves under the car.. if I take a battery, would it be good idea to try to use the starter to see if engine has compression? Even with no water on the system?

 

[mioba]

That is just dry grass and leaves under the car.. if I take a battery, would it be good idea to try to use the starter to see if engine has compression? Even with no water on the system?

I would not

 

[sergiomoura]

Went to see the car.. it is in this condition...
Frame seems.ok, some rust spots, but the worst think is the partially disassembled engine.
It has compression but not much could be tested.
Connected a battery and got 3 out of 4 electric windows working.

Would you take the plunge? How much would you offer?

 

[sergiomoura]

The rest of the photos

 

[Tony Dyson]

I would want paying to take it away!

 

[sergiomoura]

I would want paying to take it away!

Ahaha

 

[Blobcat]

I was given an S123 230TE in better condition than this…

 

[sergiomoura]

I was given an S123 230TE in better condition than this…

Unfortunately in Portugal they are hard to find with good prices

 

[Blobcat]

Unfortunately in Portugal they are hard to find with good prices

That I can understand, mine was pretty rusty underneath

 

[bladecrazy]

couldnt you run it up for maybe 30 secs just to see if it runs.

 

[sergiomoura]

couldnt you run it up for maybe 30 secs just to see if it runs.

Not possible unfortunately

 

[Doug1234]

I have never owned a w123 but this one looks very tidy.
Exhaust manifold to down pipe join is off so engine has been replaced or been out, saying that the engine block is nicely painted so is it a reconditioned engine ?.
Anyway its tidy and looks good considering age and even for parts its worth having .

 

[sergiomoura]

I have never owned a w123 but this one looks very tidy.
Exhaust manifold to down pipe join is off so engine has been replaced or been out, saying that the engine block is nicely painted so is it a reconditioned engine ?.
Anyway its tidy and looks good considering age and even for parts its worth having .

I agree, the chassis seems in good condition, all 4 jacking holes had no rust, the paint was stained but cleaned fine with fingers, and interiors were no perfect, but .ore or less ok.
What the owner told me, was that the PO started disassembling the engine to change if for s turbocharged, but gave up the project.
I can only assume that the engine might not be in good condition, but there is no way to know.
The things I like: it has a/c and 4 electric windows, and I like the color and interiors...

I might offer a low value and hope I do not regret it. A lot of time and trouble to get it back on the road...

If it remains where it is, outside, he won't be unrusted long...

 

[sergiomoura]

I bought this car!!!!

Yeah!!

Have been working on reassembling it's engine to hear it again.
What I did so far:

Valve adjusting (most were tight)
New radiator
new air filter and box
New engine oil
Flushed water through coolant system

Finally I tried to start it. It fired but got a runaway situation:

W123 Barn find project PT on Instagram: "It's alive!!! Kind of.. got it to fire, just a little bit because I had a mended oil pressure gauge tube that didn't hold on. The key also didn't shutdown the engine, but I was prepared to choke the runaway en

28 likes, 4 comments - benz123pt on October 6, 2021: "It's alive!!! Kind of.. got it to fire, just a little bit because I had a mended oil pressure gauge tube that didn't hold on. The key also didn't shutdown the engine, but I was prepared to choke the runaway engine. Work in progress...".

www.instagram.com

I then took out the fuel shutoff valve and saw some plungers inside the IP looked a bit stuck.
Played with them with some oil and things look to move without effort.
Can someone confirm.if this is the way it is supposed to work?

I am a bit worried that if I try to start it again it will try to run away again...

Many thanks!