I had voted here for the diesel forum too and am happy to see it has come alive! My former username was "FogHorn". Recently I got a new ISP and have lost my Pass here, so I re-registered under a new name.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter as most probably don't remember me anyway! Since I've posted last, I've added another MB to my family and now that there is a diesel forum here, I hope to partisapate more than before! Benzbob...............

 

i remember that.

the cat in a race car.

 

BenzBob,

I, too, am pleased to see a separate "thread" for diesel discussions. I am currently working on my third MB diesel, a '78 240d. Previously, I had two 300Ds which, after I owned them and puttered with them, I realized that the bodies wouldn't justify major restoration. This time I shopped for a BODY! Now, if I can get the Admiral to be satisfied with 0 - 60 in five minutes...!!![8D]

 

Wow, 0 to 60 in five minutes! Wow, that's as fast as a VW bus!

how about a 617, or a 603 instead?

 

Bob,

I had a '60 VW "Microbus"; blew the engine up. Discovered that the spare engine from my neighbor's Porche which he wrecked, bolted right into the transporter....well, not exactly, but with minor exhaust modifications, and living without chokes on the carbs....I had 125 HP instead of 36, or 40...whatever the original was... Lifted the front wheels right off the road when I popped the clutch!

No, I am very happy to slog along at the 240Ds pace; I just have to convince "leadfoot" Judy that it's a good thing!!! (She'd rather be making black marks on the road, than black clouds behind her!) We just returned from 4 years of liveaboard cruising in a sailboat; you'd think she'd be accustomed to "SLOW" by now!!!)

 

I lived aboard for several years aboard both a 40' stinkpot, and later a 34' Alden sloop. Currently I have down sized the fleet to one and that is my Lightning class sloop, which I hope to get back in the water this summer.

My brother has a 60' motorsailer for sale down in the Keys, as his health has forced his dream to vanish just as he began his voyage last fall.

You must be familiar with 4-107's etc!

Diesel's are fun, and I am very happy with my 603. It has great power and gets 30+ mpg. Recently I had the head off for inspection, and all was well (no cracks starting, no corrosion) and just had my Bosch injectors readjusted (spray pattern, balanced) and the engine runs as smooth as a sewing macine!

I drove once a early 60's VW window bus, mint green and white, and really liked it. That was many many years ago!

 

Bob,

I tied up in New Bern last July, after admitting that I couldn't handle our 37' Irwin (sloop)anymore. We occasionally take her out, but we don't challege the elements anymore! We're going to put her up for sale later this spring and go back to trailer sailing. Whew....Lightning s are lot of work, but I suppose you can sail them slowly and have a good time....I doubt it though! I had a C-Class Scow, it went fast, and you were challenged to make it go fast!

Having retired from the trucking industry I knew the 4-107 and 4-108 from our Carrier reefers. So when I bought St. Jude and discovered she was powered by a 4-108 I was pleased. Especially since I had repacement parts for just about everything on the engine!!! (after four years of cruising, all I replaced were the oil and fuel filters!!!) Heavy, but durable engines!

I'm trying to keep everything original on the 240D, but it's a challenge. I replaced the whole cruise control under the hood with an aftermarket unit, and I have yet to get up the nerve to tie the original switch to the unit....Someday I'll tackle it. The front seats have had it and I'm wavering and weakening...I may just pay someone to replace the brown leatherette with something color matching and have comfortable padding again!

 

The leather seats in my 107 have well over 200K and are well broken in, a little too well I should say! I plan to reupholster them soon. The 300D seats MB-tex, are also up there in mileage too but have fared much better!

The cruise, or autopilot, LOL, I sometime find myself calling it, on both my MB's do not work. Can't tell if it's the amps, or something else, gone south! So I've given up on them for now anyway. Many years ago, I installed an aftermarket cruise in a chevy van I drove cross country. It worked quite well, but was not as accurate as many of todays factory units.

Yes, the Lightning can be a wet sail, but I generally sail it in the bays in light air, and calm waters. I'm considering installing a tabernacle for the mast so I can trailor the boat, instead of leaving it on mooring, or dockside. I sail it only a few times during the season, and it's easier, and cheaper to keep it right in the back yard! BB

 

Hard to tell about the Cruise Control diagnosis; I narrowed my problems down to non-vacuum, and at that point found a Sears universal kit and installed it, and I temporarily mounted the control clipped on to the old control, but when I find a schematic for the existing switch, which I know is good, I'll cut the wires and make it all look "original".

A mast tabernacle is no big deal to install; I put one on my O'Day 22, and saved a lot of wear and tear on this old body!!! It's sooooo much easier to raise the mast into position.....I wish I had thought of it 10 years before!

 

How long do you think my 81 300 SD turbo will last with almost 300k miles?