Mercedes-Benz 300TD (1979-1987)

Does anyone remember the Mercedes-Benz 300TD?

Originally imported to the U.S. for the 1979 model year, it was the station wagon version of models 300D and 300CD, using the same 5-cylinder OM617 engine as those two vehicles. But in Europe, there were also the 240TD and the gassers 230TE, 250TE and 280TE; we Yanks would not have a gasser Benz wagon (outside of the gray market at least) until the 1988 300TE.

Starting in 1981, the engine was now turbocharged (this iteration of the engine first appeared on our shores in the 1978 300SD super sedan, which itself was refined for '81) so now people could call the 300TD a true "Turbo Diesel" wagon; "TD" originally meant "Touring, Diesel" or "Transport, Diesel." A year later (1982) the 300D and 300CD were also given the turbo-diesel treatment, leaving the 240D (essentially using the same engine as the 300 series less one cylinder) as the only non-turbo-diesel Benz (as well as having been the only Benz with a manual transmission) in the U.S., which itself was replaced for 1984 with the 190D 2.2.

For 1986, the 300SDL (the 300SD's replacement) were given a brand-spanking-new OM603 6-cylinder turbo-diesel, which unfortunately suffered from cylinder head problems - though that was nothing compared to the nightmare that was the overbored version of the same engine introduced in 1990 in the 350SDL, which itself had a tendency to break rods, hence the nickname "Rod Bender."

Both the W124 300D and 300TD made their debuts in 1987, but it turned out to be the final year for all Benz models with that engine (and the W201 190D 2.5 Turbo, which essentially used a 5-cylinder version of the OM603 engine) due to the sharp drop in U.S. diesel car sales that had (in part) been impacted by the Oldsmobile 5.7L V-8 diesel recalls.

~Ben

 

Got an 85 W123 300 TD, I've been working on installing new suspension components including new nitrogen accumulators for the rear SLS. I'm taking it in for new tires and alignment next week so it should be all ready for spring.