Mercedes 5 cylinder diesels of the 1980's

Over the past 40 years, there have been a few vehicle models that stand out as excellent examples of superior design and engineering. Typically, they are models at the peak of a certain engine design. What also makes these vehicles sustainable? I used the following criteria for defining a sustainable vehicle:

Reliability – The fewer repairs and parts replacements, the more sustainable the vehicle. The longer they last, the fewer new vehicles have to be built to replace them.

Biofuel ready – Cars that can run on renewable biofuels are more sustainable. The more flexible they are for different fuel types the better.

Fuel Efficient – Vehicles that use less fuel are more sustainable. An extremely fuel efficient vehicle that will run on multiple biofuels is about as sustainable as you can get.

EMP Hardened – This is more of a preventive criteria for sustainability. In the event of an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP), vehicles that are not EMP-hardened will have all electronic systems permanently damaged and disabled. Any vehicles that use electronics would fail and be inoperable until new electronics are installed. I consider cars that are completely disabled to be a sustainability issue. Vehicles that can continue to run indefinitely even after any type of EMP are a more sustainable option. An EMP can be caused either by natural or Man-made sources. Severe solar storms or a nuclear explosion in the stratosphere are two possible causes of powerful EMP events.

There are certainly other criteria that could be used such as use of recycled materials in construction, the recyclability of components and the distance from where components are sourced and where the vehicle was manufactured vs. the destination of sale/usage. However, most auto manufacturers from this time period didn’t have any of this on their radar.

Here are my TOP THREE Sustainable Vehicles of the 20th Century:

1. 1981-1985 Mercedes Diesel Vehicles

2. 1993-1998 Dodge RAM 2500 Cummins Diesel Trucks

3. 1999.5-2003 Volkswagen TDI Vehicles with 5 speed Manual Transmissions

One of my Biodiesel Jetta TDI's

Half way through the model year in 1999, Volkswagen introduced a new body style of their Jetta with an improved “ALH” TDI engine.  When combined with the 5 speed manual transmission in any of the body styles, this drivetrain was extremely fuel efficient and very reliable.  This 1.9 liter direct injection diesel engine was available in the Jetta, Golf and Beetle body styles.

The average fuel mileage ranged from 45-50mpg without any special driving techniques or modifications.  The fuel system was very flexible and can be run on biodiesel with little modification.  Even though this is a direct injection engine, waste vegetable oil can be used as fuel if a heated, two tank conversion kit is installed that gets the injection temperature of the fuel up to at least 160*F.

Stay away from automatic transmissions.  They are prone to failure and are very expensive to repair or replace.

Pros

• Engines are extremely reliable
• There are lots of online resources for technical troubleshooting and inexpensive parts
• Extremely fuel efficient. Averages 45-50mpg without tuning or hyper-miling
• Can be run on biodiesel with little effort. Just replace the fuel return hoses with viton or another fluoro-elastomer hose.

Cons

• Interior and body parts are of low quality. Parts tend to break. The engine and transmission will outlast the body.
• Avoid autumnatic transmission vehicles. The auto transmission is prone to failure and is very expensive to repair.
• Timing belt and water pump MUST be replaced at recommended interval. Older models can be retrofitted to a 100k mile interval by replacing rollers, tensioners and all recommended auxiliary parts during timing belt change. Failure to service at recommended interval will cause timing belt failure and damage to head, valves and cylinders.
• EGR systems are prone to coking in the intake manifold and throttle body. They need to be cleaned when the Check Engine light comes on and is an EGR-related code. There are EGR deletion kits that prevent this but are not legal for road use.
• Vacuum hoses tend to harden with age and crack. They need to be replaced at around 100k intervals or when failure occurs.
• Cooling systems should be maintained properly and only VW pink coolant should be used. Switching to green coolant or mixing the two will cause issues for cooling system components.
• Injection system is electronic and is not EMP-hardened. There are mechanical injection pumps that can be retrofitted to make it EMP-hardened

Buying Guide

• Most used VW’s from this era will have the check engine light on.  Take it to a chain store and have the codes read.  The problem is likely EGR or glow plug system related.  These are not hard or expensive to fix but you should adjust the buying price accordingly.
• Plan on replacing the timing belt and water pump immediately after purchase unless the previous owner can produce a recent invoice for replacement.  In this case, call the repair shop and find out what types of parts they used.  You can’t assume a 100k mile service interval unless you are certain these updates were performed during the last change service.
• Refer to online VW TDI sites for more technical troubleshooting.  Fred’s TDI Forum is a great resource for knowledge.  ID Parts or AutohausAZ are good choices for inexpensive parts.

Preventative Maintenance

• Change the oil every 7,500 miles with a full synthetic oil such as Shell Rotella T6 or Mobil-1 Full Synthetic (5W40)  Use good quality oil filters and replace o-rings during the oil change
• Service the timing belt and water pump immediately when service intervals are reached.
• Replace the fuel filter every 30k miles or as needed from dirty fuel
• If you suspect water in fuel, make sure to use the drain plug in the fuel filter to periodically drain off the water and contamination.
• Change the manual transmission fluid every 60-100k miles depending on usage
• If you have an automatic transmission, sell it. (changing the fluid could cause problems if it wasn’t serviced regularly)

In 2004, Volkswagen introduced a new diesel engine called the PD which used a high pressure fuel system and other modifications to the camshaft and valves.  They require special additives to the full synthetic oil and are prone to cam lobe failure.  Later TDIs from 2006 and on had more updates.  There is not enough information on these models to recommend.

NOTE: Volkswagen diesels built before 1999 are also very reliable and fuel efficient. However, there were some issues with head gaskets on earlier 1.6 diesel engines. If the cooling systems are properly maintained and the fuel injection system or turbo are not over-boosted, they are very reliable and fuel efficient.

Dodge RAM 2500 12 valve Cummins Diesel

In 1993, Dodge introduced an updated version of their Cummins 6BT 12 valve diesel engine that used a Bosch P-7100 mechanical injection pump.  When combined with the all mechanical 47RH hydraulic automatic transmission, buyers have the ultimate, bullet-proof work truck rated for 3/4 ton and 20mpg.

Later models introduced the 47RE electronic version of the automatic transmission that exposed the truck to typical issues with electronics on vehicles. (prone to failure after prolonged use and expensive to repair)

Vehicle Specifications

• 12 valve Cummins 6BT Engine
• Bosch P7100 Injection Pump
• 47RH Hydraulic Automatic Transmission (or 5 speed manual)

Pros

• Extremely reliable drivetrain with proper maintenance
• Bullet-proof mechanical injection pump
• All mechanical transmission with no electronics
• Compatible with biodiesel by replacing soft fuel lines with SAE30R9 fluoro-elastomer-lined high pressure fuel hose. This is available at most chain auto parts stores and is called, “high pressure fuel hose” Make sure to check the spec printed on the hose to make sure it is SAE30R9 (R6, R7 are not biofuel compatible)
• Can be run on refined, de-watered vegetable oil with a two-tank system where the oil is heated to at least 160*F before injection.
• Gets good fuel mileage/weight ratio. Averages around 20mpg for a non-tuned stock engine. This is almost twice the fuel mileage of the gas-engine version of the same truck.

Cons

• Killer Dowel Pin (KDP) One of the dowel pins that holds the timing cover to the front of the engine block tends to work its way out of the timing cover and falls out. It sometimes falls into the timing gears and destroys the gears and timing cover. This can be prevented by installing a KDP kit that keeps the dowel pin from falling out. There are several variations including one method that replaces a nearby bolt with a longer version and an egg-shaped offset washer that covers the dowel pin opening.
• Some models came with the 47RE automatic transmission. This is an electronic version of the original hydraulic 47RH transmission. It contains electronics so it is less reliable and is susceptible to failure from EMP.
• This is a direct injection diesel engine. Running it on vegetable oil with injection temperatures less than 160*F will cause coking on the rings and cylinder walls resulting in eventual engine failure.
• This is a heavy truck so suspension components are a point of failure and require replacement if used for heavy towing
• -Electric windows are not EMP-hardened so would fail from an Electromagnetic Pulse.

Buying Guide

• Look for 47RH transmission
• Look for Bosch P7100 injection pump
• Have compression checked on engine
• look for oil leaks at front timing cover for possible KDP issues
• Ask if KDP has been repaired
• Check condition of oil
• Check condition of transmission fluid (burn smell is bad)
• Check Suspension for wear. (lift front end and shake wheels)  This shouldn’t stop you from buying but will help you adjust the buying price and plan for near term repairs.

Preventative Maintenance

• Change the oil every 3-5K miles depending on usage. Use name-brand 15W-40 oil(Shell Rotella, Chevron Delo, etc.) and good quality oil filters.
• Replace fuel filter every 30k miles with good quality replacement filters.
• Change the transmission fluid and filter every 30k miles (drop pan to change filter)
• Adjust transmission bands every 60k miles for best performance
• Change rear diff fluid every 60k miles
• Flush cooling system every 2 years

Late in 1998, Dodge introduced a new 24 valve Cummins 6BT engine with a new injection pump design.  Unfortunately, the new injection pumps were very sensitive to fuel pressure.  If the lift pump stopped providing enough fuel pressure, the injection pump would completely fail and require rebuild or replacement.  This problem was so common that kits were developed to retrofit the older Bosch P7100 injection pump to the newer 24 valve diesel engine.

Mercedes 5 cylinder diesels of the 1980's

By the early 1980′s, Mercedes had hit the pinnacle of design and engineering with their 4 cylinder and 5 cylinder diesel engines.  The cast iron heads were bullet-proof and the pre-combustion chambers made them the perfect engine for using alternative fuels like waste vegetable oil.  Both the manual and automatic transmissions were also built strong and seldom had issues as long as they were maintained properly.

Models

240D, 300D, 300CD, 300SD, 300TD

Pros

• 5 cylinder diesel engine is legendary and is one of the best engines ever built
• Both automatic and manual transmissions are extremely reliable with proper maintenance.
• Cars are luxurious with very comfortable seating and ride
• Engine runs on biodiesel
• Engine runs on vegetable oil either with one or two-tank systems. Heated two tank systems are the most reliable and will prolong engine life and reliability compared to blending in one tank.

Cons

• Climate, locking and control systems are vacuum-actuated. Vacuum lines become brittle and crack with age. This causes vacuum leaks and failure of control systems. Vacuum systems can be repaired but troubleshooting and repair is tedious
• Hydraulic suspension on the 300TD wagon tends to fail with age and is expensive to repair or replace. If it fails, the system can be retrofitted to regular shock absorbers. This is the recommended repair method to avoid future expensive repairs.
• Leather seats tend to crack and split with age. The MBTex vinyl is more durable
• Dashes crack with age and wood laminate trim tends to peel
• Parts are expensive. Cars that were not maintained properly can cost thousands of dollars to restore. Your best bet is to learn how to fix the cars yourself. There are many online resources for technical knowledge and inexpensive parts.

Buying Guide

These cars are 30 years old now and many of them were not maintained properly by second and third owners.  If you are mechanically inclined, these are great cars to fix up and run as a primary vehicle.  If you are not mechanically inclined, you will spend thousands of dollars paying a German repair shop to keep one of these running.  Keep that in mind when choosing this as your source of transportation.

Here are a few items to look for:

• Watch out for transmissions that slip in and out of gear.  They will likely need to be rebuilt
• Excessive white, grey or black smoke could be a sign of serious engine issues.  White smoke could mean a blown head gasket, grey smoke could indicate excessive engine wear and black smoke could indicate problems with the fuel injection system.  Proceed carefully and make sure you are familiar with proper diagnosis before buying a vehicle with one of these issues.
• An inoperable Air Conditioning system could be a simple vacuum leak or a more serious problem requiring major component replacement.  Research diagnosis methods online and verify the issue before buying a vehicle with inoperable air conditioning especially if you live in a region where AC is not just a “comfort option” but mandatory.

Preventative Maintenance

1. Change the oil and filter every 5k miles with brand name (Shell Rotella, Chevron Delo, etc.) 15W40 oils and quality filters
2. Change the primary and secondary fuel filters every 30k miles or as needed due to poor fuel quality.
3. Change the auto transmission fluid and filter every 30k miles
4. Invest in a set of wrenches for adjusting valves.  This should be done every 60k miles.  Change the valve cover gasket when adjusting the valves.

In 1986, Mercedes introduced a new diesel engine with an aluminum head.  Aluminum is prone to crack when overheated and these engines were not exempt.  They also had problems with connecting rods in the 3.5 liter diesel engine in the 350SDL. By the early 90s, electronic controls replaced vacuum systems which are prone to failure and expensive to repair like most other contemporary gas and diesel engines.

NOTE: Mercedes has always built extremely reliable diesel vehicles before 1985. Therefore, choosing a diesel vehicle built before 1981 is also a good choice. The 300SD is the most powerful of these cars since it has a turbo. Most other pre-1981 Mercedes diesels are normally aspirated and do not have as much power. However, some will arguer that the non-turbo diesels are a better choice due to a less complicated combustion system.

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Diesel Fuel – This is the fuel your engine was designed to use. Choosing diesel is the easiest solution and doesn’t require any special considerations other than the source of where the fuel comes from and the emissions it creates.

B5 – Diesel fuel with a 5% biodiesel additive is really no different than choosing diesel as fuel. However, the biodiesel fuel additive is a solvent and will help keep your fuel tank and injectors clean. The dilution is so low that special alcohol-resistant fuel lines are not needed.  

B20 – Biodiesel diluted in diesel fuel is a great choice for most diesel vehicles. It reduces emissions and requires less diesel fuel. It also keeps the fuel tank and injectors clean as well as reducing dependence on petroleum. Older vehicles should eventually be updated with alcohol-resistant fuel lines but newer vehicles should be fine with existing fuel lines. If you have a new diesel vehicle, make sure that the manufacturer allows B20 fuel without voiding the warranty. Unfortunately, some of the newer vehicles have very sensitive fuel regulators and pumps that won’t operate properly with prolonged use of biodiesel. Make sure to check this with the manufacturer before purchasing the vehicle if your intention is to run biodiesel.

B100 – Pure biodiesel is a great choice for the environment and greatly reduces dependence on petroleum. Particulate emissions from the exhaust are eliminated and the exhaust has a much more pleasant aroma for those that are more susceptible to toxic diesel fumes. You will need to replace both supply and return fuel lines with alcohol-resistant hoses. Viton or Viton-lined hoses are a great choice. Most “high pressure” fuel hoses have an alcohol-resistant lining such as Viton or another fluoroelastomer. These fuel hoses can be identified with the “SAE30R9” designation printed on the hose. Using B100 will likely void any manufacturer’s warranty so take this into consideration when choosing this fuel option. You should also plan on having to replace any o-rings or seals in the fuel management system and injection pump in a shorter service cycle than when running diesel.

WVO Two Tank System – Using WVO as a fuel source is more labor intensive than other fuel choices. Typically, a source for WVO has to be located and may involve multiple sources depending on the amount of fuel you need. A relationship has to be maintained with the restaurant and the fuel has to be cleaned and dried properly before using it. There are extra steps to running the vehicle that have to be performed at the proper times for the car to keep running. If the fuel source is switched to early on startup or if the driver forgets to switch back to diesel and purge, the car may not start next time or significant damage could occur to the engine. If you are a good “shade tree” mechanic and are technical, this might be a good option for you. It can be fun if you know what you’re doing or a financial disaster if you’re not technical and expect it to work just like filling up at the fuel station.

WVO One Tank System – I have heard mixed results on this option. Typically, the only partial successes I’ve heard of involve using a one tank WVO system on an older Mercedes diesel. These vehicles are built like tanks and are very forgiving when it comes to fuel types and abuse. However, they are not indestructable and prolonged WVO use without proper consideration and care will eventually destroy the engine. A one tank system leaves more room for error and risk than the other options above. Proceed at your own risk.

However, some folks in the international biodiesel community have taken much of the information on the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial and built an even more informative site called the Make Biodiesel Tutorial.  This is soup to nuts everything you need to know to make biodiesel from building an appleseed biodiesel processor from an electric hot water heater to the best way to titrate oil.

If you are considering making your own biodiesel fuel, this is the site for you.  Read through the different sections to see if you think making your fuel will be the best fit for you!

Good afternoon,

Surprised at how much it cost last time you filled up your gas tank? You’re not alone. Millions of families and businesses across the country are feeling the pinch of rising gas prices.

Here’s the thing: as long as our economy relies on oil and as demand in countries like China and India continues to grow, we’ll be subject to these kinds of spikes in gas prices.

We’ve been down this road before — just three years ago, gas prices rose to their highest level ever. There was no quick fix to lower prices then, just as there isn’t one now.

For decades, politicians here in Washington have talked a lot about the dangers of our dependence on foreign oil, but this talk hasn’t always been met with action. And today, Americans pay a price for that inaction every time they fill up their tanks.

Yesterday, we unveiled a Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that sets a goal of reducing our imports of foreign oil. By 2025 — a little more than a decade from now — we will have cut that reliance by one-third.

Learn more about the Blueprint and watch President Obama’s speech on energy security:

READ THE BLUEPRINT

In his speech yesterday, President Obama outlined his plan to secure our energy future by developing and securing America’s energy resources, bringing energy costs down for consumers, and innovating our way to a clean energy future.

• Increase domestic energy production. Last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003. And, because we can’t just drill our way out of this crisis, we’re reducing our dependence on oil by increasing fuel efficiency and increasing our production of natural gas and biofuels.
• Reduce demand for oil. Transportation is responsible for 70 percent of our petroleum consumption, so one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to make transportation more efficient.  That’s why, in April of last year, the Obama Administration established a groundbreaking national fuel efficiency standard for cars and trucks that will save us 1.8 billion barrels of oil and save consumers thousands of dollars. We’re also making investments in electric vehicles and the advanced batteries that power them to ensure that high-quality, fuel-efficient cars and trucks are built right here in America.
• Increase production of clean energy. In his State of the Union address, President Obama set a goal that by 2035, 80 percent of our electricity should come from clean energy sources including renewables like wind and solar, nuclear energy, efficient natural gas, and clean coal.The concepts are straightforward, but the execution will be challenging. In order to make this happen, Republicans and Democrats in Congress must find common ground for a responsible and effective energy policy.

But no matter your views on this issue, I think we can all agree that the United States simply can’t afford to leave this challenge for future generations to solve.

Sincerely,

David Plouffe

Senior Advisor to the President

P.S. Check out our new Advise the Advisor video featuring Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and give us your feedback on how we can meet the President’s goal of reducing imports of oil by one-third in a little over a decade:

http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/Advise

1. Increasing our domestic production of oil in a responsible and sound manner

2. Increasing our investment and production of next generation biofuels

Watch the video and learn more about Obama’s plans to help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil to make our country more secure.

Voter's Guide

Before you go to the voting booth this year, make sure you do a little research on the candidates and understand where they stand on reducing our dependence on petroleum.  If asked, all candidates will answer, “I support reducing our nation’s dependence on oil.”  However, you need to look at a more granular level to see how they will act on specific programs to help promote this initiative.  Here are a few specific issues to research before choosing a candidate:

Do you support increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard to 40 miles per gallon?
This would save our country between 2 and 3 million barrels of oil per day.  Supporting legislation to increase this standard is the number one issue that could affect our dependence on oil.  Even a phased in approach that reaches 40 mpg over the next ten years would make a huge dent in our oil consumption.

Do you support the Pickens Plan for converting big rig trucks to natural gas?
If you are not familiar with T. Boone Pickens and his Pickens Plan, it is worth reading about his initiatives.  We have abundant natural gas resources in the US that could help us reduce our petroleum usage and reduce our imports of foreign oil.

Will you support reinstating the Biodiesel Tax Credit and will you support initiatives and incentives that promote the production and use of ALL biofuels?
Congress let the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel expire in December of 2009.  Most biodiesel refineries have shut down and the investors who made big investment risks in the future of our country have lost their investment.

There is much debate over whether first generation biofuels are good for our country and whether we should wait for second generation biofuels.  If you were an investor in first generation biofuels and the government pulls support of your initiative and you lose your investment, what is the likelihood that you will invest in a second generation biofuel initiative?  Smart money will look elsewhere.

If we want to get to second or even third generation biofuels, we need to support the risk-takers who will invest and get us there.

Will you support Renewable Energy tax incentives to help foster residential and commercial conversion to renewable sources for heat generation?
In colder climates that use heating oil as a fuel, renewable alternatives such as biofuels, solar and biomass are viable replacements.  However, they need incentives to help them reach critical mass and bring costs down.  We need politicians that will pass legislation to put solid incentives in place to help reduce our dependence on heating oil as a fuel.

Do some digging and see what you can find out about how candidates stand on these issues.  If you get a chance to attend a debate or town hall meeting, try to ask these questions yourself.  You can also try stopping by a candidate’s local election office, call or email to get answers.

Good luck and most important of all, make sure to get out and vote.  It’s a freedom that many people in this world don’t have!