Das MB-trac Forum

Hi Peter,

The UG3/40 had been constructed for higher torque than the UG2 generation, but the MBtrac 1500 had more torque. So You cannot reason stronger gear = longer life. On the other side, 13.000hours must not mean that life is over for a 443.
Wolfgang just said it right:

(16.01.2011, 14:43)wolli schrieb: [ -> ]It also depends on the work that the trac has done in the last 13000 hours. If it was only light work as you said, then it shouldn't be a huge problem.

You wrote the tractor was "meticulously maintained". So check it!
When the tractor passes some simple tests, You may be somewhat sure about its condition.

Does the gear switch to every stage without any problems?
When You choose a stage in the gear, does it stay there in any case?
Such as load changes, steep climb, steep incline.

Check the backlash in axles and steering.
Check the Cardan cross links.

What about oil pressure in different cases?
Pressure at engine idle speed, cold engine
Pressure at engine idle speed, warm engine
Pressure at about 1.700/min, warm engine

What about oil consumption at a time of maybe 10 hours of use?
Able to Check Cylinder compression ratio in all 6 cylinders? (Because of the hidden nozzles a little bit complicated in an OM352A...)

Does the engine smoke in different colours?
Grey, when started cold? (check fuel injection system, especially nozzle)
Blue, in any case or especially after a longer time of partial load (an indicator for worn piston rings, valve rods...
NOTE! The engines of MBtrac do not have sealed valve shafts, so a little bit blue exhaust gas is quite normal!
White (defects in cooling system with contact to the combustion)
Black (wrong calibrated fuel injection system, worn nozzles, wrong injection timing).

Search for strange noises in engine, gear and axles...

An MBtrac 1500 in good condition might be ok for that price.

Good luck and greetings

Holger

(16.01.2011, 17:30)Gillcor schrieb: [ -> ]Hi Wolfgang

This is the original colour. The larger 443 - 1500 tractors were introduced in South Africa in this colour

Yes, I know. We talked about that before christmas.
The paint job seems to be in a very good condition, so i thought that this can't be the first painting (even if you don't have salt on the streets in winter, like we have in Germany).

Remember, that all facts Holger told you about the engine are true for the OM352 and can be also true for the ADE352 but we don't know for sure.

Regards,
Wolfgang

the 1100 or the 1500 on gumtree are very nice , i wanted to look at the 1500 but i´m now in austria , so i cant go there to look at it ....

would be my favourite ......

R 150.000,-- is quite a high price , especially if it is BTW excluded , what i think that it is .....


regards Franz

(how does it go on with your 800 engine ?)

(16.01.2011, 20:58)wolli schrieb: [ -> ]...
Remember, that all facts Holger told you about the engine are true for the OM352 and can be also true for the ADE352 but we don't know for sure.
...

Hallo Peter,

Wolfgang wrote about the Atlantis Diesel, do You know, if the 443 series was imported only as a "skid unit" (torso) without engine to South Africa? (Final product MBtrac "Made in South Africa"?). I'm interested historical in the answer to that question, constructive the 352ADE should more or less be the same.
What's the status of ADE today? The company does no longer produce, but wasn't put down?
Note: Our former german "great" Daimler-Chrysler-man Mr. Schrempp was chief of this division for a time in the seventies...

Greetings

Holger

Hello Holger

I really do not know much about the MB Tracs as I am very new to them. I personally would belive that the same would have applied to the 443 series as the restrictions and conditions were very strict in South Africa back then.

As far as ADE is concerned, I have inserted an extract from another local site I came across a few months ago. Quoted as follows:

Zitat:"What happened to ADE (Atlantis Diesel Engines) in Cape Town?
Before I had ever mentioned ADE on this site, I was told that I had been "Googled", or that the asker had found this site through Google in response to just that question.

Well, it is a valid question that crops up often enough and it is discussed from time to time among our colleagues, so I'll provide a little info on the subject. Quite simply they shut down most operations in or around 2001, and put up everything for sale. What's hasn't been sold has either been scrapped or mothballed.

New Engines
However, you could still buy new engines from various agents or stockists right up to around 2005. Toyota for one did this. They probably needed and got assistance for Mercedes in Germany when they ran short of parts and things.

Atlantis's logical successor
CA Components
CA Components claim to "have a proud history of automotive component manufacturing skills dating back to 1981 with the establishment of Atlantis Diesel Engines (ADE)."
They say "they are a world class automotive component, supplier, manufacturer and distributor of complete engines, short blocks, crankcases, cylinder heads, crank shafts, con rods, sumps, manifolds, flywheels, complete diesel engines, natural gas engines and all associated small engine parts for the Mercedes Benz and MAN 366, 400 and 440 diesel engine ranges".

Well, looking from the outside, they do supply cylinder heads & other components to major engine parts suppliers that I know of, and judging from their website (I provided a link above) they run a large, & pretty impressive operation at Atlantis. It seems that they took over large parts of the Atlantis Diesel Engine factory, operations and staff.

Current parts and engine supplies.
General parts for ADE (Mercedes) engines like liner kits, bearings, gasket sets, cylinder heads, and cylinder head parts are freely available and well priced (currently 2010).
By contrast, my experience is that special parts like sumps, fans, fan hubs, compressors, & the like, are not freely available or competitively priced.
New ADE 352 & ADE 366 "short" engines are still available in kit form from time to time, from various suppliers, but outside of "short engines" for those models new ADE engines are not available to the best of my knowledge."

I hope that that will give some helpfull info.

I will possibly over the next couple of days start another thread regarding quite a few engine parts I require for my 800. Please keep an eye out for it as I believe you will be able to advise me on contacts for the parts or you might be able to put someone on to me to assist.

Regards,
Peter

Hallo Peter,

thank You for those informations about ADE and please feel free to ask for help here in this forum, when You want to repair Your 800 or any other further MBtrac.
Wolfgang and I will keep an eye at Your activities here.

But keep in mind that the problem of getting parts is vaild for all MBtracs, for a 443 to buy in future too and the "qualitiy" of this problem will increase...

greetings
Holger