just picked up a 1987 240dl, there was very slow throttle response (took upwards of 5 seconds for the engine to rev) it also has very very low power although up higher in the revs it gains enough to climb hills and get up to speed. limped it home about 25 miles all above 25 mph but as i was parking it overheated. cleaned the maf this morning and sprayed the throttle plate a bit, and gained a little more power but still not much. any ideas?

 

What's the temp out side where you are? It is common for old 240 radiators to become partially clogged and if so and the temp is above 85 or so - the radiator is not capable of dissipating the heat. The solution is a new radiator. Of course you should make sure the thermostat is operating properly. They do tend to break partially open - which could cause the same problem also. The thermostat closes off recirculating water in the engine when it opens - so it can't really just be simply removed.

Lack of power? Not enough info yet - but check the hot air intake flap in the air filter box. The air box thermostat goes bad every few years and gets stuck in the always preheated air position. (sucking air from around the exhaust manifold thru that silver pipe that runs from the manifold to the air filter box)

If those parts are still there and is stuck in hot air mode and you are in a warm climate - that continued hot air intake could have fried the Air mass meter.

Block off the hot air intake tube, remove the hot air flap to ensure air is pulled from the tube in front of the radiator. (if legal where you are)

87 does not have any obd system - so you are stuck with old school diagnostics.

 

Ove checked off the thermostat and hot air re circ. Pretty shure my over heating problem is going to be the radiator. As far as power. I'm pretty shure the maf is at least not functioning 100% as tge mesh was damaged and there was debris in there. Any other ideas of where I could look in the mean time?