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The OM603 and OM617 engines have similar over-all reliability. Although the 603 is no more prone to overheating than the 617, the aluminum head of 603 is more likely to crack if the engine is seriously overheated. If the temp gauge starts getting up towards the 120C mark, you need to stop and find out why. Trying to "make it home" is risky. So long as you take care of the cooling system (change the coolant at the appropriate intervals, keep the radiator clean, etc.) the 603 should not overheat. To be fair, it's also possible to overheat a 617 but you have a larger chance of getting away with it.
My mechanic commented to me (when I bought my '87 300D) that the OM603 is a more expensive engine to work on. This may be so and if you have to pay someone to do all your work you will want to keep that in mind. If you can do some of your own work (change glow plugs, serpentine belt, oil changes, etc.) you'll save a lot of money.
Jeremy
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"Buster" in the '95
Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
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