I wish I knew exactly without having to tear it all down...
Here is the scoop on the car: I bought it in October from a guy who has owned Benz and MANY of them since he was 16; he was in his 40s.
He was VERY knowledge and was sold on this car and bragged and bragged about it's durability and knew every detail about the car.

It had 168,000 miles on it.
He did meticulous maintenance on the car and had any 'bigger jobs' done by a mechanic he had used for years.

Knowing NOTHING about Benz, I listened and studied, and asked questions and read reviews and researched parts and costs...the whole nine yards.
Finally, assured that this was going to be the best car I would ever own, I purchased the car...What I dream to drive!!!Just loved it! Even told my wife that if she tired of it, I would keep it and get her something else. The car ran like a top!

After two weeks of ownership, we drove into the drive after a 30 mile trip and white smoke started billowing out of the tailpipe.
I knew what that meant.
My father in law is a 50+ year diesel mechanic (farm and big equipment), and encouraged me to tear it down.
We both marveled at the exceptional condition of the interior of the engine....clean as a pin.
The head gasket was blown and there was a small crack on the head.
I had it resurfaced to specs, and pressure tested.
Everything looked good...there was a surface crack, like the size of a hair, on the surface of the head between cylinder 2 and 3 that did not involve the water jacket...
I was told that shouldn't be an issue and didn't see how it could be either.
I purchased all new required parts, got a manual and put everything back together exactly according to specs.
I felt like I had conquered Mt. Everest!

I might mention that when I bought the car the owner had replaced the radiator, thermostat and fan belt a couple of weeks prior..he said it was maintenance and he DID replace things on a regular basis, not because they were worn, but because there were X number of miles on them..you can obviously see this was done.

In the meantime, my wife and I set out to fix every little thing that was not working perfectly - switches, headlight covers, mats, a new condenser (because a long ago encounter with a deer and bent the fins pretty bad.)...even purchased a compatible Crutchfield radio/CD player...we had big plans for a great ride.

After the rebuild, I started her up and she ran perfect.
Took her down the road and the temp hand moved pretty fast.
So I came back and re-burped her twice to get all the air out.....temp better but still goes to 100. Never overheated though.
A mile from home the white smoke appears out the tailpipe again.
Don't guess I have ever been so discouraged in my life....I took soooo many pains and went right by the book.

Don't know why car is running too hot.
I parked her for 4 months and pulled her back out Sat.
Man, what a beautiful car!
I just cannot part it out...there are already too many old classics victim to junkyard demise and this is not a junkyard car!

I just don't know where to start and don't have the resources to go through round two and again end up in the same place.

I WANT to fix the car and drive it for life...but I am no expert and there is no one (that I have found) in rural West TN that I trust enough to not send me on another dead end wild goose chase that cost several K and leave me no better off.

Why is it that I continue to read praises on this 603 engine and it seems to me a dead end money pit.
Man, I had to buy my wife a 99 Ford Escort for 1200.00 because all my money is in this Benz.
That old cracker box has 169,000 miles on it, runs like a dream, and is as dependable as it gets....what is wrong with this picture???

If you have any step by step suggestions or opinions, I am feeling encouraged with the help, interest and comments ..just need to know where to start.

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