Quote:
Originally Posted by 97 SL320
You have unrealistic expectations. The newest 617 is 30 years old and the oldest 40. Many will have high miles and are going to fail at some point.
Same can be said for any engine / car as more failures will occur at high mileage / age then when new.
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I agree. The OM617 was an engineering masterpiece from a reliability/durability standpoint. It was all-mechanical and featured all-cast-iron construction. I believe it was the last Mercedes diesel engine with a cast iron head.
To the OP, you didn't say how you plan to use the Scout. If you're going to be exploring the far reaches of the Maze district in Canyonlands National Park, or off-roading in Alaska, I vote OM617. If reliability isn't of such paramount importance, the more modern engines may suit you better.
Also, what is your pain threshold for custom fabrication? If you'd rather have a more off-the-shelf solution, you might want to look into the Nissan SD33T engine, which was actually an OEM engine option for the Scout in the 80s. I don't know anything about them, but just saying, that sounds like less fabrication to me.