Thanks for all the replies.

I'm not so concerned as to why my brother's 180E head gasket started leaking. It is fairly well known that head gaskets on M102, 103 and 104 engines do just start leaking for no obvious reason. It seems to be more age related than mileage related. On my 300TE it was leaking due to corrosion of the gasket around the water passages. I suspect the gasket may even work as a sacrificial anode since there was no corrosion elsewhere. In that instance I had the head skimmed since I knew less of the history of the car and it had travelled greater distance. The six is also longer with greater potential for the head not being flat. In that instance it was only about 0.007" off flat anyway (from memory).

I am simpy suggesting that on the shorter M102 head with such low mileage that has not been abused that we might get away without skimming the head and that there should be no cracks or corrosion to the head. I would check it with a good straight edge to be sure that it is flat.

Skimming heads also raises an interesting issue with OHC engines. If a head is skimmed to bring it back to flat after warping then presumably the camshaft bearings no longer align causing excess load on the camshaft and wear in the bearings. Would it not be preferable to have a slighty warped head pulled down flat with the head bolts than have it machined such that the camsaft bearings no longer align? Just food for thought.

Again, thanks for the replies, and for anyone else that has some ideas I'm appreciative of suggestions, especially from those with experience with the M102. Any techs want to say something regarding any of this?

PS
I have just found out that the water pump is leaking on my father's '93 E320 Coupe (his replacement for the 180E when it went to my brother). Guess who he is hoping will fix it for him? I think I'd rather do the head gasket on the M102 than the water pump on the M104 3.2! I'm dreading when the day comes when my father tells me that the E320 has oil in its coolant. This is sure to happen eventually, it already appears to have the tell-tale oil leak at the rear of the motor.

__________________
107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.