Kestas,
I can appreciate that if you get delayed by difficult bolts then there is sense in lifting the head with manifolds as an assembly. As I know Larry agrees, I found the M103 very easy to do leaving the inlet manifold in the engine bay, despite shop manuals suggesting otherwise. Strangely, on the M102 access was not as good around the inlet manifiold and this slowed progress a little. Obviously the M104 with HFM is quite a different arrangement. I like disturbing wiring as little as possible although fortunately this E320 has already had the engine harness replaced (the first major repair after my father purchased it). Aussie versions did not get EGR so that's one less area to give trouble. None of our 102, 103 or 104 had EGR althought the early 104 with KE did get an air pump. We on the other hand got the troublesome and expensive to repair 5-speed auto in all the 124 coupes with the M104. Many have been retrofitted to the 4-speed. Dare I say, this is one area that has not given trouble on my father's car yet.
Dave,
I think what you say re the length of the I6 plays a big part in this. Here in Oz we have a locally manufactured Ford with a 4 litre I6 OHC with alloy head and iron block. I know many of these also suffered head gasket problems. Shorter engines do not seem to have as many problems, although some I4s (including the M102) still do. As Kestas mentions, most of the problem on the M102, 103 and 104 results from small area around the high pressure oil feed, not combustion chamber failure as with some other makes.
Larry and Gilly,
I certainly won't be rushing into this unless oil appears in the coolant which as Gilly suggests is less likely on the 104 or unless it just gets so messy that my father insists on it. Whilst he enjoys keeping his cars clean, he is not as fussy with the engine bay and underside as I am with the 300TE and 190E (which are daily drivers that I enter in concours).
Thanks all for the replies. I'll let you know if the situation changes and requires the work to be done.
Greg
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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.
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