With good maintenance, how long should a 5 cyl diesel/turbodiesel last before it needs a rebuild? At what mileage, typically, will it need a cyl. head?

Any stories or advice?

my 1985 300d turbo (california) has 349k on the original engine. the cylinder head has never been off. on the 2nd tranny though!
I bought it from a fireman that changed the oil every 3k.
I had another 123 non turbo with all original that needed new pistons and all exhaust valves at 116k miles! so i think its just how you drive and service these engines.

My '85 SD has the original motor and tranny and they have never been rebuilt. My bro-in-law used to own a '82 SD and he beat the hell out of the thing and hardly ever did any maint. (50,000 between valve adjust, tranny slam to chirp tires, etc.) When he sold it, it was hard to start but once running it ran fine. It had 440,000 miles. The only thing that was replaced was the turbo.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

With good maintenance, I think the consensus is that they'll last until you either get tired of them or die.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I'll go with Rick, but I don't know if I'll ever tire of my 83 300TDT. It has 340,000 miles on it and does everything I ask of it. I service the engine regularly. The engine is original, but the trans has been changed. The key to diesel longevity is maintenance and long distance driving. Putzing around town will kill a diesel.

Peter

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

My 303 has 334,000 on it and I actually like driving it more and more as time goes by.....Iafter I did the seats, I feel more comfortable in it than before. The seats looked shotty, although not as bad as some I have seen.

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

I think it is not so much the engine as it is being able to glance over your shoulder after exiting the car, looking back at the gorgeous piece you spent all morning cleaning and waxing and smiling, knowing you have something special.

When people come up to you and tell you your car is in great shape and inquire "how much" you are willing to part with it for. Despite the near 300K miles on the odometer.

Oh, and the occasional smoke-screen effect when the diesel gets a little constipated: The best method ever for getting rid of tailgating SUV's. The smoke rises over the hood, and they think their OWN VEHICLE is on fire, lol.

Keep you car in good appearance, and you will never tire of it.

for the most part, that depends on you. I bought my mb in may, just did the 3rd oil change this week-end, wow 9k already, keep it looking good, change the oil regularly, and you'll love the car for its quailty, and the looks ya get from others.

chip

It will run until you kill it.

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N. Hodges
1994 S350
1987 300 SDL (for sale)

aluminum rather than cast iron

That makes a world of difference.

Had a parts car with over 1,000,000 km (620,000 miles) on the original engine that still had the original head gasket. It was due for a rebuilt though, but still started at 15 F. Has anyone else in this forum ever seen an original Mercedes 1,000,000 km badge? Unfortunately, the guy who sold me the car kept the badge (hey, I understand...)

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Denis

1979 300TD 189,000 Miles, now running WVO with a home-made 2 tank conversion
1974 230 Gasser 189,000 Miles, For Sale
1961 VW Microbus 162,000 Miles
1961 Ford Fairlane 500, 53,900 original miles
1951 Oliver Super 55 Tractor
2002 Chocolate Lab

Peter:

The block design of the four and six cylinder engines of the 60s and 70s was very smilar to the diesel engine block design. I certainly could mistake a gasser block for a deisel block without the heads on, and the cranks don't look that different, either.

Remember, Benz was a fairly small concern in those days, engineering talent was spread a bit thin. If the desgn works well, modify it a bit. You could drop a dizzy right onto the oil pump shaft of the OM 61x engines without a bit of trouble, and I'd bet there is a nice flat spot next to it for the bolt hole for the holddown!

Obviously, they cannot be interchanged, I don't believe, but they are very close.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Peter,
I have reread the posts and I'm in total agreement with you. MB did it right unlike GM which totally screwed it up.

Peter

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

Same with VW, there little 4cyl gassers blocks look identical to the diesels, even the new diesels and gas engines are not too far removed. I have a late 90's 2.0L short block from a jetta sitting on a rack at work and if you look at it from ten feet away you could mistake it for a twenty year old diesel. Designs that stand the test of time. It's a wunnerful thing.

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K