The owner new his stuff and a "17" head is a very good thing. The original "14" heads would crack if you overheated them, cost $2k to fix. The newer ones won't, MB redesigned them a few times. The originals were 14, their was a 15, 17 and the newist is 22. The temp should never go above 105c on that car I don't care how you are running it. 80c-90c is normal.

Damn beat me by 2 minutes :D

The vac pump in my 300SDL went around 240k. My mechanic at the time said I was very lucky, as my vacuum pump basically blew apart and none of the parts got stuck between the chain and dislodged it. I had a few pieces of it around here as a "war story".

Maybe I should change that when I have the money.

And look how much more I had to type! :D

Otherwise Alan will certainly beat you to 250K because the SDL will be down for a month :mad:

Or forever if it takes out the engine!!! :eek: I'll see if I can scrape up the $300, since school has started money is kind of tight. I'm working less then 1/2 as much as I used to. The window seal is going to run me $100, I just spent $200 this week on new tie rods, center link, and idler arm. I will also drop more money getting the front end alighned(sp?) and the front tires balanced, tomarrow morning. Not to mention $35 a week on fuel, this SDL is costing me to much. I have a line on a 1987 Honda Accord that is real nice. Hopefully it works out I need to stop driving this thing for a few months so I can catch up on the repairs. I am just keeping my head above water now. If the SDL knows whats good for her she will run good for the next few months. :D

You could always sell it to me ;)

After the vac pump destroys the engine I will cut you a deal :D

You know I was all happy tonight, my 603 was purring on the way home from work, no lifter tick great oil pressure and tons of power. (go Delvac 1! :D )My new steering was nice and tight to. Now look at me I'm tired and worried that my engine is going to blow up. These 603's are full of nice surprises. I bet my head cracks the vac pump blows and the tranny goes at the same time. :D You can't worry about every little thing, I had the vac pump off a few thousand miles ago and it looked fine inside. I will change it sometime in the next few months, probably before winter. If it blows it blows then comes re-build time.

Poor rkinz he is probably wondering what he got himself into. Sorry to hijack your thread and turn it into my feeling sorry for myself thread. These SDL's are great cars just as long as you buy a good one. I will stop hijacking rkinz's thread now sorry.

Yep, that is the thing to do. Get it completely overhauled with all new parts, throw up you hands, and sell it to John. He needs to get back into another SDL since he did the same thing with his when he sold it to Plantman. :D

Damn
 

Beat me by two minutes :D

You guys worry too much. All I did was change my oil and trans fluid and didn't have any major repairs for 100,000 miles. I changed the timing chain and tensioner at 272k (13 degrees!) and I replaced a bunch of stuff that was questionably bad right before I sold it at 324k because I thought I was going to take it cross country.. but that never happned.. fan clutch, thermostat, upper rad hose, calipers, motor mounts, etc. These cars are tough!

I acutally REALLY miss my 300SDL. Here is it's service history.. http://207.44.234.41/300sdl/service.html

Well put Brian :D After I overhaul every system I will do what John did and sell it. Then I will read about him running up tens of thousands of trouble free miles :D

John smells blood and is going in for the kill :D Sorry it is not for sale, never not matter what I say in my moments of weakness, "You can have my SDL when you pry it from my cold dead hands" :cool:

Hmmmm. I would have thought that the Euro would have filled that void. :confused: