Anyone ever heard of this? There's a W123 on cardomain.com, and it claims to have a newer diesel engine in it, a 603 I presume. Anyone ever heard of a W123 in a 603 in it besides this one?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Why do you assume that by saying "a newer diesel engine" should suggest that to mean a 603, instead of a newer 617?

While you cannot put a 617 in a 124, (not without cutting away some of the firewall) you may be able to put a 603 in 123! BB

Take a look for yourself here. Although he posts no pics of the engine, he mentions at the bottom of this page that the engine is from a 1986 model, and it has a little more power.
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/364199/6

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Glad I'm not the only one to ever wonder this..

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

but alas. no
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/364199/5
you had to go to another page and there you can see just a sliver of a non 603.

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sold
1987 300 SDL 318K
126.125 (OM603.961) (722.321 trans) (head#14)
Born on date 11/07/1986
2.5" Flowmaster Exhaust
flex-a-lite dual electric cooling fan conversion

now have a 1985 toyota diesel pickup

Did MB ever use the 617 in 86 model year vehicles we never saw in the U.S?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

yes, the euro's had 617 5-cyl engines until 1986 mid-year
similarly, the 602/602 was debuted as early as 1982 overseas

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1982 300SD (214 k, excellent shape) kidmobile running mostly biodiesel, gets 31 mpg hwy with 2.82 rear from a euro 500SEL



1976 115 body 240D 4-speed (traded for Jeep parts) - Engine lives on in my CJ7

It would be a lot easier to just buy a W124 with an OM603. As a bonus you would have a much nicer car to go along with your much nicer engine

Flame suit on.

What euro MB's used the 617s in 86? I know some W123s were made until January 1986, but I know you said mid-86.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Had a 300SDL and measured the distance from the radiator to the firewall in each car. Found the distance to be about the same if not more in teh W123. so a 603 could fit into the W123.

Who's going to do it?

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Have to find a 603 in decent shape for a reasonable price first -- but it would go in the 220D instead....

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!

I'll do it!

















When I win the lottery of course. :p I'll take an old 240D with a bad engine, put the 603 with a manny tranny in, and keep the 240D badge on, and watch the 300SDL owner watch in disbelief as I keep up with or pass him up as we take off at a green light.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

The 300GD had the 617 through 89 or 90.

Another tip is 'new long block from Germany.' What about manifolds, turbo and IP? Can't use 617 parts in place. And of course 'a little more power.' The difference between a tired 617 and a fresh 603 is not a little more power.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Just had my first chance to review this sideways view of part of that engine and that looks to me to be a 5 cylinder 617...I could be wrong, but I counted only five injection tubes.

Notice there is no intake manifold with crossover where it should be on a 603, also note that it is running the old style steering pump with vee belt instead of the 603's surpentine belt. That would be a costly switch over including harmonic balancer just to make everything an antiquated and technilogical obsolite vee belt system from a surpentine system! Doesn't make sense! BB