Diesel OM 603 Roll Call
 

Most of the roll calls have been per the body.
for this forum i thought motor grouping would be more diesel specific.


603 913 300D 4MATIC Sedan 124 330 ???- ???
603 960 300TD Wagon 124 193 1987-1987
603 960 E300 D Turbo Sedan 124 133 1987-1987
603 961 300SDL Sedan 126 125 1986-1987
603 963 E300D 4MATIC Sedan 124 333 ???- ???
603 970 350SDL Sedan 126 135 1990-1991
603 970 350SD Sedan 126 134 1991-1991
603 971 300SD Sedan 140 134 1992-1993
603 971 S350 Sedan 140 134 1994-1994

Note: i changed my signature to list the motor/trans and some mods ive made this way anyone on any of my posts can find who has what equipment and who know hows to fix/tweak what.

1987 300D Turbo, OM603.960, 124.133, Light Ivory with Palomino interior, 204k miles with all paperwork from day 1.

1987 300D Turbo, OM603.960, 124.133, Pearl Gray Metallic with Black interior, 186k miles with leak at IP and euro headlights :o

603.960 - 1987 300D - MFG date: 12/86 - Desert Taupe / lt. tan/cream int. - 240K . 1st private owner, ex-lease car. Still looks and drives as new! :)

603.961. 1986 300SDL 169K -Black exterior with Palomino interior :bulb:

'86 300SDL 603.961 @ 241,663 Arctic Blue/Lt Grey Ground Effects with Blue interior.

See signature. :D

BTW - what exactly do you have in your exhaust now? One muffler or two? Was there any power difference compared to stock, and how does it sound? I've been wanting to remove the catalyst and center muffler, and just have the rear muffler...

:)

'86 300SDL. Still being restored and had never driven it.

It's got 312k on it and the body is in great shape, the interior however is a little worn.

I bought a complete replacement carpet set from World Upholstry, front and rear seats and door panels from a '91 560SEL, Bosch euro lights with wipers and motors, and I've rebuilt the transmission.

Now I just have to get that engine rebuilt! :uneasy: :whip:

OhioSDL,

And grouping by ENGINE, you know that big heavy thing under the hood that converts heat energy to mechanical energy, would be even better.

'87 300 SDL, 167k miles mint condition, maroon in and out, and of course a six-zero-three engine.

P E H

603
 

1987 300D 204K. blue/blue, added Euro 500E headlights w/ vacuum adjust, boost gauge, leather seats. Removed ERG and controls, airbox. Use Amsoil lubricants. Get 30 mpg w/o oil use. Fixed almost everything, looks and runs like new. Hope I haven't jinxed myself with this post.

My sig pretty much says it all, but the mileage is up to 242,500. I really like the 603 it sounds very nice over 4k rpm.

87 300D 603.960, 211,000 miles and counting. Uses less than a quart of oil on 6000 mile change intervals (Mobil 1 or Delvac 1). Has Euro (DEPO) headlights after an encounter with a deer last winter.

My brother has an 86 SDL, something like 200,000 miles on it. No oil consumption between changes, just ate an alternator and battery (checking on the glow plug relay to make sure it's not staying on).

Peter

1987 124/603 -14 dead in the driveway.

1995 S-350 603.971 with over 270,000 miles. Original engine.

87 SDL, 290,000 and change miles, converted to burn veg. oil at 270,000, -16 head at 285,000.

new to me 87 300tdt wagon very quick and the smoothest diesel ive ever owned.white with blue int.nice comfortable seats :)

1987 300D, 156K miles, green with a beige interior and Euro headlights. So far I seem to have the lowest mileage 603 here. :)

'87 300D Turbo Smoke silver, almost pristine body. Hella Euro lights w/ no wipers. OE 15 in wheels w/ Nitto tires, ceramic brakes and ATE power discs. 262300 on the original #14 head, recent valve job, new gaskets and new lifters. Rebuilt transmission. My diesel highway blaster, get outta my way I wanna go FAST!

1987 300SDL 152K, diamont blue with blue interior and rear power seats.
1986 300SDL 212K, smoke silver with brown interior and ortho front seats.
Both have original head without any problem. Also these are Dallas, TX cars and have not had any rust problem.

Roman
----------
87 300SDL 152K
86 300SDL 212K
86 420SEL 228K
81 300D 148K

1987 300D Turbo, 235,000 miles. Just had a broken accumulator in the trans, and new ball joints. Other than that only oil changes,filters,etc. since my tenure (at 136,000).

Joe

1990 350sdl 603.97 155,000 miles, White, blue interior. All original except for HD Bielsteins
Andre

W124
 

1987 300D Turbo, OM603.960, 124.133, 210Kmi, Cabernet with Palomino int, factory crate engine at 195Kmi, Hella Euro lights.

Mike Yoder here. Fast approaching 300kmi with the '87 300TD. Smoke Silver. New head.

603.960 E300 D Turbo Sedan 124 133 1987 140K biege with tan interior. In the process of going thru it such as hoses, belt, water pump, vac pump, etc. The more I work on this car, the more I like it but it did look very formidable at first. Its actually the fastest car I have ever owned in many years of driving. O.

87 SDL 603.something!, 97,542m, original paint smokey gray with gray interior, went with the Bosch Euro headlights last year looks great, spare tire never been used! original head, radiator and vacuum pump!

If everyone with a 3.0L motor (1986/87 300D/TD/SDL) could go check out this "head crack" poll, that would be awesome - would be nice to get as many results as possible:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/33066-603-96-engine-head-crack-survey.html

:)

Three 1987 300D's here:

1. Astral silver on cream beige leather - 183,xxx miles
2. Black on maroon tex - 174,xxx miles
3. Black on black tex - 20x,xxx miles

(Sorry, the exact mileage escapes my memory at the moment...) :)

Count me in
 

1987 300SDL 221K new head 20k ago. Just bought an 86 300SDL donor.

Make sure you have the vac pump with the 4 screws on the cover. If not replace it or you could trash the engine.

Nice car though sub 100k rust free southern car. :cool:

603 960, 124 133 ... 1987 300D, arctic white with palomino TEX interior, has 204,000 miles on it, original engine and tranny. My dad bought it new, drove it all over the country, gave it to me last year and I love it. I'm glad to see other people are aware of their cars' "birthday," as my friends gave me a hard time for knowing mine (Dec. 8, 1986). The story with my car is that 5 or so years ago my dad took it to be repaired by the Benz dealership ... it needed a lot done (new front suspension, replace entire vacuum system) and they told him to scrap it because it was not worth it. But on the basis of posterity and sentimentality, we kept it and got all that fixed (and more) anyway. "Bodhi" is still going strong and I would not trade him in for anything. I enjoy going to buy parts at that same dealership that told us to junk the car, and backing in near their window so they can read my vanity plate, which reads "WORTHIT."

1987 300SDL, 131k, smoke silver exterior, maroon leather, OEM Bosch Euros with city lights and vacuum adjust, exterior and interior are "showroom" condition, losing clearcoat on original wheels. New "22" head, pre-chambers, lifters, timing chain <500mi ago. All records from day one, including original sticker and sales brochure! Born in 9/86.

It would be interesting to learn how many heads have failed since the poll began. I know mine has, and my original vote was, "No, not yet." Should we start a fresh one??

1987 300SDL Ivory White/Palomino 196,000+ miles, 603.961.12009872.
Stock except for factory Reclining Rear Seat & HD Bilstein Shocks.
Texas :sun_smile car with service records from day one & NO RUST :) .
Imported into Canada in August.
Rustproofed and Winter Tires currently fitted.
Daily Driver & loving every minute :)

It would also be nice to know mileage when possible "cracked head" symptoms began and mileage when head was replaced and also if one could point to specific overheating events , when and how/why they occured.

I had my "overheating" event around 190k-200k, when the upper radiator hose got a pinhole in 100F summer heat on the freeway. Temps were 115C on the gauge, which was 'normal' to me since I had just bought the car and was trying to fix the 'hot running problem. I didn't know it was losing coolant until I exited the freeway and steam was rising from under the hood, and the gauge moved near 120C. Towed home, fixed hose, problem solved. (A new radiator and fan clutch got temps to 90-95C, btw.)

It was 30kmi+ later, at 230kmi, when the head cracked. It happened almost overnight, there were NO prior symptoms, just one day *poof*.

:hair:

White on Palomino, bought on EBay 3 years ago, spent first 14 years in San Diego, 140k miles (32K by me), no rust, no problems, original head. No oil leaks except the usual dribble from the front crank seal. Replaced vac pump shortly after purchase to be safe. Runs on 100% synthethic lubricants.

Another Ebay bum here, '87 300D w/155K.

Been working on it since I bought it ;)

Hope i don't go broke.... :)

Lukejt

1991 350SDL.... 173000 before it blew.... Installing rebuilt Engine and hopefully will be back on the road before Christmas.... All I want for Christmas is my Mercedes back.. :D

87 300 Sdl
 

I've got a 1987 300 SDL, only one in town (the towns only 25K people though). Arctic white, 209000 miles, just changed to mobil 1 (trying to silence a bit of a knock) and changed the H20 pump today. I love this forum - it's saved me tons of money and time; keep at it everyone (especially the 300SDL folks...

regards,
Matt.

I voted in the poll about 6 months ago. Now I either have a blown head gasket or a cracked head. I guess there's no way to change my vote.

1987 300SDL with 603.961, 292,120 miles, straight pipe, new timing chain @ 291,750. In need of about $10,000 (head/gasket, paint, a little suspension work, new brakes, interior help, etc etc).

'87 SDL. 243k miles. -14 head, soft upper hose. whew. Dark gray exterior and a light gray interior. I'm working on making this a $6-7k car, I know it would cost more than that in the long run, but hey, the journey there's always the most fun AND educational! I wish I knew the B-Day of my baby, but I have to look up how to find it.

Thanks
David

Keith.o
 

I'm pretty new to the car and the forum but here goes:

1987 300 SDL 603.961, automatic, 220 + , 2 previous owners, papers up to 190,00. A very clean and solid car. Black ext. Gray int., no rust yet, everything works. Waiting for Whunter to work his magic on some hopefully minor mechanical issues.

87 300D Turbo 124.133. White on the outside, blue on the inside. Bought in April '04 for $2,500 with 224K and 65K since engine rebuild. Was owned and well maintained by an MB shop foreman in Annapolis MD. Now has 235K and has been the least expensive to maintain! Just a thermostat, belt shock, belt, fuel and air filters since taking ownership. Now has Euro lights front and rear, 20% on the windows and 17" 2002 E-Class Sport wheels. Original head? Where do you look for the #?

I think it's under the #2 intake runner stamped on the head. It's really easy to see with out the intake on, or I think if you look with a falshlight you might be able to see it.

Thanks
David

2 more
 

87 124 black ext red MBTex int 380,000 km and 87 126 SDL White ext blue leather int 310,000 km and used to own 87 Wagon TD sold

TNT
Edmonton, AB, Canada