You got me hooked on these things John! I'm not kidding I wanted a 300SD until I read your posts.

My 617 wouldn't start this morning. The 603 always started without fault. Anyone want to buy a $500 SD in April!

I think their is very little I havn't done on the 603. And what little I have not done yet I will do.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

What are the differences in these engines and to what models do they belong?

Her new name is "Green Pit"
A "master" of the 603 must have special powers that will propel these cars into infinity.

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sophie2
1987 300TD, 168K
1981 300D 220K
1968 250S W115 Diesel Converted,
2006 E320 CDI
2006 Yanmar 3YM30 / Vindo Sloop
29 Vintage Bicycles

Master? Don't go by post count. Filter out questions and answers already in the archives and you're left with 3 or 4 posts which are relevant original ideas Replace a 603 belt tensioner without removing the fan or shroud? Can be done.

Sixto
87 300SDL

That's the truth.

Now that you delivered that vehicle to Plantman, we forget about all the trials and tribulations that you had with it. Quite a bit of experience there.

I don't know guys ... I think I might be the master of the 603 ... I can, after all, change my own return lines and uh, I can also ... change my own oil? OK, maybe I have a ways to go ... I'll be proud if the day comes when I can even identify all the parts under my hood, let alone claim mastery.

I can draw pretty pictures of my car, though.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should! I think with small hands it can be done without to much effort. You need to bribe a fairly smart kid to do it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

True. I spend way too much time convincing myself that the folks who write shop manuals know their trade. But once in a while I get lucky. I replaced the IP o-ring without touching the timer sprocket. I pulled back the IP leaving the timer sprocket in place. I used my finger as a pilot tool and got the IP back on the timer sprocket with a quick but gentle shove.

With the tensioner it's not about small hands. It's about having a tensioner that will swing enough to clear the fan pulley, a really stubborn fan and no fan holder tool.

Sixto
87 300SDL

You guys are definitely asking for it...

As soon as I think, wow, I'm glad that works...bang!

I thought that last year during the winter with my SDL. My 116 always had funky heat until I finally fixed it to sell it. Now, my SDL needs blower motor brushes, grrrr. Well I took it out to take it to an auto electric shop and they said if I can get the brushes they can put them in it, so, I put it back in my car this morning and it worked flawlessly today. Hopefully it works for the next 3 weeks for my mom till I come home on Christmas Break and have the motor done.

I was thinking today while changing my oil, I'm pulling the engine this summer. I'm getting sick of mine leaking everywhere so I want to pull it and replace all the gaskets, oil leaks drive me nuts! I found after R&R'ing the turbo that now my feed line leaks at the block. I'm hoping I can remove the whole line and free up the nut on the line and hopefully get it to seal a little better. Also, hopefully at the same time I can get a friend of mine to paint it, that would be a good setup if I could have it painted while I'm resealing the engine.

Over and Out
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Now go change those glow plugs on the 300SDL and see which one you mind working on more

I'd rather do the 603, the manifold comes off easy enough. The last one in the back on the 617 is a pita.

Sixto's post reminds me of how people go to extreme lengths in order to change the glow plugs on these without pulling the intake manifold. If they just pulled the manifold they could do the job in half the time with a lot less effort.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Do a starter on a 617 then do a 603. HAHAHAHA. That one's definitely worth the added work required for GP's. Or how about changing the serpentine belt vs. all the v-belts? I'd take the 603 anyday over the 617, and I used to have a 617, it's just that this engine is WAY better. If you notice, most of those who have personal experience with both, prefer the 603. hmmmm.

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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That's the truth. You can change the serpentine belt in 15 minutes without removing the fan. Doing the full set of belts on the 617 requires three hours, especially since they have probably been on there for more than 10 years.

On the SD, the fan has to be removed to get the alternator belt on. It's impossible with the stock 1000 mm length.

Uh? My fan has never been off...I doubt they would require you to pull the fan to put on a belt. It took me a solid 30-45min to change my belts when I got the car. Did it in the driveway from above.

Anywho, personally, when I break a belt or my power steering pump fails or the AC pump fails, I would MUCH rather have seperate v-belts vs a single serpentine belt.

MB put two belts on the alt. waterpump for a reason...they were thinking ahead. I am not saying a serpentine belt is the worst thing in the world but if I am going to rely upon my car and don't want to deal with noisy idler pullies and the associated tensioner...I'll stick with the V's

Pointless debate I guess heh.

BTW I could change the glowplugs on my 300SD faster than anyone on their 300SDL Never had problems with the back one...but then again...I have long fingers.

Idler pulleys only make noise when they are about to seize. Serp belts are great they last about 100k miles, they seem to last about as long as timing belts. They don't slip either.

The 617 is much better around town though. They start up faster and don't get pissy if you idle them around. With 603's you have to glow because even if its 100 degrees they ***** if you skip the glow cycle. The 617 only needs 2k rpm to keep up with traffic and if you run them around to the stores they don't complain. I love tooling around town in my SD its a way better car for such work. The 603's really love long distance highway work, picking up pizza 3/4 of a mile down the street ticks them off.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200