going to go look at this 300sdl saturday and do a pressure check(coolant) and see if it holds pressure or not


if it fails i will see if i can talk him down a hundred or 2 but its no biggie


since i would have to take out the head to do the gasket and do the head im thinking of redoing the motor



i was gonna tare it down and hot tank it and put in new bearings and rings and gaskets and pump and timing setup and be on my way



i mean as long as everything specs out (which shouldnt be a prob)


anyone know of anything i should look for /any trouble areas/ and all



this would be my first diesel build

Cracked heads and/or bent connecting rods can be a problem, but it is dependant on the year. I have a 123, which have thier own set of issues.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

How many miles? Be aware that if the pistons need to be replaced you will have to reach pretty deep into your pocket.

__________________
Jim

Pretty deep?? You have to get a crane to reach down that far. LOL.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Usually the pistons should be replaced as they take a pretty good licking with the high compression of these engines, so an overhaul does get "spendy" but if the rest of the car is good...Its worth it

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Well, lets say you have to have new pistons
but the rods and crank etc. can be refurbished.

My personal perference would be to definitely replace
pistons if you take the head off of an unknown mileage
engine unless you were an expert at diesel piston wear.

Given the head needs to be ground, valves reseated
and sealed, etc.

Given all the above, What would be the $$ cost of a dependable independent shop
performing the work.

Well, I had a quote for a 603 head from Metric Motors for around $400 reworked. That's assuming the valves and prechambers were still useable.

Since I couldn't afford the time to ship to them, etc. I went with a local mercedes specialist who did the head for me for $360...roughly what MM was quoting. Obviously valves and prechambers were still good enough..but head was at the limit for tolerances on the shave...something to consider when you pull the head..they may tell you they can't shave it anymore.

__________________
1982 300TD 210K miles ("The Replacement" aka "The Anvil") - SOLD
1979 300SD 245K miles (never ending project)
2007 Pinarello F3:13
1995 Ducati 916 (SOLD, sniff)
1999 Ducati 900SSie (SOLD)

sometimes thicker head gaskets are available.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I don't know how complete a rebuild you are planning, but Metric Motors sells a long block for $7450 and a short block for $3900:

http://www.mercedesengines.net/products.asp?cat=43

You can work backwards and guess how much you would spend for the parts.

This is the deal sparky .....save your used pistons. Buy a set of liners and have the machine shop install them at 0.001 thousandths clearence for each piston.

Never had a new set of pistons do any better than the used set when I did this..unless the ring lands where worn.

This is over a period of 18 years and about 45 engines. 240 's and 300's.





.

__________________
[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

its a 1986 sdl with 220,000 miles body is pretty cleann and interior is even cleaner


right now i got the guy at 1,000


are the rods a weak point in this motor???? if so whats the fix where do i get rods from are they stronger


lolol just asking and all i might just do a hg and check the head and go also and save up for a build

Attached Thumbnails

   

I wouldn't touch the bottom end unless the compression was poor. 220k isn't that many miles.

You don't know if its just a head gasket or a cracked head. If the heads cracked that will run you $2k-$3k to fix. I think a new 22 head is about $1,800 stripped.


The prices for a Metric rebuild are posted above, they are one of the best places to get one. These are not 350 Chevy's, I would only let a shop that deals with high end Euro engines do machine work on one. This is a completly different ball game, and a cheap rebuild is just about worthless.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

think the work cheap came out wrong



the motor work would be done by me and the machine shop done by a shop that does all my motors for me and my custome
what i ment by cheap is that 220 is nthing really for a maintained motor so it would only need to be freshned up thats all


nope dont know yet smokessssssssss like an asss at first i thought it was a ip but now its pointing to a hg or a head (hopefully a hg)

when these heads crack how do they/where do they and are they repairable?

Well some argue that the heads can be welded. But its a temp fix at best. The 14 heads were the ones that cracked. Anything 17 and newer is fine. The 350's had the 17's, so if you find a junk one of them you can use the head. 22 is the latest.


The bottom ends are very tough, mine has 254k and burns zero oil, and will pull the car to 60 faster then MB claims it should. I wouldn't even touch the bottom end if you got the head off and the cylinders looked good. Not worth it. Replace the timing chain, rails, tensioners, deal with the head, time it and your good for another 200k+.


If you want to do the bottom end, do a search into the archives. Also get a service CD from MBUSA
MB Tech Manuals from MBUSA cost $19.99 plus S&H
MB Tech Manuals from MBUSA
You can probably get away with new liners, rings, and bearings. Also don't forget the oil pump and its chain. Really at 220k everything should be in pretty good shape.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

If you like to take risks and labor isn't a big issue then try a repaired head. The shop I use (and will confirm) is very very experienced with these heads, they will not even attempt a repair, they had too many fail despite their best efforts.

I would leave the bottom end alone unless it ran low on oil (inspect the crank rod journals).
I re-ringed my 2nd 603 engine reinstalled original (265K mile) pistons w/ engine in car. Had used #14 head rebuilt, new lifters, its running like a champ! Whatever you do be sure you do not run on the old model vacuum pump. The new models have four torx head bolts holding the cover on, old ones were crimped on. Its a failure item that jams the timing chain and the engine is a destruct-mode engine

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!