I am currently in the process of buying a 1994 S350 but have been forwarned that the earlier models (1991 and 1992) had engine issues. Can anyone give me some direction as to if there were, if they were fixed by 1994, or if this is something I should stay away from. It is the 3.5L.

thanks

Welcome to the forum.

The 3.5L engine is plagued by the propensity to bend one or more connection rods. The reason is uncertain. There is no warning or obvious symptoms. The cylinder slowly goes oval and the oil consumption starts to rise. The process continues until it's using a quart every 200 miles and the idle starts to get ragged due to compression loss in the cylinder.

The block is not rebuildable and the engine is trash.

Note, however, that not all engines suffer from the malady. Many members have this engine and it's been perfectly fine. Others have suffered. It's a roll of the dice.........

Search on "rod bender" using google and this site. Quite a bit of good reading.

It is a very expensive gamble as this engine BY FAR suffers the highest percentage of failures. A very high percentage.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I researched the same Q before buying my 90 350sdl.

There is an updated rod from MB. I do not know when MB started using the new rod. There are also claims of the new rod bending also.
I took the risk and am happy I did.

__________________
82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods

I rolled the dice about a week and a half ago. Only time will tell...

-Jim

__________________
1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.

Well, good luck, Jim.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I went into it eyes wide open. I know the history of the car as well as its reputation. We'll see how I feel either in a couple of years or when it starts eating oil. I'll either still be happy or I will feel like a chump. Either way, I knew what I was getting into.

-Jim

__________________
1995 S350D, Green with black leather interior.
Bought January 2008 w/ 233,xxx miles.
I did 22,000 miles during the first year of ownership.