Really to be fair we should include the metal fatigue theory that Brian used to promote.

Tom W

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[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 am a proponent of the metal fatigue theory too. I had one of these beasts. I read a lot about it at the time. I believe the basic design is likely sound, and it was over engineered to fit into the available space. The production controls were likely incompatible with the basic design. This resulted in an array of physically interchangeable and nearly indistinguishable parts that met the design, or didn't. Relatively few needed to be bad to ruin the experience for a wide range of customers. Like much less than one in six. With just one in 12 you can have half the engines afflicted. With one in 2 you can have a quarter of the engines afflicted. I think the distribution is somewhere between half and a quarter. Just doesn't take a lot of bad rods to make that happen. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Whoa, it's hard to dispute hard evidence like this! I was about to go with the gasket or metal fatigue theory but after seeing those pictures....It's clear what's happening!

__________________
1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

No, Jim..........I've ditched my metal fatigue theory for my rock theory. The metal fatigue theory has some basis in engineering principles and is a very likely candidate for the cause. But, you cannot explain fatigue to the layman.

So, I've switched my theory to the rock theory..........easily explained........although admittedly not supported by any data. Don't let my lack of data confuse you with the truth, however.

Well, your rock theory falls a bit short compared to my rodent piss theory. And I have lots of evidence of rodents pissing in my engine bay, including the air box. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I don't think your rodent can produce 30 ml of pee and get it in a single cylinder..........so, that theory doesn't hold forth compared to my rock theory.


Remember, my rocks are special inflatable rocks that pass through the turbo unscathed.........and then grow when they get past the intake valve. I'm very sure this is the cause of the bent rods.

They breed in the air cleaner and make nasty puddles of rodent pee and dissolved solids.... rots the air cleaner and they chew their way to the turbo where they do their little rat in a squirrel cage exercise and pump a few of them into the turbo and out the other side, intact, of course. Then they just crawl up to the manifold and rest on the valve stem. There every drop of pee goes in and ruins the engine. The ingested rats of course do no damage themselves and are expelled out the exhaust valves whole and make their way out the tailpipe, a bit dirty, but ready to start the whole process over again. These rats, by the way, are trained by BMW. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

That's quite a credible theory. I like it. I think it's got more merit than my rock theory.

Got any evidence to support that theory?..........oh, never mind........you don't need any.

Obviously Brian's new theory Rocks!

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.

If the rock were sedimentary, it could have passed in pieces, settled in the cylinder, and formed a large enough mass to do the damage.

If volcanic, perhaps the heat of the exhaust, solidified when the engine was off.

Perhaps a crystal formed?

Maybe M-B never solved the rod-bender issues because they're Engineers, not Geologists!

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

There. Fixed it for you.

__________________
1998 E300 +310,000K
1996 E300 +460,000K

NEIN NEIN NEIN!!

It's cause is HEAVY AIR and Molecular Cross Threading, of the head and block.

__________________
SONNY was right...Nobody Cares.
Calogero, from the movie, "A BRONX TALE."

NEIN NEIN NEIN!!

It's cause is HEAVY AIR and Molecular Cross Threading, of the head and block, with the gravitational effects of Lunar and Martian Orbital Cycles. Then and only then, do conditions allow for the manyfold, and manifold(s) too, differences to cause the rod-bending to commence. These cycles start and stop, according to these and other unknown and unfounded events, to cause the damages incurred.

My conclusion is that some heathen, urinated into the fuel tank and air-intake, of these 3.5 Diesels, and corrupted events. It's in the water!

__________________
SONNY was right...Nobody Cares.
Calogero, from the movie, "A BRONX TALE."

I'm with Tom. you know, just because. Tom has a mechanics 6th sense I think.

also, I fixed a head gasket and cracked (20) head on one of them. it blew up a few 1000 miles later... and no, not because of the work I did. It just self destructed because of 'being a 350'.
sorry, no data.

maybe the 10mm bolts came loose inside the oilpan? that happens you know.
damn junk! but oh how I love the torque of that engine.

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1964 datsun 1500
-----------------------
this is where I quote some dude, so I look smart because of quoting that dude that said something smart once

Thanks Habraken. Do you actually live in Munich?

I thought maybe the 3.5 was a us model only.

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.