Umm... isn't the smaller valve the exhaust valve?

This is the other crack I see...

Sixto
87 300D

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Yep........sorry.........exhaust valve is correct.

That one is less of a certainty..........cannot tell from the photo for sure.

Confirmed, 5 is definitely cracked between the prechamber and the exhaust valve. I can just about get a fingernail in there.

Not sure about the other one though.

I sent an email to Metrix about a replacement head. Stay tuned.

Metric is going to be costly...........to the tune of $3K or more by the time they are done.

If time is not critical, it's possible to find a replacement from a salvaged vehicle. It might be a #14, but, the cost would be attractive.

I would look for a head off a rod bender. Likely to be a much better head. Get the differet injection lines as well. I think they are different but not sure. Should be out there as there have got to be some of them scrapped because of the lower block. A lot of times a wrecker will not part a block. Yet if he knows the bottom end is shot he might.
Do not send your head to metric. Waste of money as it is not even a usable core. You of course can question a replacement head with them. I think you knew this already.

Used 603 heads happen. Not real often, and be careful to check over what you get, but if you're not in a hurry one will show up.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I got a rebuild for $2100 shipped. Complete with gasket set, prechambers and new cam. The rebuild was done by Omega in Palm Springs.

Metric wanted $2750 for a new head with new internals. But that price doesn't include shipping, prechambers, cam assembly or lifters. I doubt the gasket set is included in that either.

A rebuilt 14 or something newer?

Sixto
87 300D

Not sure yet. Waiting on a confirming call about that.

A rebuilt number 14 is not the best ideal. If the design is failing because of accumulated stress you would be better off with a higher head number.

Verify that omega did not weld cracks in any event. I believe that to be a temporary solution or the odds are two high once cracking has started. It is not long until it breaks out other places perhaps. One member made a crutial observation that the tenisle strength of the head material can change with time. Claims he has found soft heads.

I was never sure the material changed or they were cast of a softer alloy in an attempt to correct a problem or just by accident. Last but not least there was some indication some new spanish aftermarket heads were available about a year ago for about 800.00 retail. This has never been followed up by any member to my knowledge. They required some machining. The vendor was doing that on request for the prechambers. It might be worth the effort of trying to track him down. His name and town are in the archives. I believe the head was bare.
I have to wonder if the new head from metric is a new mercedes casting or one of the spanish ones. Why not ask them? If they are spanish we had better start looking around ourselves.

Mark DeGroff has lots of experience on the machining for new style injectors, he has done some of my work and is the place to go for any diesel head work. He's been the subject of an article on hot rodding here: http://www.camarohomepage.com/project/part2.htm

I sent Mark a #14 head I got used to replace the one that was missing when I bought the blue bomb (project car) and its worked out real nice
I feel that most of the crackeed heads are entirely the result of poor cooling system maintenance, and running AC when the fan thermo switch has failed adds to the heat load of a semi plugged up radiator and thats the way she wrote when you hit a hot day and steep grade.

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'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!

This has been discussed in detail before but I believe a new #22 bare head can be had for about $1600. You can reuse much of what was on the old head in the new head which obviously is not expensive if you do the swap yourself. Even if you are paying someone you may be able to do better than the "rebuilt" head price you were quoted.

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1987 300TD 231,000
#22, afterglow, plastic fan, euro lights, alternator upgrade, cluster housing update

$1600 sounds pretty good.

I'm curious for those who have done it, how much the pre-chambers, injectors, crush washers, valves, seals, etc. will cost to make it whole.

I also noticed that the #22 head bolts can't be completely removed without pulling the injectors.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Call Fastlane (the forum sponsors) or Rusty (***************) and you can get a bare #22 for less than 2k. You'll have to add a lot of other parts, etc, but I think with all the other parts you'll still come out cheaper than that $2700 head from Metric.

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John Robbins
'05 E320 CDI - 240k
'87 300TD - 318k

Does Fastlane sell the Bozio nozzles? I guess I can call. I have the head, will pull the injectors for new nozzles and crush washers, trying to decide which cam to use.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff