Perhaps. Perhaps not. If i do, what I'm paying for is the fact that we already have a track record with this one, and the fact that no matter what its flaws are, we know about them and we understand them. Come this December, we will have had 4 years with this car, and over 65,000 miles. In that time, we've learned to know this one better than we'd know whatever we replaced it with. If I sold it for what it's worth, I wouldn't have anything like enough money for another w126, better or worse condition, and if I did go that route then I'd still be proposing to have to learn a whole new set of problems. And, most of all, I'd be throwing away a significant number of dollars and hours that are already currently invested in the car.

In other words... even with the problems it's got, that car is worth more to me than it's worth in cash to someone else. Whether that's $1.5K's worth of value or not... perhaps not. The original urgency for this whole situation was that it was my only car and that I had to have a way to get to and from school regardless. That's changed, and so keeping this SDL running becomes sort of a more convenient.... project, I suppose. If it has to be driven with "worsening symptoms" for six months or a year from today before I can afford to replace the head, if it needs it, then so be it. Now I have that luxury. And... that being the case, I'd about rather chase the issues I know about than chase somebody else's entirely new issues.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Chances are good that you'll find cracks in the head.

I is also as likely, that the cracks will be insignificant, and might not even be leaking. I've pulled apart a good engine for parts, didn't use coolant, had the head pressure-tested, also good, but there were two visible cracks in the usual areas. No need to pull it apart if it is asymptomatic or the symptom is minor enough to not affect reliability/driveability. Put a lower pressure cap on and water-wetter in the car.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

have a machine shop check the head out. A machine shop can do all the tests needed and will tell you what to do with the head.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

I find myself in the same situation. I was not able to crank the car the other morning as one cylinder hydrolocked. I got the ratchet out and hand turned the engine. I could hear liquid being squeezed out of the cylinder. i also opened the cap on the expansion tank and it was pressurized from the previous evening.

So I have coolant leaking into the bore. :-(

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

Does someone have a script that will play "taps" or the death march?

Sorry to hear it Michael, I'll keep a watch for a 603 head over on this side of the mitten.

Until then, hope that it's the head gasket, ... or dry it out and trade it in (clunker) with the rubber seal removed from the "radiator" cap.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Cannot believe the head cracked in the few miles that you've driven it. Must be a head gasket issue of some sort............

That's what I'm thinking. It's a #22 head and it didn't overheat. It approached it once at 100* or so a few months ago.

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

I thought it was only the cast heads that cracked?
I always checked heads by magnetizing them and spraying powder on them. Otherwise the cracks aren't visible. You can't magnetize an aluminum head.
I would suggest you probably have a bad gasket.

I had the same problem not too long ago on a Ford. Didn't blow white smoke but the coolant level dropped while the engine was running. Didn't take long to figure out exhaust was leaking into the coolant system.
A new head fixed it right up.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

All of the heads are cast.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff