lolz
hes only been working on them over 20 years and knows his stuff

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

He doesn't.

Trust me.

I was pondering the same question as the original post just yesterday. Now I have the MB bug and will likely be "shopping" for a slightly newer than my 300D model. Those seem like S class cars being sold. What is the failure modes on the '90-'94 models that would have you saying to avoid?

__________________
Scott - K3PSO
----
1984 300D turbo ~203k miles
2008 FourWinds Hurricane 31' RV

Past
'85 300D turbo ~280k miles
'83 300D turbo ~300k miles
'05 Mini Cooper convertible
'96 BMW R1100-RT
'71 Honda CB175 - multi-winter project
'82 Honda CB450 NightHawk
'85 300D turbo ~328k miles
'75 BMW 2002
'66 Beetle

you dont even work on cars, you are an engineer/designer...

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

An incorrect observation and an erroneous conclusion.

Unless your Norman.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Exactly

86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10.............

...

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

What brands, engines and models do you have in mind?

Ditto!

Absolutely correct, as pertains to MB diesels..

1998. Tough lesson about women, joined & quit a mild cult, dropped out of grad school, picked up cigarettes.

On the plus side, bought a Mamiya C330, made some super photographs with it, began to realize the military industrial complex wasn't what I was looking for.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

The W126 1991 350SD are known as the infamous "Rod Bender" diesel, which were, for a time, in the early - mid 1990s covered by a "secret" MB warranty that allowed for a dealer installed new, complete crate engine. If you can find a documented one of them, you should be OK.


Do a search here on "rod bender" for more information...they had a basic design flaw.

Curiously, the 1991 350SD rod benders did not ALL have day to day evidence in real life, of this problem, in driving. About maybe half of them actually did.
Due diligence is needed to snag one of them that are OK. I personally would not touch one.

But when the ovaling started, on the bad ones, and then you would discover that you were burning a LOT of oil, well, at THAT point, it was too late...

'91 is the last year of the W126 in the USA, and all the other problems were pretty much sorted as the car was first sold here as an '81 model.


The most durable and utterly bulletproof W126ers are the anvil reliable 1981-1985 300SD models, but those lack the interior and exterior mild styling upgrades, and such things as dual airbags, ABS, upgraded wheels, etc.


The 1986-1987 SDL ones have aluminum heads, ( I believe ) so are not quite as bullet proof.


But with any of these big diesel W126 cars, they can be, if well kept, easily achive 400,000 to 500,000 miles, and far above.


One of the members here, "SirNik84" is campaigning a 1984 300SD, whose odometer broke at 354,000 miles and he thinks it has over 400,000 miles on it now.

I love driving that car, he loaned it to me a couple of years ago. Same as my '91 560SEC AMG but with 2 more doors and lots slower but LOTS easier on the Persian Perrier.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Why is every one scared to mention the words "ROD BENDERS?

Some how I think I would be listening to Brian before taking much notice of many others.
Some one who has been "working on them for 20 years" probably has 1 years experience practiced 20 times !!

I notice that many have said that problems dont include a particular year car, just so happens thats the year of their car!! Would be interesting to hear what they say once they have traded.
I am sure there are lists on here for models with particular problems. Just not sure if there is one single list.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

LOFL

__________________
1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.

Well, brazen and enlightened one, why don't you shine down upon us your brightness?

You called a guy an idiot while offering nothing to support your assertion.

What do you have of substance to offer?

__________________
1993 W124 300D
-297K on the clock as I type this.