Engine replacement (Good Lord) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

miljohnj5 · #1 08-24-2011, 04:04 PM

After having my '85 300D die last week and then diagnosed as the engine seized but offering no real explanation how/why this week... I first posted my dang car here for parts a few days ago.
Anyway- after having thought about it; I sold my Harley just to get this car and then sunk another 3K into it, I just can't let it go that easy. The body and interiot are both in pretty good shape and worth trying to keep.
My question is; what's the best way to go about it; a full rebuild or an engine replacement?
I'd prefer a re-build- otherwise I could simply be getting someone else's headache by replacing my engine with theirs.
Advice and recommendations welcomed.

andrewjtx · #2 08-24-2011, 04:10 PM

The easiest would be to find a donor engine and swap it out. Rebuilding an engine will either take you a little money and a lot of time or a lot of money to have it done by someone else...

There are several engine pull threads if you search.

miljohnj5 · #3 08-24-2011, 04:34 PM

Thanks for the reply.
I've done some research and it just seems more likely that the timing chain would have broken first but the mechanic says it's seized.
The wrench knew a guy with a potential donor engine. I might check that out and weigh options.
If total cost is more than what's feasible, I'm just getting an Accord and joining the dark side.
As a grad. student I can only go so far and knowing my CV joint will need replacing, I can't afford to be hard headed about it.
Engine swap does make sense though.
I think I'd be pretty juvenile about the whole thing if it ends up biting me in the long run; meaning, if the second engine proves a major hassle.
In which case I'd probably set fire to the whole she-bang; sinister laugh included.

DeliveryValve · #4 08-24-2011, 04:36 PM

Rebuilding is quite expensive. If your engine is seized, it may not be a good candidate for a rebuild.

You can get a remanufactured motor.

Metric is considered the best, but very expensive.

http://www.mercedesengines.net/products.asp?cat=40

There have been a few forum folks who so far had good success with adsitco dot com.
But their reputation for customer service is crappy that they are generally recommended to avoid.

And another place is remanufactured.com which seem to have a reasonable priced engine.

http://remanufactured.com/Mercedes_Engines.htm

As stated above, if you can find a true low mileage donor, that maybe the best choice economically.

.

Zacharias · #5 08-24-2011, 04:37 PM

I second the advice to get a used engine.

Sounds like you had some bad luck. It isn't common. I highly doubt the replacement motor will calve on you as well.

Isn't someone selling an OM617 in the parts for sale section right now?

miljohnj5 · #6 08-24-2011, 05:01 PM

I did find a 250,XXX 617 engine for sale on the forum but I'm in upstate NY and those miles are too steep for me to sink that kind of money into a swap.
I guess it may be up to the gods.
I'll go for a swap if it's local, otherwise I just can't rationalize shipping an engine right now.
I'm so sick of school debt as it is, economical seems the best way out in both the short and long term.
Besides, repairs will keep coming with my MB after I graduate while I'm still trying to pay off these debts.
Argh.

Zacharias · #7 08-24-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miljohnj5

I did find a 250,XXX 617 engine for sale on the forum but I'm in upstate NY and those miles are too steep for me to sink that kind of money into a swap.

I appreciate what you are saying, but the fact is we aren't far apart geographically so we both have the same drawback: these cars have mostly disappeared off the roads up here.

I suggest you go to one of the 'search all of craigslist' sites and start doing regular scans for parts cars within an acceptable radius. That way you can go see the car, listen to it run and get some idea of who you are dealing with in terms of a vendor.

How far are you from Ogdensburg 13669?

mhin1956 · #8 08-24-2011, 06:03 PM

Whatever you do, check both the alternator AND the vacuum pump B4 you pronounce it dead. Our alternator seized and would not allow the engine to turn. Vac pump can (possibly) cause same.

miljohnj5 · #9 08-24-2011, 06:21 PM

I'm not necessarily that experienced with these but my gut instinct is that it's still the timing chain.
When the engine jolted and then quit I tried restarting it and it jumped for the first two or three times.
After thinking about it, maybe this was the timing chain getting jammed which might explain why he thinks it's seized but I don't know if I trust him either.
The only shop around here that knows about them totally ripped me off and then tried to lie out of it when I took them to the BBB. If I hadn't documented everything (over 3K!) I would have been screwed.

JB3 · #10 08-24-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhin1956

Whatever you do, check both the alternator AND the vacuum pump B4 you pronounce it dead. Our alternator seized and would not allow the engine to turn. Vac pump can (possibly) cause same.

yeah, can you get a second opinion first? How has the mechanic determined that the engine is seized?

where in upstate NY are you? Theres a great guy in syracuse

miljohnj5 · #11 08-24-2011, 07:06 PM

I'm thinking about calling around tomorrow about prices for an engine swap.
It will cost well over $100 in towing just to take it to another place, has to happen anyways if I'm going to swapI guess.
That way, at least I can get another opinion first before settling on a donor- assuming the second wrench isn't wacky or crooked.
The chances of finding a good donor around here though is slim to none... and slim just died.
Maybe I'll just focus onhaving it towed first, inspected, and then see about the swap.
The second-destination mechanic knows about older imports but I don't think he's too familiar with 617's.
I'm around Lake George NY by the way, with a big headache. I have less than a week to make a decision and get things rolling for school. For which I'll be commuting 3 hours per day, 3 days per week. That's been the norm for most of my school years. Ouch. There's a fine line bewteen dedication and stupidity and it looks like I need some glasses.

Zacharias · #12 08-24-2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miljohnj5

That way, at least I can get another opinion first before settling on a donor- assuming the second wrench isn't wacky or crooked.

Actually in my experience it's usually "not competent to make pronouncements on diesels" that is the problem, not greed or insanity.

miljohnj5 · #13 08-24-2011, 07:17 PM

I had a few problems with my car when I was in AZ.
Checking here on the forum for a recommended wrench brought me to a guy who was awesome and diagnosed everything, spot-on with no hesitation. Man... he needs to move north- way north.

ngarover · #14 08-24-2011, 07:20 PM

You should be able to find a whole donor car under 800 bucks if you craigeslist. My replacement donor was 400 bucks. 40 miles away. though I still don't have the car sitting in my driveway.

Get a friend to help and do the pull yourself. It's really not that hard. You can even rent the major tools,like the engine hoist if you have to . Or buy a new one for around 200 bucks. (less than 100 for a used on on CL) Other than that, all you need are some basic tools, a set of allen wrenches, a 6mm allen socket (for the engine mounts) and 4 good jack stands... and some time.

tbomachines · #15 08-24-2011, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngarover

You should be able to find a whole donor car under 800 bucks if you craigeslist. My replacement donor was 400 bucks. 40 miles away. though I still don't have the car sitting in my driveway.

Get a friend to help and do the pull yourself. It's really not that hard. You can even rent the major tools,like the engine hoist if you have to . Or buy a new one for around 200 bucks. (less than 100 for a used on on CL) Other than that, all you need are some basic tools, a set of allen wrenches, a 6mm allen socket (for the engine mounts) and 4 good jack stands... and some time.

x2, a swap is a one day job for someone who has done it before and with a proper lift. This could run you less than $500 if you play your cards right, good luck!

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