I have a 1987 parts car. I am planning on stripping the engine down and saving some parts but am not sure what is worth keeping. The head is a #14 and useless. I have removed the turbo, the exhaust manifold, the intake manifold, valve cover, starter, alternator, camshaft, and injection pump. Is it worth saving an old style vacuum pump? Also is it worth keeping the valves, pistons, and the block itself. I can't turn the engine at all right now so I am assuming that the block is rusted. I'll know more when I get the head off. Your input is appreciated. I can store the parts in boxes easier then leaving the engine laying around. Any advice on other parts to strip?

How many miles are on the engine? What year? And where are you located?

Lots of bits are needed these days so I would keep as much as I had room for!

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

Do you know the head is useless?

I'm a fan of keeping whole cars... you never know what you need. Except the common wear parts are not worth carrying over unless you have an emergency and just need to get operable again. I mean a 50% shock is not worth moving.

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D

Well we all must make these decisions once in a while. The head unless you know it to be damage would or could be very valuable to someone. They are heavy, but not like a block and one man can usually move them and get them where he wants it. So unless you know it's junk, I would keep it. The block you say you can't turn it over. Is the head off already? If it is off, and you can't turn it over, the reason should be pretty obvious. You must have had major engine problems with it. If we knew more we could give better suggestions. But again, if the block has obvious damage, I would certainly junk it. They are difficult to keep, to keep out of your way, and people are always wanting to buy it if you were just around the corner from them. But if you have to ship it, no thanks. When it comes to shipping a block, you have a job on your hands. So I would then junk the block but would pull everything off that block that was in working order, vacuum, ps and AC pumps, the IP, the injectors and lines, starter and alternator. But you need space for these parts also. If you can't get them out of the weather, I'd forget about it. The valves are in the head and of course keep them in there. Junk the engine and save the pistons? I wouldn't think so, but others might not agree. It is not stuff that lends itself to being knocked around. If it isn't easy to find a safe dry place for it, get rid of it (I mean the pistons).

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

Sorry where are my manners. I have a 1987 300td wagon. We were rear ended 4 years ago when she had 245k on the engine. It has the new head on it. After getting rear ended we bought a new (used) 1987 300td wagon. It wasn't a year before the wife was on the freeway and the #14 head blew. We swapped engines. Since then I have gathered little bits off of the car but the engine has been sitting around in the garage. It is frozen so I can't get the torque converter off to put it on a stand. I stripped the engine down and want to save parts. I still have the body of the car but the parts remaining are getting fewer and fewer. On the engine I have the cam shaft the injection pump the alternator, the turbo and the sprokets that run the timing chain. From here I am trying to decide what to do with the block. Is it worth keeping the crankshaft. I think that if I blow up the block it will be time for a new car. I hope that doesn't happen since I have rebuilt or resealed the injectors, the front end, the rear end, the Self levelling system, the power steering pump, the tandem pump, and other things. I would like to get 4 more years out of her but when I look at the list of things that I have done it could be more then that. I'm not a mechanic per say but with the help of this site I have been able to diagnose problems and do the work myself. It really helps out because business isn't as good as it used. I have more time then money and it keeps me out of trouble.

Agree! That whole parts car is part of a slowly dwindling supply.

Many of the parts are probably now Unobtainium (tm).

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Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)