hey all,
so i just picked up a mercedes 300sdl with "a blown head gasket" well i spend the 4-6 hours and pull the head, clean it off and wadayaknow there is four major cracks in it. its a #14 head. I take it to my trusty machinist and he says the condemns the head to scrap. i call around, trying all the major mercedes shops and suppliers in the greater sacramento area, as well as a few import companies, and the answer i get every time is "we havent seen those heads for years and when we do they are sold within hours"

so now i feel kinda stuck. i spent 1500$ on a 1987 300sdl which is now just taking up space in my driveway. i can buy a new head on ebay for 1800$ but then ive gotta transfer every single little part over from my head, and probably buy new valves and **** adds up to over 2500 bucks!

what are my chances of finding a running 603, or even a 606 to stick in the car? or maybe one with a bad lower end and ill make a hybrid of the two...?

ive got almost no money and not a lot of hope right now... any good news out there?

This is what I would do, in this order

1) Find a replacement head for cheap. Failing that

2) Reinstall the old head and hope for the best. Do not put antifreeze, just water.
3) If it overheats then use 'Blue Devil' and following the instructions to the letter, no antifreeze until the head is 'sealed'.
4) I have very good luck with the snake oil.
5) It may be helpful to put a weak radiator cap on, or drill a hole in the cap such that the radiator is never pressurized.
6) It is up to you whether you want to off-load it as the head is on borrowed time.

Disclaimer: It works for me for the last 20K miles but the results may differ.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

You own a car that will never need to be smog checked in California. A w126 no less. You could stuff a Chevy 350 or a 5.6L m117 or a 4bt for anyone cares. Go nuts.

life pro tip: Don't buy a project car if you have almost no money.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

good #20 head

850$ shipped to your door mate:


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/366121-fs-om603-20-cyl-head.html

cheers

ChO

.

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w126 500SEC gen II euro, powered by OM617 turbo stolen from 84 300SD 2.88 diff,EGR blinded
next wish/project: w114 coupe OM603 powered

does it have the cam tower bearing caps? those are head specific and the order matters. i wouldnt be able to put the caps from my head onto it..

im interested but i need to look at my funds

thanks, Jack

I think that you would need injectors also as those are inclined I think...

I have complete head,cam and injectors included,I know these are hard times
so I'm willing to help by giving you "the rest of head" and you pay for
shipping only.... lifters,cam,towers and injectors....sounds good?

I have learn much here on PP so it is my time to repay/recompense


p.s you will have to machine the head also....

cheers

ChO

.

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w126 500SEC gen II euro, powered by OM617 turbo stolen from 84 300SD 2.88 diff,EGR blinded
next wish/project: w114 coupe OM603 powered

I think you would need the fuel lines too because of the different injectors and angle.

There is an OM606 turbo that is consistently on ebay. same price as your car and same price as some complete heads.


I am pretty sure it is being sold by a member here. I have been very tempted and I am surprised it has not sold yet.

That would be my project in your situation, once I owned up to a poor decision buying the car and realized I'd just have to eat it.

So if the car is 1300 in the red right now, why not make something out of it.

Another idea, adsitco and metric engine rebuilders often have parts for these engine.


That $850 dollar head is a steal if it needs no other work.

you can deal with all the additional items - I would just rather have an om606 for an extra $ 500.

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It is ever so true.

The OP paid $1500 for a door stop, how unfortunate. It is scrap value if it was me. I still think the best bet is to use snake oil and pray. It would be $40 out of pocket plus a new gasket, $70, $110 total give or take. I would not do anything else, it is a money pit. Dropping an used engine in there is another futile act IMHO.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

Nonsense, dropping another used engine in there is a brilliant idea!

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

You can drop a gold plated engine if you have the $$$. It doesn't look like it is the case here. I am getting out.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

What condition is the body and interior?

That would make or break it for me.

If it was me and the body and interior in above average shape, I would either find a replacement head or drop a 606 in there. Be patient, lots of 210s that have been infected with tin worm starting to show up on eBay and CL for sub $2k.

But if it is ratty then you just bought a parts car.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Putting on a used head will start around $250,just for gaskets, fluids, bolts, etc. as needed, ... plus the head. If it doesn't come with injectors and it is a later head, add those etc. as posted above.

Sure, you can make it an upgrade project with a different engine, if that's what you want, which doesn't sound like why most people buy a 300SDL, ...

jay bob nailed it IMO, if the car is nice and you have the budget, you can wait and watch for a good complete head assembly, they come around for a lot less than $1800, I'd probably sell you a complete good 603.971 for that, ... the used head will sell here occasionally for $600-$800 depending on the casting # and its history. If the car needs lots of work, find it a new home as a parts car or someone else's project.

I would not support the snake oil and sell it to someone else without disclosure. Even re-assembling and getting it to run can cost you $$, not worth it.

Best of luck,

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

so its been a little bit, and ive been looking around at my options. i found an om606 from a 95' E300D complete engine for 700$ it is in the car and i can hear it run before i pull it. i would be pulling it myself so i know how it was done and how to put it back together.

i would still have all the parts from my 603 to add to the 606 if it needs something... im pretty sure it would go in without a problem

any thoughts on this? is this the right decision?

95 Mercedes E300D Diesel OM606 W124 e300

that is the link to the ad. i have spoken with the seller and he says that the motor has 390k but the top end was rebuilt 100k ago...

im unsure of how to proceed.

thanks in advance for any comments, Jack

I would sure like to know why he decided to part it out.

especially if he had the head rebuilt 100k ago. Does he have documentation for that.

If he does, I'd buy it pretty quick if I had another car to drive long term during the install.

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