Former 300D owner wants a 350SDL - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ROLLGUY · #16 08-31-2017, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

There is always my 91 350 sdl on Inland Empire California Craigslist. 128000 original miles and all records since new. Paint is near perfect and the interior is probably at least an 8 out of 10. Check it out.....Rich

Wouldn't you know it, a guy came by today and bought the car! He brokered it for a friend in Switzerland. Looks like the car will be going back near where it was born!

cmac2012 · #17 09-01-2017, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxbumpo

Rod bender: If no evidence that it has had the head gasket replaced or the engine replaced, then it is a roll of the dice. You could immediately have the head gasket replaced, and while the head is off measure the piston heights to make sure the #1 piston rod isn't already bent.

Worse case scenario, engine is toast, you swap in an OM606 turbo with intercooler, keeping your OM603 mechanical injection pump. You'll get a nice bump in power and a far more reliable engine with more power and better mileage.

Sounds interesting ... and ambitious. Have you done it? Does it fit in w/o too much drama?

I did some searching in hopes of finding that the OM606 was copiously produced and readily available. Not finding info one way or the other.

Maxbumpo · #18 09-01-2017, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Sounds interesting ... and ambitious. Have you done it? Does it fit in w/o too much drama?

I did some searching in hopes of finding that the OM606 was copiously produced and readily available. Not finding info one way or the other.

Search on this forum - I think there are a couple threads. Someone did this for both the 126 and the 140 cars that also had the rod bender.

Engines: Buy a running 210 E300 Turbo (1998 - 99 models) as the donor (plenty of rusty cars up North that would be good candidates) or search on w w w . car - part dot com

Maxbumpo · #19 09-01-2017, 11:29 AM

Well I am mis-remembering, must have read about the swaps on other forum.

Here's one for an OM606 into a 124 body, which shouldn't be too much different than your 126 body.

Chronicle of my OM606 swap!

Maxbumpo · #20 09-01-2017, 11:31 AM

The basic idea is that you re-use the injection pump from your OM603 in place of the electronic pump from the OM606 turbo, but swap over all the rest of the engine / turbo / intercooler. Fitting the intercooler will be the biggest hassle, but it has been done.

Bengoshi2000 · #21 09-01-2017, 12:00 PM

Maybe I'll just look for a w123 since I know the animal...

Diseasel300 · #22 09-01-2017, 02:46 PM

I wouldn't swear off the OM603, the 3.0L engines are great engines. The 3.5L is the one that has the bad reputation. The 3.0L was originally fitted with a head that would crack if overheated, however there are many of them still in operation with the factory head (mine being one of them), so judge accordingly. Given the choice between a 617 and a 603, there's no choice to be made IMHO.

cmac2012 · #23 09-01-2017, 05:03 PM

From what I know so far, I agree with that. Maybe if one found a well preserved 350 but with a bad engine going for a low price, would be an interesting project. Or if a 300 603 motor went badly south and no good candidate was found and the car was worth the effort. A number of 'ifs' in this paragraph.

Father Of Giants · #24 09-01-2017, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bengoshi2000

Only one problem ROLLGUY... I'd have to get it over here to the east coast.

I appreciate the straightforward advice, folks.

My main reason at looking for a 350SDL was my gut feeling that the OM617 SDL's were a bit anemic. I have a 14 year old who's nearly 6'1" and it's almost sad to see him in the back seat of my Golf going to school in the mornings. He looks like a folded grasshopper.

So, whether I pursue this 350sdl or not, what kind of work would you want to see in the service records to make you comfortable with an OM603? Or is an OM603 simply a deal breaker?

EDIT: Maxbumpo posted while I was typing. So at a minimum, I'd want to see the headgasket replaced, if not the entire engine. Anything else?

I'm 6'2" and the SDL is spacious enough for me to drive at my height.
The back seat offers more than enough room from the very few occasions I decided to sit back there and be driven around.

Personally I took the bullet and bought my SDL w/o service records. What would be good signs of service are:New glow plugs recently replaced (if they are not you can test their condition at the G.P, relay), injectors replaced at around 50,000 miles ago...since people say having injectors rebuilt every 100k miles is a good idea. See if the engine accessory tensioning system has been replaced, like the chain tensioner arm and it's respective components. And of course you want to see the routine oil change and oil/fuel filter R&R. I'm not familiar with the 350SDL but you may want to check out the vacuum pump on it and see if it is the updated version.

Just found out the car was sold...if you think the 3.0L OM603 will be anemic, then the most straight forward solution as others have noted is to drop an OM606 in a W126 body. Something considerably cheaper (but you will get worse mileage) is to get a "super diesel pump" with larger pump elements. If you're curious of what the larger elements will do to the performance on the engine...check out this video of a W124 OM603 with a super pump. Has a stock KKK turbo with a super pump and a modified intake manifold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVWMuoVn1s4

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode