Daniel ... Thanks for the sourcefor the pistons. Mercedes wants about $400 per piston and $75 for the rings for each cylinder. If I knew that I could get pistons for $600, they would be in my engine now.

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Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

I don't think I ever paid $$ for stock pistons cheaper to buy a short block or make them. You can order a set of Deves for under $100 or Total Seal for $150. I have a Turbo VW customer which I rebuilt his motor in 1986, he has 150k on the engine and the leakdown is still less than 4% (2% when the engine was fresh) and the car still runs the 1/4 mile in the low 14 seconds, which it did 16 years ago! So I am sold by Total Seal.

Thanks for all of the advice for "next time". The new head gasket is installed and the car is back running normal. So nice to have it out of the garage and useable. Now I need to begin looking for another track event.

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Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"